Missouri Valley College | Admissions & Financial Aid | Tuition & Financial Aid | Applying for Aid

Applying for Aid

Missouri Valley College wants to help make college more affordable for you. Read on to learn more about the process of applying for financial aid as well as important documents you will need to access during the process.

  • Applying for Financial Aid

    Step 1 – Apply

    • In order to receive financial aid through Missouri Valley College, you must apply for admission and be accepted. Once your application has been received, the Admissions Office will review your information and assess what type of institutional awards you qualify for.
    • In order to be eligible for federal and state aid, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. The FAFSA is available each year starting December 2023 for the following school year. We recommend filing your FAFSA prior to our January 15 priority deadline to ensure that you are eligible for the maximum awards. Missouri residents must file the FAFSA before February 1 each year to be eligible to receive state aid.
    • Missouri Valley’s FAFSA school code is 002489.
    • Starting May 10, 2015, the FSA ID – a username and password – has replaced the Federal Student Aid PIN and must be used to log into the FAFSA. Your FSA ID confirms your identity when you access your financial aid information and electronically sign Federal Student Aid documents. If you do not already have an FSA ID, you can create one when logging in to fafsa.gov. Both you and at least one parent will need a FSA ID, if you are a dependent student.

    Step 2 – Review

    • You will receive the results of your FAFSA application typically by e-mail so make certain the email address you list on the application is valid and that you check it often. The report sent to you is called a Student Aid Report (SAR). Once received, be sure to review your SAR and confirm that the information provided was complete and accurate.
    • If you included Missouri Valley’s school code on your FAFSA, we will also receive the information you provided on your FAFSA application. Any additional information that is required will be requested by our office in the form of emailed correspondence. Be sure your email address on file is accurate and keep an eye out for any additional information requests.
    • The most common additional documentation requests are in reference to a process called verification. Approximately 30% of FAFSA applications are randomly selected for verification by the Department of Education. This process is used to verify the accuracy of the information provided on the FAFSA and the Financial Aid Office will contact you in order to request the required documents and provide further instruction.

    Step 3 – Award

    • The FAFSA Central Processing System uses the information you provided in your FAFSA to determine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which is used in calculating your financial need. Your FAFSA information will provide us with the amount of federal and state grants you’re eligible for.
    • Once you have completed the admissions process, the Financial Aid Office will provide you with an official, electronic award letter. This award letter will include all scholarships, grants and loans that you have been awarded. You will want to login to your award letter in order to review, accept and sign the document and then print it and return to the Financial Aid Office. Once completed, the Financial Aid Office will be able to process your aid at the start of the term.
    • If you are planning to borrow a Stafford Loan, you will be required to complete further documentation as outlined below.

    Entrance Counseling

    Master Promissory Note

  • Satisfactory Academic Progress

    Financial aid is intended to assist students in making successful progress toward completing their degree. Therefore, students who are identified as not making satisfactory progress are no longer eligible for federal and state aid.

    Missouri Valley College is required to establish standards for measuring Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order for students to be eligible for Title IV aid in accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by Congress.

    The Financial Aid Office monitors SAP for all students at the end of each payment period in which they are enrolled (fall, spring, and summer). Students who enroll in the summer term will have their SAP evaluated at the end of the summer payment period. In general, SAP is reviewed in December, May, and August.

    Overview
    Students are expected to make reasonable academic progress toward obtaining a degree or certificate as a condition to be eligible for federal, state, and certain institutional financial aid. A student’s entire academic history, as recorded on their academic record with MVC, is reviewed at the end of each semester as a requirement of timely progression toward graduation – regardless of having received financial aid or not in the past for that course work.

    Students who enroll in the summer term will have their SAP monitored at the end of that term.

    Eligibility to enroll for classes does not mean that SAP requirements have been met.

    SAP requires financial aid recipients to meet each of the following three components:

    • MVC grade point average as outlined below
    • Satisfactorily earn at least 67% of cumulative credit hours attempted
    • Complete a degree program within the maximum time frame of credit hours allowed

    GPA Requirement
    One way in which SAP is measured, is through the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) calculated at the end of each completed term of attendance. Students must maintain the following cumulative GPA to be considered maintaining SAP

    Hours Attempted Cumulative GPA
    1-27 1.50
    28-57 1.75
    58+ 2.00

    Transfer credits are not included in GPA calculations except under limited circumstances. If you are taking courses at another institution to assist in regaining SAP, please meet with your advisor, a Student Success Counselor, or the Registrar to confirm the courses you are taking will improve your MVC GPA. For repeated coursework, only the highest grade is counted in the GPA.

    Information on calculating GPA can be found online at the Registrar’s Office page.

    Pace of Completion Requirement
    Students must earn at least 67% of all credit hours attempted. In addition to a student’s GPA, SAP also measures the pace at which a student is progressing toward degree completion. Pace of completion is determined by taking the total number of credit hours successfully earned divided by the total number of credit hours attempted. Students must satisfactorily complete at least 67% of all cumulative credit hours attempted.

    Hours Earned: Only credit hours where a student earned a passing grade (A, B, C, or D) are included in the hours earned portion of the equation.

    Hours Attempted: All hours in which the student was registered are included in the hours attempted portion of the equation. This includes all classes in which the student received an incomplete or withdrew (regardless of if the student received a W, WP, or WF).

    Federal financial aid regulations require that a student’s entire academic credit history be considered in reviewing degree progression. All transfer credits from other colleges and universities that are counted toward the student’s degree program will be considered in the number of attempted and earned hours.

    Maximum Time Frame
    Total credit hours attempted cannot exceed 150% the published program length.

    • Students must complete their degree within 150% of their program’s published length.
    • Students who exceed the maximum time frame are not eligible for a warning period.
    • Students who exceed the maximum time frame may appeal and be placed on probation.
    • Students completing a second major or students obtaining additional degrees may reach the maximum time frame limit prior to completing their program. These students may appeal and receive aid under a probationary status.
    • Students for whom it is mathematically impossible to complete their program within the 150% published length of the program are ineligible for Title IV aid.
    DEGREE PROGRAM MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME
    Associates 96
    Bachelors (admitted prior to 2014-2015) 192
    Bachelors (admitted 2014-2015 and after) 180
    Masters 72

    Academic Circumstances that Affect Your Status

    It is important to know how the decisions you make during your academic career will affect your financial aid eligibility. The following is a list of common circumstances that can affect your financial aid status:

    • Changes in major, double majors or minors – may cause you to reach your maximum attempted hours, and lose your eligibility before earning a degree.
    • Incomplete grades, missing grades, failing grades, course withdrawals – all reduce your completion ratio, because they are counted as attempted, but not earned credits. They also count against your maximum attempted hours.
    • Repeated courses – count as attempted credit hours each time you register for them and count against the allowed maximum. This can also reduce your completion ratio because repeated credits count as earned credits only once.
    • Transfer credits count toward your maximum attempted credits, and your completion ratio.
    • Courses taken for pass/fail grades– count against both your maximum attempted credits and your completion ratio.
    • Late posted grades or grade changes – require that you submit a written request to have your SAP recalculated after you have confirmed with the registrar that the grade change has been posted to your academic record.

    Review & Evaluation
    The Financial Aid Office reviews SAP at the end of each payment period. Once it has been initially determined that a student is no longer meeting qualitative and/or quantitative SAP, the student is placed on Financial Aid Warning for one semester. If the student fails to meet SAP in the subsequent payment period for which they are enrolled, they are placed on Financial Aid Suspension and ineligible for aid.

    Additionally, students are placed on suspension immediately upon receiving notification that they will not be able to complete their degree within the maximum time frame.

    Students who are on financial aid warning and enrolled in the summer term will have their SAP reviewed following the summer term. If SAP standards are not met, the student will end up on financial aid suspension and be ineligible for aid during the fall semester.

    Students in an ineligible status may regain eligibility as follows:

    • Enroll without the benefit of financial aid assistance and bring their academic record to the acceptable SAP requirements
    • Submit a written appeal – eligibility reinstatement is contingent on the appeal being approved

    Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Guidelines

    Students who fail to meet SAP standards and lose eligibility for financial aid can appeal the decision as long as their appeal meets the requirements for an acceptable appeal. The appeal must be prepared in writing and must be accompanied by the appropriate supporting documents. Appeals must be submitted prior to the start of the payment period for which the student wishes to receive aid.

    The Appeal Committee will meet on dates to be arranged. In order for your appeal to be reviewed by the committee, it must be submitted by 4:00 pm the day before the committee meeting.

    All appeals should follow the guidelines outlined in the SAP Appeal Form . In addition to the mandatory written statements, requirements for an acceptable appeal are:

    Acceptable Circumstances

    • Medical
      Significant medical problems contributed to not making satisfactory academic progress. Supporting documentation should include birth certificates, medical records, physician statements, etc.
    • Death/Illness
      Death/Illness contributed to the lack of satisfactory academic progress. Supporting documentation should include medical records, death certificate, obituary, funeral program, physician statement, counselor statement, court documents, etc.
    • Other Circumstances
      May include any other extreme or unusual circumstance(s) OUT OF THE STUDENT’S CONTROL. Documentation supporting circumstance(s) must be included. These circumstances MAY NOT include lack of motivation, lack of responsibility, work conflicts, etc.

    Academic Plan
    You must meet with your academic advisor or a Student Success Counselor to develop a plan that will allow you to reestablish SAP. This is required of all appeals and must be reasonable. If you will need more than one term to reestablish SAP, include a plan for all subsequent terms.

    Documentation
    Appeals without proper documentation will be denied. You must submit documentation.

    Accepted appeals are reviewed by the Appeal Committee. The decision of the Appeal Committee is considered final. A student with a denied appeal may submit another appeal after attending at least one semester at any institution and showing academic progress.

    Students who submit a successful appeal are placed on Financial Aid Probation. Students on probation are required to adhere to the terms of their probation and will have their SAP evaluated at the end of each payment period. As long as the student adheres to the terms of their academic plan, their probation will continue until the student reestablishes SAP.

    If a student is placed on probation and subsequently fails to meet the terms of their probation, they will be placed on suspension and are not eligible to file another appeal.

    Appeal Checklist
    Before submitting your appeal, verify that you have included the following:

    • SAP Appeal Form
      This form must be completed and signed.
    • Student Statement
      This statement must be typed and signed. This statement should include the reason why you failed to maintain satisfactory academic progress and indicate what has changed that will allow you to meet the standards in the future.
    • Student Plan of Action
      This plan should be typed and signed. The plan should outline the specific steps you intend to take in the future to improve your academic performance.
    • Documentation
      You must provide documentation supporting the circumstances that you discussed in the Student Statement.
    • Letter of Support
      Provide a letter of support from an individual who is familiar with your circumstances. This letter may come from a faculty member, advisor, clergy member, counselor, or otherwise informed individual who is knowledgeable of your situation. It is highly advised that this letter come from someone outside your immediate family.

    FAQs

    How do I know my SAP status?
    A letter will be mailed to you if you are not meeting SAP standards. SAP warning letters are mailed to the home address we have on file. Additionally, financial aid suspension letters are mailed to your home address via certified mail so that we can guarantee you’ve receive your notification. You can always confirm your status by contacting the Financial Aid Office.

    How often will I be evaluated for SAP?
    You will be evaluated after each payment period (semester) in which you are enrolled.

    What do I need to do if I receive a SAP warning letter?
    The first term in which you fail to meet SAP you will receive a warning. You are still eligible for aid. You are not required to do anything; however we strongly advise that all students on SAP warning reevaluate their academic performance and seek assistance through your advisor and other campus resources. Carefully review the SAP standards and identify what criteria you are failing to meet. Don’t wait until you’ve lost eligibility to address the issue. There are many campus resources that you can utilize now, such as the Learning Center and the Office of Student Success.

    What do I do if I receive a SAP suspension letter?
    You are not required to do anything. However, because you are on suspension, you are ineligible for financial aid. Therefore, you need to begin discussing how you are going to pay for the upcoming semester. Our office advises students to investigate alternative funding if they plan to attend MVC on financial aid suspension.

    Additionally, if you have an acceptable reason to appeal your suspension letter, you can submit an appeal.

    How will I know the result of my appeal?
    Once the Appeal Committee has met, an email will be sent to your MVC email account regarding the status of your appeal. The Appeal Committee’s decision is final and appeals cannot be reevaluated until at least one payment period has been completed.

    What do I need to do after my appeal is approved?
    You are required to visit the Financial Aid Office to meet with a Counselor. The Counselor will review the terms of your probation and further explain the importance of reestablishing SAP. You will then sign the SAP contract and your aid will be reinstated. You will also need to determine if the Financial Aid Office has any outstanding documents that are required. If so, you will need to submit the requested paperwork within one week of signing the contract.

    What do I need to do after my appeal is denied?
    If your appeal is denied, you are considered ineligible for federal and state aid until you have reestablished SAP. You are allowed to attend MVC, however you will be paying out-of-pocket for your courses. If you plan to continue attending MVC, you must meet with the Business Office to arrange a payment plan or find alternative funding.

    What happens if I do not appeal?
    If you do not appeal, or do not have an acceptable reason to appeal, you are ineligible for federal and state aid. Financial aid suspension does not mean you cannot enroll or attended classes at MVC. What it does mean, is that you will not be able to use federal and state financial aid to assist in meeting your out-of-pocket expenses. Therefore, you will need to find alternative funding to fill the gap. Once you have reestablished SAP, your aid will be reinstated.

  • Conditions of Financial Aid Awards

    The primary purpose of the Financial Aid Office is to provide financial assistance
    within its available resources to those students who, without such assistance would be unable to attend Missouri Valley College.

    • You must be officially admitted to Missouri Valley College and maintain satisfactory academic progress.
    • Federal/State financial aid regulations require that each student receiving financial aid have all necessary documents returned to the Financial Aid Office before funds may be distributed to the student.
    • No aid may be disbursed to you if you are in default on any Federal/State aid program. Any balance owing on the student’s account, after applying all grants and other credits, is due and payable before the beginning of the next semester unless prior arrangements have been made with the Business Office.
    • All Federal/State awards are based on the receipt of sufficient funds from the awarding sources. Insufficient funding will result in awards being reduced and/or cancelled at the discretion of the Financial Aid Office. Students will be held responsible for any reduction in grant or loan eligibility from the original aid package as a result of inaccurate data received by Missouri Valley College from the student. Awards are cancelled by non-use and/or failure to follow dictated procedures as described in this form and/or the catalog and schedule of classes.
    • All students must report any fellowship, assistance scholarship, grant, work, stipend, departmental remissions, employee benefit/tuition reimbursement, or other educational benefits which are not specifically listed on the Award letter. If these sources of revenue received after the original award letter put the student at an overaward based on the Cost of Attendance, the awards will be reduce in the following order: Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Direct Subsidized Loans, Federal Perkin Loans, Federal Work-Study, FSEOG. If need is not exceeded, discretion of the Financial Aid Director may be used.
    • All financial aid has been “potentially” awarded based on your application documents, anticipated tuition assessment per registration periods, college enrollment, year-in-school classification, academic progress, and aid sources as printed on the most recent award letter. Any changes in these items will result in an “Award Revision.”
    • All institutional financial aid will be reduced in accordance with the reduced cost of attendance for campus-housed students who move off campus, and for all students who withdraw during a term.
    • No aid will be disbursed to a student if a student is selected for verification and the student/parent refuses to complete the verification process.
    • All recipients of any Federal/State aid may be required to submit parents’ and/or student’s copies of IRS Tax Transcripts and other related documents. If no tax return was filed, that parent and/or student must sign a non-filer form and submit all relevant W-2s for any income earned from work.
    • Student Employment is an award, however, credit will not be given until the work has been completed in its entirety. Students will receive monthly checks in relation to the number of hours worked. Missouri Valley College shall establish the work schedule following the student’s confirmation of his/her class schedule. The College reserves the right to schedule work-study students at times other than normal office hours.
    • Undergraduate Federal Direct/Perkins loan recipients must carry a minimum of 6 credit hours each semester. State grant recipients must carry a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.
    • Graduate Federal Direct loan recipients must carry a minimum of 3 credit hours each semester.
    • Federal financial aid regulations require that each student awarded a Perkins Loan must sign each term’s promissory note before that assistance will be disbursed to the student.
    • All SFA is anticipated pending receipt of the official FAFSA EFC and any other required verification documents from the student/parent to the Financial Aid Office. If MVC does not receive a valid EFC for the student before the end of the academic year, the student is not eligible for the SFA programs awarded on the initial financial aid package. These awards will be deleted from the package resulting in a balance to be paid by the student and/or family.
    • The Financial Aid Office reserves the right to adjust the student’s aid to insure all aid received does not exceed the total cost of attendance or financial need.
    • Examples of federal debt include taxes, audit disallowances, federal loans, benefit over payments and debts. Delinquency is defined as thirty (30) days past due on a scheduled loan payment, failure to repay or resolve a grant disallowance within 30 days from notification, or failure to repay or resolve contract or administrative debts within 30 days of the payment due date.
  • Financial Aid Documents

    To apply for federal and state aid you must complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov.During the financial aid process our office may request a number of forms from the student and/or parent. Most often, these forms are in reference to additional information and documentation required to complete the FAFSA. In most cases, these forms are requested because the student was flagged for a process called verification. Verification must be completed prior to our office disbursing your Title IV federal and/or state aid. The following documents are typically only necessary if our office requests them from you. All submitted documentation must be completed in-full and must be signed. Furthermore, not all documents that may have been requested are listed below. If you have any questions about what forms you need to complete, please contact our office.

    Forms are organized by award year and type. Please make sure to use the forms that associate with the award year for which you are requesting aid. If you have questions, please feel free to contact the Financial Aid Office. Forms are also available in the Financial Aid Office located on the second floor of the Ferguson building. All forms are in Adobe PDF format. You can obtain this free software at www.adobe.com.

    *If an additional form not included in this list was requested, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

    Loan Documents 

    Satisfactory Academic Progress Form

  • Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I know if I’m eligible for financial aid?

    You must meet all the following general eligibility requirements:

    • Be seeking a degree at Missouri Valley College
    • Enroll in and attend courses that are required for the declared degree or certificate
    • Have an official high school or GED transcript on file
    • Have all prior college transcripts on file
    • Be making academic progress according to MVC’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy
    • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online with MVC’s federal school code 002489
    • Be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
    • Have your personal information verified by the SSA (Social Security Administration)
    • Males must be registered with Selective Service
    • You cannot be in default on an educational loan
    • Supply any additional information that is requested by MVC’s Financial Aid Office

    Financial aid will not be processed if one or more of the above are not in compliance.

     

    How is Need-Based Aid Awarded?

    Need-based aid is determined by the EFC (Expected Family Contribution) assessed by information entered on the FAFSA and is available for you to review on your Student Aid Report. The EFC includes many factors such as number of household members, income-earned, savings, and investments. The EFC is not the amount the family or individual is required to pay. The financial aid counselor will use the EFC to determine eligibility for all need-based aid.

    Financial need is calculated by a standard federal formula:

    Estimated Cost of Attendance – EFC = Financial Need

    Some financial aid programs base awards on academic achievement, abilities or academic major. Eligibility for each of these programs normally is based on standards determined by the school, a state agency, or a private organization.

     

    What is my dependency status based on?

    A student is considered a dependent of their parents until they reach the age of 24 as of January 1 of the award year, unless they are married, or have dependents of their own (a biological or court-appointed child). A dependent student must include parent information on the FAFSA in order to receive aid and, if necessary, have it verified. Other qualifying factors to be independent are: working on a master’s or doctorate program, serving on active duty or a veteran of the US Armed Forces, being an orphan or ward of the court, an emancipated minor, in legal guardianship, or homeless.

    If a dependent student has extenuating circumstances where parent information is not available, they can contact the Financial Aid Office. Students appealing their dependency status should expect to provide documentation describing the situation where parent information is unavailable.

     

    Method and Frequency of Disbursements

    Financial aid is disbursed (released) to students throughout the semester. In general, the Business Office credits your financial aid to your student account as it is received. Any and all funds received will be applied to your student account first to pay all outstanding charges. Federal Pell Grant funds are disbursed at the start of each semester and subsequently as needed. Federal Direct Loan funds are issued in payments called “disbursements.” Disbursements begin at the start of the semester and rosters are created and processed weekly as needed. New students must be enrolled in class for 30 days prior to their first disbursement. New transfer students who have received federal student loans previously at another institution can request early disbursement of loans by speaking with a Financial Aid Counselor. Single-semester loans will disburse in two equal installments. The first disbursement will be no sooner than the 30th day of the semester for which you are applying. The second disbursement will be no sooner than the midpoint of the semester for which you are applying. The Financial Aid Office will notify you via email about your loan disbursement.

    If you receive aid in excess of your charges, the Business Office will issue a refund check for the credit balance within fourteen days after your charges are paid in full. Refund checks are processed on a weekly basis and available in the Business Office for pick-up each Friday, beginning with the 3rd Friday of the semester. Students will be notified via email by the Business Office when a check is available for pick-up. Students picking up checks must have a photo ID and sign for the check in-person.

    If a credit on account is the result of an approved Parent PLUS Loan with the proceeds not requested to go to the student, a check will be mailed to the parent listed on the loan application to the address on file at the school. A parent can request the credit to be released to the student by speaking with a representative in the Business Office and submitting a written request that is kept in the student’s file.

     

    What happens if I withdraw before the semester is complete?

    Students are always encouraged to meet with the Director of Student Success prior to making the decision to leave school before the end of the semester. Typically, it is in the best interest of the student to complete the term, however if a student feels the need to withdraw, there is a process they can follow.

    In relation to financial aid, a student’s federal aid must be prorated based on a federal formula known as Return of Title IV Aid developed by the Department of Education. The Financial Aid Office will use the student’s last date of attendance as recorded in the College’s attendance records and reported by the Registrar to determine the percentage of the semester the student completed. Using this data, the Financial Aid Office will determine how much, if any, aid must be returned.

    Additionally, the Business Office will use the same dates to determine the student’s costs. The current refund policy as set forth by the Business Office can be found in the MVC Academic Catalog.

    The Financial Aid Office requests that students interested in withdrawing complete the in-person withdrawal process. This allows our office to better assist you in understanding any financial obligations that you may incur from an early withdrawal. Additional information on withdraws and student refunds can be found in the MVC Academic Catalog.

     

    What is SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress)?

    All students who receive federal or state aid must maintain minimum standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress toward degree completion to be eligible. Students must meet certain GPA requirements, not exceed 192 hours before obtaining a degree, and pass 67 percent of coursework attempted. Coursework attempted includes all failed, withdrawn and retaken classes.

    Students who fail to meet SAP for two consecutive semesters are placed on financial aid suspension and not eligible to receive federal or state aid. Students have the opportunity to appeal their financial aid suspension before the next semester begins. Appeal dates are set by the Director of Financial Aid and those seeking an appeal must submit all requested documentation to have their appeal reviewed by the SAP committee. Appeals must have a valid reason for not meeting SAP standards and include supporting documentation listed on the appeal form. If granted an appeal, students may remain eligible for aid and return to satisfactory standing following stipulations set forth by the appeal committee.

    Students suspended from aid and not granted an appeal can continue their education at Missouri Valley College and re-establish their aid by bringing their academic progress into satisfactory standing, as set forth by the college.

    Additional information about SAP can be found on our Satisfactory Academic Progress page.

     

    What is verification?

    Verification is a process used to confirm the information you provided on the FAFSA. Verification selection is typically random with 1 in 3 students being flagged by the Department of Education each year. However, your FAFSA could also be flagged for verification because your FAFSA data was incomplete, estimated or inconsistent. In most cases, students are flagged by the Department of Education, however the Financial Aid Office reserves the right to flag any student who’s FAFSA contains conflicting information.

    The verification process is regulated by the Department of Education. We are required to verify certain items on your FAFSA and must obtain documentation of any changes that need to be made. If your FAFSA is flagged, you will receive written correspondence from our office within 2 weeks of us receiving your FAFSA. Please submit all documentation and return all worksheets completed and signed.

    Forms related to verification can be found in the Documents and Forms section of our website.