Paying for College

A partnership to fund our future

Central Carolina Technical College is proud to introduce Central Carolina Scholars, a groundbreaking scholarship initiative like no other in South Carolina. Central Carolina Scholars provides the first two years at Central Carolina Technical College tuition-free. It is an economic development tool for existing and new industries and will afford expanded higher education opportunities to students in Sumter, Clarendon, Kershaw and Lee counties.
A test pilot initiative was introduced in Clarendon, Kershaw and Lee counties in 2011. After a successful test pilot, CCTC, along with community, education and corporate partners implemented the scholarship. The Central Carolina Scholars Team includes:

• Central Carolina Technical College
• All Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee and Sumter County School Districts
• All Private High Schools in Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee and Sumter counties
• Cities of Camden and Sumter
• Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee and Sumter County Councils
• Corporate sponsors

The Scholarship is available to high school students in the graduating classes of 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.  High school students must meet Central Carolina Scholars Criteria. Once the criteria has been met, the Central Carolina Scholar scholarship is available for six (6) consecutive semesters.

To learn more about Central Carolina Scholars, select the bullets below:

• Scholars Benefits
• Qualifying Scores

Many students rely on student loans to finance their educations. The U.S. Department of Education’s federal student loan program is the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program. Under this program, the U.S. Department of Education is your lender.

These loans have low interest rates and do not require credit checks or collateral. Student loans also provide a variety of deferment options and extended repayment terms. There are limits to the amount students can borrow from the Direct Loan programs. There are separate limits for dependent vs. independent and first-year (earned less than 30 hours) vs. second-year (earned more than 30 hours) undergraduate students. All Direct Loans are either subsidized or unsubsidized.

• Direct Subsidized Loans are loans made to students who demonstrate financial need to help cover the costs of higher education; the government pays the interest on these loans while you’re in school.
• Direct Unsubsidized Loans are not based on financial need; you pay all the interest accrued on these loans of which you can pay while enrolled or you can allow the interest to capitalize before entering repayment.

Repayment on federal loans begins six months after the student graduates or drops below half-time enrollment. The standard repayment term is 10 years, although one can get access to alternate repayment terms such as extended, graduates, and income-based repayment plans. Find out more information at studentaid.gov under the “Manage Loans” tab.

As the Department of Education reported on September 22, 2022, the fiscal year (FY) 2019 official Cohort Default Rate (CDR) for Central Carolina Technical College is 5.3% and exceeds the current national average of 2.3%. The federal default rate is to maintain the capability to provide federal student loans, colleges must maintain a CDR of less than 30%.

**IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR STUDENT LOANS**
Your eligibility for federal financial aid is subject to specific terms and conditions; this includes student loans. We are required to follow federal regulations even if funding has already been awarded and/or disbursed when new information regarding your eligibility becomes available. If you are awarded loans and subsequently fail to maintain eligibility, or we become aware of additional information that affects our initial determination of your award eligibility, adjustments to your award may be required. If adjustments are necessary, you may be required to repay some or all of your funding. Federal Direct Loan funds are split into two payments and are paid directly to a student’s account. Please contact the Business Office for disbursement dates.

Note about Private Students Loans – Due to the low tuition cost at CCTC and the high default rate on private loans, we feel it is in the best interest of our students to NOT certify private student loans.

Note about Parent PLUS Loans – Due to the low tuition cost at CCTC, it is never necessary for parents of dependent students to apply for parent PLUS loans, which do involved a credit check and have a much larger interest rate than the student loans. Therefore, we do not participate in this program.

Effective July 1, 2021, the FAFSA Simplification Act, part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, repealed the 150% Subsidized Usage Limits requirements. This means that if the first disbursement of your Direct Subsidized loans is on or after July 1, 2021, there is no time limitation on how long you can receive a Direct Subsidized loan. Additionally, you cannot lose Direct Subsidized loan eligibility based on your continued enrollment in a program beyond the 150% published length of your program.

Annual and Aggregate Loan limits still apply to both Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct Loans. See Annual Limits (per academic year) and Aggregated Limits (total max loan debt) in the chart below:

ANNUAL LOAN LIMITS – PER ACADEMIC YEAR

Year	Dependent Students	Independent Students
First-Year (classified as earned less than 30 credit hours)	$5,500	$9,500

^{*No more than $3,500 of the above totals may be awarded in subsidized loan funding per academic year.}

Year	Dependent Students	Independent Students
Second-Year (classified as earned 30 or more credits hours	$6,500	$10,500

^{*No more than $4,500 of the above totals may be awarded in subsidized loan funding per academic year.}

AGGREGATE LOAN LIMITS – TOTAL MAX LOAN DEBT

	Dependent Students	Independent Students
Undergraduate Aggregate Loan Limits	$31,000	$57,500

^{*No more than $23,000 of the above totals may be in subsidized loans.}

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HOW TO RECEIVE DIRECT LOANS AT CCTC:

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA and any and all other missing information must be completed and processed successfully before a student can receive any federal funds, this includes federal student loans. The FAFSA is completed once per academic year.
2. Enroll in classes. Students must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours) to be eligible to receive federal student loans for that semester.
3. Access and complete the Direct Loan Affirmation Form. In an attempt to minimize unnecessary student debt, we require that students request to receive loan funding for each semester that they wish to receive loans for. There are deadlines in which we will process loan requests for specific terms. Please see these dates at the top of the Direct Loan Affirmation Form.
   • The affirmation form will ask for proof of completion of the following requirements in order to be processed:
     1. Annual Student Loan Acknowledgement.
     2. Master Promissory Note (for first-time borrowers).
     3. Entrance Counseling (for first-time borrowers).
   • See below for information on each of these requirements.
   • 25-26 Direct Loan Affirmation Form
4. Upon graduating, dropping below half-time (6 credits) or withdrawing from a program, complete the Exit Counseling. The Exit Counseling is an attempt to make you aware of your approaching loan repayment, terms and available options. It is a requirement that students complete this after graduating or dropping below half-time status (see below).

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ANNUAL STUDENT LOAN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

Effective starting with the 2021-2022 Academic Year, all students requesting loan funds must complete the Annual Student Loan Acknowledgement prior to submitting the Direct Loan Affirmation Form.

Central Carolina Technical College will request that you complete a new Acknowledgement for each semester that you complete a Direct Loan Affirmation Form to request loan funds for that term. Our goal is to help you understand your loans and how they affect your financial future.

If this is your first time accepting a federal student loan, you are acknowledging that you understand your responsibility to repay your loan.

If you have existing federal student loans, you are acknowledging that you understand how much you owe and how much more you are eligible to borrow.

You’ll also see other federal student aid information, including the interest rates and repayment options to make managing your student loans easier, such as your assigned loan servicer.

You can complete the Annual Student Loan Acknowledgement at studentaid.gov under the “Complete Aid Process” tab, also available at the following link: https://studentaid.gov/asla/

You must have your FSA ID to log in, which is the same username/email/phone number and password you use to sign in and complete the FAFSA.

All student enrolled at Central Carolina Technical College are Undergraduate Students, as we do not offer any graduate or professional programs.

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ENTRANCE COUNSELING:

If you are a first-time loan borrower at Central Carolina Technical College, you must complete the Entrance Counseling prior to submitting the Direct Loan Affirmation Form.

You can complete the Entrance Counseling at studentaid.gov under the “Complete Aid Process” tab, also available at the following link: https://studentaid.gov/entrance-counseling/

You must have your FSA ID to log in, which is the same username/email/phone number and password you use to sign in and complete the FAFSA.

All students enrolled at Central Carolina Technical College are Undergraduate Students, as we do not offer any graduate or professional programs.

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MASTER PROMISSORY NOTE (MPN):

If you are a first-time loan borrow at Central Carolina Technical College, you must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) prior to submitting the Direct Loan Affirmation Form.

You must also complete a new MPN if it has been 10 years since the original completed MPN, or the original MPN has otherwise expired.

You can complete the MPN at studentaid.gov under the “Complete Aid Process” tab, also available at the following link: https://studentaid.gov/mpn/subunsub/landing

You must have you FSA ID to log in, which is the same username/email/phone number and password you use to sign in and complete the FAFSA.

All students enrolled at Central Carolina Technical College are Undergraduate Students, as we do not offer any graduate or professional programs.

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EXIT COUNSELING:

All graduating students who borrowed from the Federal Direct Loan Program, and students who have dropped below half-time or cease attending, must complete an exit counseling session to learn about the rights and responsibilities of repaying the loan. You are also informed of different potential repayment plans that can reduce your loan payment.

Exit Counseling can be completed at studentaid.gov under the “Manage Loans” tab, also available at the following link: https://studentaid.gov/exit-counseling/

You must have your FSA ID to log in, which is the same username/email/phone number and password you use to sign in and complete the FAFSA.

All students enrolled at Central Carolina Technical College are Undergraduate Students as we do not offer any graduate or professional programs.

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MANAGING STUDENT LOANS, NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE PROCESS:

Federal Student Aid does its best to make all information about federal student loans easily accessible and easy to understand.

Studentaid.gov is the hub of all things federal funding related, especially federal student loans. The “Manage Loans” tab gives you quick options to learn more about or complete for your benefit whether you are just starting out, graduating or in repayment. Stay on top of your debt! https://studentaid.gov/h/manage-loans

Central Carolina Technical College has partnered with ECMC Solutions to provide student loan counseling and support to borrowers as they navigate federal student loan repayment. Contact ECMC Solutions by phone at 1-877-331-3262, or visit their website to make an appointment, connect through email, or web chat with a student loan counselor. The team at ECMC also offers a free webinar series to support borrowers as they navigate repayment.

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CHECK OUT THE ‘MYSTUDENTAID’ MOBILE APP:

Find information about federal student aid (loans and grants) at your fingertips.

CONVENIENTLY MANAGE YOUR STUDENT AID

• Apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form
• View your student aid (loans and grants)
• Track your loan progress

GET THE MOBILE APP NOW

Federal Student Aid continuously adds features and improvements to the mobile app. Download it on your device for the latest version.

A Federal Pell Grant is based on need and does not have to be repaid. Generally, Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. For many students, Pell Grants provide a foundation of financial aid to which other aid may be added.

A Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is awarded to undergraduates with exceptional need – those with the lowest Expected Family Contribution (EFC) numbers. Only students who receive a Federal Pell Grant are eligible for a supplemental grant. Awards are made on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.

The Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program at Central Carolina Technical College provides on-campus and community service work opportunities for qualified students. Positions will pay $10.00-$12.00 per hour. A student’s total award amount will vary and work hours will depend on unmet financial need and availability of funds. Funding for the FWS Program is very limited.
 
To Qualify for the Federal Work Study (FWS) Program:

• Must demonstrate financial need through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Application must be completed once a year, and approval can vary with a new application.
• Must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours for each semester student wishes to work.
• Must have a minimum 2.0 GPA for each semester student wishes to work.
• Must NOT be on Financial Aid Suspension for any reason. Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards are as followed:
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • Maintain a cumulative completion rate of 67% or higher.
  • Student must complete degree/certificate/diploma within 150% of the published length of their program of study. Ex: a student enrolled in a 60 credit hour program is eligible until 90 credit hours are attempted
    (60 x 1.5 = 90).

To Apply:

• Visit https://www.collegecentral.com/cctech/ to search for open positions.
  • You will need to register with your @cctech.collegeinbound.com email.
  • Search keyword “FWS” to find open positions.
• Apply for an open position here
  • You can also apply via the link provided in the job posting.
  • If you want to apply for more than one position, you will need to complete an application for each position.
  • SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION IS NOT A GUARANTEE FOR HIRE!
• The Federal Work Study Coordinator will receive your application and determine your eligibility for FWS funds within 24-48 hours of your application submissions.
  • If you are eligible, your application and authorization will be forwarded to the hiring supervisor and yourself.
  • If you are not eligible, the Federal Work Study Coordinator will inform you that you are not eligible to receive FWS funds and for what reason.

If Hired:

• If you have been hired for a position, the FWS Coordinator will generate a contract for you and your supervisor to sign before you can begin work.
• You will also need to meet with the FWS Coordinator to complete the rest of the new hire documents before being able to work.
  • You will need to bring the following documents to this meeting:
    • Driver’s License/State-Issued ID
    • Social Security Card/Birth Certificate
    • Printed Banking Information for Direct Deposit
• Human Resources requires 5 business days for processing hire documentation. All documentation must be submitted to the FWS Coordinator in the Financial Aid department for verification. Delays in submitting paperwork will result in delays to start date.
• You will also be added to a D2L class that will house helpful information about the FWS Program, such as how to submit timesheets and the student employee handbook. The FWS Coordinator may post updates and important news about trainings via the D2L as well.

 
Résumé and Interview Assistance

• For résumé building tips and interview prep, we encourage you to visit the Career Services Center located on the Main Campus in Building M500.
  • Please call them at 803-778-6600 or email careerservices@cctech.collegeinbound.com to schedule an appointment.

Completing one application is all you need to do to apply for all scholarships offered through the CCTC Foundation Scholarship Program. Scholarships are awarded based on funds available, donor specific criteria and Scholarship Committee review. Scholarship funds may not be used for transitional courses or transient students.

For more information, visit cctech.edu/foundation.

The Legislative Incentives for Future Excellence (LIFE) Scholarship Program is a merit-based scholarship program approved by the General Assembly in 1998. The purpose of the LIFE Scholarship Program is to increase access to higher education, improve employability of South Carolina students, provide incentives for students to be better prepared for college, and to encourage students to graduate from college on time. Eligibility criteria may be found at: LIFE Regulations.
The LIFE Scholarship covers up to $2350 for tuition costs with a $150 book allowance in both the fall and spring semesters at a two-year college. To qualify, you must:

• Be a South Carolina resident
• Graduate from a South Carolina high school with a cumulative GPA of 3.0
• Submit SC high school transcript to CCTC’s Admissions office
• Complete a LIFE Scholarship Affidavit, available in the Forms Library.

IMPORTANT:
Any student who receives the LIFE Scholarship during the academic year is not eligible for lottery tuition assistance within the same academic year. It is the student’s responsibility to adhere to LIFE Scholarship criteria.
Students may use their LIFE Scholarship award at a technical college; however, they will not be eligible for lottery-funded tuition assistance.

Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTA) is available to South Carolina residents that complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and meet all other LTA eligibility criteria. According to state law, federal grants and need-based grants will be applied against technical college tuition before lottery-funded tuition assistance will be applied.

For example, if a student receives $400 in federal grants and $200 in need-based grants, $600 will be applied against the student’s tuition before lottery-funded tuition will be applied.

The law states students can apply tuition assistance toward only one certificate, diploma or associate degree program every five years, unless the additional certificate, diploma or associate degree is necessary for progress in the field of study.

• Be a South Carolina resident.
• Complete a FAFSA at FAFSA.gov
• Enroll in six credit hours (lottery currently pays at a maximum of $95 per credit hour).

Note: LIFE scholarship recipients are ineligible for SCLTA.

The South Carolina Need-Based Grant is funded by the state of South Carolina. SC Need-Based funds are awarded to undergraduate Pell Grant recipients with exceptional need, on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.
Early applicants are given first priority for consideration. The South Carolina Need-Based Grant awards up to $2500 annually.

• Complete a FAFSA at FAFSA.gov and be eligible for the Pell Grant.
• Submit a SC Need-Based Grant Affidavit.
• Enroll in at lest 6 credit hours.

Note: Students who have earned an associate or bachelor’s degree are ineligible for the South Carolina Need-Based Grant.

Through continuous investment in our communities, Central Carolina gives students the opportunity to train for many local workforce opportunities. CCTC provides students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in high-demand jobs. Our programs offer hands-on training and practical experience that employers highly value. As a result, graduates are qualified and are often in high demand by industry employers. 

Additional forms of funding allow the college to remove one of the main challenges to earning a college degree—the cost of tuition. With the Titan Tech Scholarship, students can lower their costs and choose from more than 50 programs and continuing education courses. These are offered in a variety of flexible course and scheduling options, and lead to rewarding careers.

For details, visit cctech.edu/titan-tech-scholarship/