Welcome to Sowela Technical Community College

We've compiled a list of established lenders who we have placed on our Preferred Lender list because their services are exemplary and are designed to benefit you. The lender is the institution from which the money is actually borrowed, but the interest rates and terms of the loan are set by the U.S. Department of Education. Some lenders offer special incentives that reduce your loan balance or lower your interest rates. You may want to visit their web sites for more information. You may choose only one lender for your Stafford Loan. It is recommended that you choose the same lender each year at SOWELA Technical Community College. Click the link below to access this list.

Contact Information

Phone: 337-491-2689
Email: financialaid@sowela.edu

Applying for Federal and/or State Financial Aid

Although it is not necessary to apply for admission to SOWELA prior to applying for financial aid, the process will flow more smoothly if you have already been admitted.

1. For Stafford loans, Pell grant, and TOPS, a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) must be completed either online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or by completing a paper application and mailing it in the envelope provided. Be sure to enter SOWELA’s school code, which is 005467.

2. When completing and submitting the application online, be sure to sign with your PIN (Personal Identification Number) and your parent’s PIN, if applicable. If you and/or your parent’s do not have a PIN, one can be obtained at www.pin.ed.gov . You may also print, sign, and mail the signature page instead of obtaining a PIN.

3. Once confirmation has been received that the FAFSA has been processed and sent to SOWELA, contact the financial aid office at 337-491-2689.

Satisfactory Academic Progess Policy For Title IV Funding

Recipients of Federal Title IV funding must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress toward their degree/diploma objective to remain eligible for financial assistance.

Minimum Standards

SOWELA Technical Community College (STCC) uses a qualitative (quality of work) standard and a quantitative (amount of work) standard to measure satisfactory academic progress.

The qualitative standard is a cumulative (overall) grade point average of not less than 2.0 on a 4.0 point scale.

The quantitative standard is a cumulative completion rate of not less than 67%. In addition to the 67% completion rate, a student must complete an eligible program of study within 150% of the published length (# of credit hours) of that program as defined by STCC. All hours attempted, regardless of degree/diploma objective changes, and transfer credit will be counted toward the 150% completion time.

Example: Welding curriculum – attempted 60 credit hours & completed 60 credit hours

Enrolled in Industrial Electronics 66 credit hours

150% of 66 credit hours = 99 credit hours (Maximum attempted hours)

-60 credit hours (completed in welding)

Maximum hours of Title IV eligibility left

By completing a minimum of at least 67% of the credit hours scheduled each term, a student would be able to complete their program of study with the 150% time frame.

Special Grading Considerations

The following grading options do not count toward grade point average (GPA), but do have an impact on satisfactory academic progress.

Withdrawals (W) & Non-credit (S or U) count as credits attempted but not earned.
Pass (P) & Transfers (T) count as credits attempted and earned.
Repeated courses will count as credits attempted and earned but the grade of the first course will have no impact on GPA
Incompletes (I) count as credits attempted but not earned until final grade is established
Developmental (remedial) Classes
Students may receive financial aid for up to 24 semester hours of developmental classes provided he/she is enrolled in an eligible program. Grades of MP will be viewed the same as *incompletes (I) and will not be considered a part of the enrollment status for financial aid in subsequent semesters.

*See Special Grading Considerations

Frequency of Monitoring

Satisfactory Academic progress is measured once a year in June, after spring semester grades are posted. If a student’s first semester of attendance is the summer term, then progress will be measured at the end of that term. If satisfactory academic progress is not being made, the student will be notified in writing by the Financial Aid office that they are no longer eligible for financial aid.

Financial Aid Denial/Suspension

Students exceeding 150 percent attempted credit hours will not be eligible for further Title IV funding unless an appeal has been granted.
Students denied financial assistance for not achieving or maintaining satisfactory academic progress will not be able to regain eligibility for that term in which the assistance was denied, unless an appeal has been granted.

Financial Aid Reinstatement

Students whose financial assistance has been suspended or denied for failing to maintain satisfactory academic progress may request reinstatement after re-establishing satisfactory academic progress. Requests for reinstatement may be made orally or in writing to the Financial Aid office.

Financial Aid Appeal

If there are extenuating circumstances, which caused the student not to maintain satisfactory academic progress or to exceed the 150% completion limit, he/she may appeal in writing to the Financial Aid office. The request should include a detailed description, along with supporting documentation, of the circumstance (s) that contributed to the student not maintaining satisfactory academic progress. In addition, documentation should be submitted from at least two qualified persons who can verify that these circumstances did, in fact, contribute to the student not maintaining satisfactory academic progress.

The initial appeal will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Director to determine its merit. Appeals denied by the Financial Aid Director may be referred to the Financial Aid Appeals committee. The appeals committee will not meet directly with students. The Financial Aid Appeals committee ruling will be final.

Federal and/or State Funding

Although it is not necessary to apply for admission to SOWELA prior to applying for financial aid, the process will flow more smoothly if you have already been admitted.

1. For Stafford loans, Pell grant, and TOPS, a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) must be completed either online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or by completing a paper application and mailing it in the envelope provided. Be sure to enter SOWELA’s school code, which is 005467.

2. When completing and submitting the application online, be sure to sign with your PIN (Personal Identification Number) and your parent’s PIN, if applicable. If you and/or your parent’s do not have a PIN, one can be obtained at www.pin.ed.gov . You may also print, sign, and mail the signature page instead of obtaining a PIN.

3. Once confirmation has been received that the FAFSA has been processed and sent to SOWELA, contact the financial aid office at 337-491-2689.