When should I apply for financial aid? What are the deadlines?

Apply for aid by completing a FAFSA each academic year, beginning in January prior to the start of Fall Semester. Apply as early as possible. Many financial aid programs have limited funding that will go only to early applicants. As the deadlines approach each term, waiting times to receive personal assistance becomes longer, so an earlier application will be far easier for you. For best results, apply each year prior to March 15th.

Priority File Completion Deadline Dates:
To have your financial aid processed before your fees are due, you must complete all steps in the application process no later than:

What if I didn’t meet the above deadlines?

You are still strongly encouraged to apply for financial aid. Your application will be accepted and processed; however, it may not be processed in time for you to use financial aid to pay for tuition or books. If you are late, you will need to pay for your own tuition and books; then, if you qualify for financial aid, a reimbursement check will be issued to you later in the term. You can seek help with your tuition payment through the Tuition Installment Plan (TIPS). Details of this plan can be found HERE.

Will I be eligible?

Most financial aid programs require financial need and are based on family income. However, in addition to need, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be accepted as a degree seeking student in an AA degree or AS career program, or be accepted as a certificate–seeking student in a financial aid eligible vocational training program.
• Be making satisfactory academic progress (see Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Recipients).
• Be a U.S. Citizen, national or eligible non-citizen while receiving Title IV funds.
• Must be enrolled at least half time (6 credit hours). Some scholarships and grants require three quarters time (9 credit hours) or full time (12 credit hours) enrollment. Courses must be required for the degree program.
• Not be in default on a prior student loan.
• Not have been convicted for sale or possession of illegal drugs while receiving Title IV funds.
• Not owe a repayment or overpayment of a federal grant.
• Not have an existing financial obligation to Valencia.
• Be registered for Selective Service, if required.
• As a first time in college student, you must have a high school
  diploma or GED certificate or meet Federal Ability to Benefit (ATB) test score guidelines. For students who do not have a standard high school diploma or GED, Valencia has identified the Computerized Placement Tests (CPT) as the only acceptable test for ATB purposes. To receive financial aid, the minimum CPT scores are: Reading 55, Sentence Skills 60, and Arithmetic 34.

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