As an eligible institution of higher education, Osceola Technical College does participate in the Federal Pell Grant program. To be a recipient, a student must meet the Federal Pell Grant program's criteria for student eligibility and be enrolled in an approved program that is at least 600 clock hours of supervised training. Eligibility is determined by the Federal Government. Pell recipients can only receive Pell for no more than the length of the program as approved by the Accrediting Commission of the Council on Occupational Education with a maximum of 900 clock hours in an academic year. The Federal Pell Grant requires no repayment of funds that are properly distributed.

https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help

Criteria for receiving the Federal Pell Grant are:

1. Student must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid
2. Approved program length must be 600 clock hours or longer
3. Student must demonstrate financial need
4. Student must have a high school diploma or GED
5. Student must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen with a valid Social Security number
6. Student must maintain satisfactory academic progress
7. Student must be working toward a job preparatory completion certificate
8. Student must not be in default of a Federal Education Student Loan or owe Federal funds

Criteria to remain eligible for the Federal Pell Grant are:

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal regulations require the school to establish Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as a general eligibility requirement for Pell Grant. A student must maintain satisfactory academic progress in a CTE program to remain Pell eligible. To meet the SAP qualitative and quantitative standards adopted by Osceola Technical College, a student must:

1. Maintain a minimum average grade of “C” for each payment period. (Qualitative standard)
2. Complete at least 85% of the program competencies for each payment period in order to progress at a rate to complete the program within the maximum timeframe which is 150% of scheduled program hours. (Quantitative Standard)
3. The qualitative and quantitative standards are cumulative and include all periods of a student’s enrollment. Please note that even periods in which the student did not receive any federal aid are also included in the evaluation of academic progress.
4. Individual programs may have higher minimum standards as listed in the program Master
5. Plan of Instruction. These higher standards must be met for Title IV eligibility.

Evaluating Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Recipients

Students must maintain a minimum standard of progress in accordance with the institutions policies and federal regulatory requirements to be eligible to receive financial aid. Minimum standards refer to established cumulative qualitative and quantitative criteria, including a maximum timeframe within which a student must complete his/her program. Student progress is monitored by submitting a report to the instructor once the student has completed their hours and weeks for a payment i.e. (450, 225, and 385). If a student’s academic standing is not in accordance with the satisfactory standards stated above, the student will be placed on a financial aid warning and the student’s Title IV aid may be terminated if the student fails to achieve satisfactory progress by the end of the next scheduled payment period. Should a student be terminated due to unsatisfactory academic progress see below for the reinstatement of Title IV aid for financial aid recipients.

Reinstatement of Title Iv Aid for Financial Aid Recipients

A student who was terminated due to unsatisfactory academic progress and the student wants to return to school at a later date, the student would need to enroll as a “self-pay” student for that term. After the student receives a satisfactory academic progress report at the end of that term which was “self-pay,” the student would re-establish Title IV aid. Financial aid students will not be eligible to receive FSA funds for retaking a program they have already completed before.

Termination of Financial Aid

Failure to achieve satisfactory progress by the end of the next scheduled payment period will result in termination of Title IV aid. At this point in time, the student will be classified as “self-pay” and no additional Title IV aid will be offered. A probation period is not allowed.