Awards Process

Your financial aid award will be determined on the income, assets and household information you provide on the FAFSA. The Department of Education will use your responses and calculate your Expected Family Contribution, your EFC, using a formula. The EFC is how much you or your family can afford to pay. It is used to determine your eligibility for federal student aid.

Your state and Capitol Technology University will also use the information you provide to determine if you are eligible for any state or Capitol Technology University financial aid.

After reviewing your FAFSA information and determining that you have met all eligibility requirements, the financial aid office will send you a letter listing any financial aid you are eligible to receive. If the admissions office offers you a scholarship, it will appear on your award letter.

Return of Award Letter
You must return one signed copy of the award letter to the financial aid office by the date listed on the letter. If you don't return a signed copy, your awards will be cancelled and the funds will be distributed to other eligible students.

Verification Process

The U.S. Department of Education, state of Maryland and Capitol Technology University frequently check the accuracy of the information you provide on the FAFSA through a verification process.

Documents generally required to successfully complete verification include submitting your IRS Tax Transcripts if you did not use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when completing the FAFSA, W-2 forms, a verification worksheet and other documents as necessary. If you are selected for verification, you cannot receive federal and state financial aid until the process is complete.

Disbursement Process

Most financial aid awards are prorated based on enrollment. Only courses taken for a grade count toward status. During Financial Aid Disbursement Week/Pell Census, the financial aid staff reviews the enrollment status of each financial aid recipient.

After adjustments are made, Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Maryland Part-Time Grants, Maryland Campus-Based Grants, Perkins Loans, Institutional and Corporate and Foundation Scholarship awards are automatically disbursed to the student's account and on-campus housing costs.

Students receiving Perkins Loans for the first time must meet with a financial aid administrator to complete a Perkins Loan Promissory Note and Perkins Loan Disclosure Statement. Continuing students who have previously received a Perkins Loan at Capitol Technology University must complete a Perkins Loan Disclosure Statement. Perkins Loan funds will not disbursed to a student's account until these forms are completed and determined correct.

Financial aid awards greater than tuition, fees and on-campus housing expenses will be refunded to the student.

Return of Federal Funds

Federal Return of Funds Policy
Students receiving federal financial aid have the responsibility to follow the university's withdrawal procedures as outlined in the student handbook.

The 1998 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act requires the university to calculate a return of federal funds if you withdraw from all classes (officially or unofficially) on or before the 60 percent attendance point of semester or term. If you stop attending all classes without officially withdrawing, you will also be subject to a fund return calculation at the end of the semester, which is based on the last documented date you attended classes as determined by instructors.

A pro rata schedule is used to determine the percentage of the semester you attended, based on your withdrawal date. The number of days counted includes all calendar days in the semester, excluding university breaks that exceed four days in length.

How we calculate your percent of attendance:

number of days you attended / number of days in the semester
= percentage of semester you attended

The percentage of the semester attended is used to calculate how much of your aid package is considered unearned and must be returned. For example, if you attended four weeks of a 16-week semester, then you attended just 25 percent of the semester. The government says you earned 25 percent of the funds it gave you. But since you did not attend 75 percent of the semester, 75 percent of your federal aid package must be returned.

The unearned portion of federal aid funds received must be returned to the appropriate aid programs according to federal law. The order of return is Federal Unsubsidized Loan, Federal Subsidized Loan, Federal PLUS Loan, Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and other Title IV programs.

If you withdraw before the disbursement of aid, you may still be eligible for a disbursement. Your records will be reviewed. If you are eligible for additional aid, you will be notified.

Capitol Technology University is required to return the lesser of the unearned Title IV aid or the unearned institutional charges. You are responsible to return any difference owed if the unearned institutional charges are less than the unearned Title IV aid.

Unearned institutional charges are calculated by multiplying the percentage of the semester that was not attended times the student's tuition and fees. Per federal regulations, Capitol Technology University is responsible for its return of funds first, followed by your return of funds.

You are responsible for returning:
Amount of unearned title IV aid minus the amount of aid the school returns, which equals the amount you return.

If you are required to return Title IV funds to a federal loan program, the loan may be repaid according to the existing terms of the loan program. If you are required to return grants, the law allows you to repay only 50 percent of the unearned grant money, rather than 100 percent of what's due. Examples of the federal Title IV return of funds calculation are available in the financial aid office.

Capitol Technology University is required to return its portion of unearned Title IV aid to the appropriate federal program within 30 days of the date your withdrawal. You must return unearned grant aid to Capitol Technology University within 45 days of the date you are notified in writing of the debt. Regulations require that Capitol Technology University refer accounts to the U.S. Department of Education if you fail to pay Capitol Technology University within 45 days of notification.

In this situation, you would be considered in overpayment status and would not be eligible for additional aid at any postsecondary institution participating in the Title IV aid programs until you have resolved the debt with the Department of Education. If you are reported as being in overpayment status, you should contact the department to make arrangements to repay the necessary funds.

If you withdraw after applying for Stafford Loan funds to pay tuition costs, you may have a portion of those funds returned to the lender to reduce your student loan debt.

Continuing Eligibility

All financial aid awards are subject to change. Below are just a few reasons why your financial aid awards can be changed or cancelled.

The financial aid office becomes aware that you are receiving financial assistance from another institution or from sources outside the college, such as tuition assistance from employers, veterans educational benefits or scholarship funds from an outside organizations.
No student may receive financial aid in excess of their need as determined by the Department of Education. Receipt of outside assistance often can cause you to be over-awarded. In such cases, aid must be reduced or cancelled. It is your responsibility to notify the financial aid office if you receive any outside resources.
The Department of Education conducts database matches with several government agencies such as Social Security, Selective Service and INS. Your financial aid will not be processed until you have cleared any conflicts. You could have your financial aid cancelled by failing to make satisfactory progress toward your degree.
Undergraduate students must meet progress standard by holding a miniumum cumulative GPA of 1.7 (if you attempted fewer than 30 semester-credit hours) or 2.0 (if you attempted at least 30 semester-credit hours or have completed your second academic year, whichever comes first).
Undergraduate students must also successfully complete coursework within a time frame. These charts below show the minimum number of semester-credit hours and years of study you must achieve to remain in good academic standing for financial aid. If you do not meet either the minimum GPA standard or credit hour requirement, you will be placed on financial aid warning for one semester. If you fail to meet standards during the warning period, your financial aid will be terminated. If your financial aid eligibility status is terminated, you may appeal as outlined below.
Graduate Students (Master's and Doctoral) receiving federal student aid must maintain a 3.00 cumulative Grade Point Average and earn all attempted credit hours. Failure to meet these standards will place you on financial aid warning for one (1) semester. a student on financial aid warning will receive financial aid for one (1) more semester semester. However before registering for classes the student must consult with their advisor on the best course options. A graduate student under financial aid warning will have his or her financial aid terminated if the GPA and credit hours earned do not meet the standards listed above.

Credit Hours
These charts show the minimum number of semester-credit hours and years of study undergraduate students must have achieved to remain in good academic standing to receive financial aid.

Half-time Students
Year	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Credits (5.5 credits per semester)	11	22	33	44	55	66	77	88	99	110	121	132
Three-quarter time Students
Year	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	x	x	x
Credits (7.5 credits per semester)	15	30	45	60	75	90	105	120	132	x	x	x
Full-time Students
Year	1	2	3	4	5	6	x	x	x	x	x	x
Credits (11 credits per semester)	22	44	66	88	110	132	x	x	x	x	x	x

Undergraduate students must complete their educational program within a period no longer than 150 percent of the published length of the educational program, as measured by credits attempted and including transfer credits.

Financial Aid Termination - Undergraduate & Graduate (Master's and Doctoral Students)

An undergraduate or graduate student whose financial aid is terminated following the warning period will not receive financial aid again unless the student has submitted an appeal requesting financial aid reinstatement. In your letter of appeal, you must explain the reason for your poor academic performance and provide medical documentation or other documents which help to explain your exceptional circumstances. Your letter of appeal and accompanying documentation will be sent to the University's Financial Aid Appeals Committee for review. You will be notified in writing of the Committee's decision. If your appeal is granted you will be placed in a probationary status for one (1) semester.

Revised Award Letters:

If additional information is received that changes your estimated financial need, a revised award letter will be sent to you. As with the first letter, one signed copy must be returned to the financial aid office.

Special Circumstances

If unexpected or unusual circumstances occur that affect you or your family's ability to meet the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), you may petition the financial aid office to reconsider your aid package. All requests must be made in writing and must include the pertinent documentation requested.

You can locate the appeal form under Financial Aid Forms or click here:

Special Circumstance Appeal Form

Special Loan Requirements

You must be enrolled at least half-time (half-time status at Capitol Technology University is six credits each semester).
Federal Direct Loan Program - the Department of Education is the lender of these loan funds
You are required to complete a Federal Direct Loan Entrance Interview and Direct Loan Master Promissory Note on line at https://studentaid.gov/ . You only have to complete the entrance counseling and master promissory note once.
Perkins Loans - Capitol Technology University administers this federal loan program.
Perkins Loan Entrance Interview and completion of the Perkins Master Promissory Note and Perkins Loan Disclosure Statement are completed in the University's Financial Aid Office.
The maximum repayment term is 10 years.
A 1% origination fee is deducted from each disbursement of a student's Direct Loan.
Unless otherwise noted, funds are transferred electronically and credited directly to your student account. A refund is issued if your loan funds are over and above what you owe the University.
Before your Direct Loan or Perkins loan money is disbursed, you may cancel all or part of your loan at any time by notifying the Capitol Technology University Financial Aid Office. After your loan is disbursed, you may cancel all or part of the loan within certain time frames. Your promissory note and additional information you receive from Capitol Technology University will explain the procedures and time frames for canceling your loan.