Financial Aid

Griffin Campus

501 Varsity Rd.
Griffin, GA. 30223
Phone: (770) 228-7368
Fax: (770) 229-3029
E-mail: finaid@sctech.edu

Flint River Campus

1533 Highway 19 South
Thomaston, GA. 30286
Phone: (706) 646-6138
Fax: (706) 464-6063
E-mail: finaid@sctech.edu

Office Hours

During the quarter:
Monday – Thursday: 7:30 am - 7:00 pm
Friday: closed

Except during all registrations and drop/add periods when the office will be open until 7:30 p.m.

Between quarters:
Monday – Thursday: 7:30 am - 6:00 pm
Friday: closed

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an assigned Southern Crescent Technical College (SCTC) email address?

Yes! It is the official email address we will use to keep you informed of important financial aid information. You are responsible for all email sent to your SCTC email address, and we recommend that you check it on a weekly basis. Once you are admitted to the college by the Admission office, you will automatically be assigned an email account.

Will financial aid pay for audited classes?

No. Audit status in a class does not qualify for financial aid. Auditing a course means that a student may enroll in the class but will not receive credit for the course. Audited classes cannot be used at a later date for college credit or to fulfill admission or graduation requirements.

Do I have to be enrolled full-time to receive HOPE?

No, you do not have to be enrolled full-time to receive the HOPE Grant or the HOPE Scholarship. If you are enrolled less than half-time (five hours or less) your book allowance will be $50.00. If you are enrolled in six (6) hours or more, your book allowance will be $100.00. All HOPE book allowances are electronically sent to the SCTC bookstore. Please be prepared to show your student ID or your current class schedule in order to utilize your funds in the bookstore.

If I withdraw, will it affect my financial aid?

It can. Students who withdraw may be required to repay to the federal program the amount of unearned financial aid funds disbursed to them based upon their withdrawal date. If you owe funds, you will be billed by the Bursar’s Office approximately 4 to 6 weeks after you withdraw. Also, withdrawals can affect your future financial aid eligibility. You must have a 67% completion rate for all attempted courses. For more information, please refer to your student catalog.

When will I receive my refund/reimbursement?

Normally four to six weeks after the quarter has begun. After your student account charges (tuition, fees, book store purchases, etc) in the Bursar's Office have been paid in full by your financial aid, you will receive any financial aid amount remaining on your account. The Financial Aid Office does not process or mail refunds so we cannot tell you the amount of your refund or when it will be processed. If you have additional questions about refunds, please call 770-228-7275. 

If I lose my HOPE Scholarship eligibility, can I get it back?

Yes. Students have an opportunity to regain the HOPE Scholarship after they have attempted 45, 90, or 135 quarter hours of study with a 3.00 or higher cumulative HOPE GPA. Students cannot regain HOPE eligibility beyond the 135th hour checkpoint.

Students may also lose their HOPE Scholarship eligibility during the 45, 90, and 135th quarter hour checkpoints if they have not maintained a 3.00 GPA or higher at the time. Mandated by our governing state agency, Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) there is a mandatory Spring Check Point for HOPE Scholarship, degree-only, seeking students. If the student does not possess a 3.00 or higher GPA at the end of each Spring quarter, once final grades have posted, the student will lose their HOPE Scholarship and will be unable to regain the Scholarship again until they regain a 3.00 or higher GPA and reach their next Quarter hours checkpoint of 45, 90, or 135.

Completing the Federal Pell Grant Verification Process

We will receive an electronic copy of the information you submitted on the FAFSA (called an ISIR) a few weeks after you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). After that information is received, we will contact you if other documents are needed to complete your file. Your file will not be reviewed until all documents have been submitted.

All documents submitted to the Financial Aid office must be signed. Please keep a copy of any documents that you submit as copies cannot be provided for you at a later date. Please allow a 24-hour turn-around period for confirmation of receipt of all forms submitted via fax/mail/drop box/etc.

Every student's file is different. What is required of one student may not be required of another, depending on school, state and federal rules and regulations. You should carefully read all documents that you receive from this office regarding what documents are needed to complete your file. These could include, but are not limited to:

  • Signed Federal Tax Returns
  • Low Income Worksheet
  • Verification Form
  • Proof of United States Citizenship
  • Selective Service Verification of Registration
  • Birth Certificates
  • Marriage Certificates
  • Business Value Certification

Your verification paperwork will be reviewed for completeness. If any of the materials are missing or incomplete, you will be contacted as to what is needed.

After all of your verification documents are received in the Financial Aid office, please allow 15-20 business days (excluding holidays, furloughs, weekends, etc.) to verify your file. Your financial aid counselor will compare the information you submitted on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with the information provided in your verification paperwork.

If any discrepancies are found, your financial aid counselor will send the necessary corrections electronically to the federal student aid processor.  It will take approximately 1-2 weeks for that correction to come back electronically. Once it is received and if you have been deemed eligible for the federal Pell Grant, your counselor will award the funds to your student account.

Need a copy of your federal tax return or a tax return transcript to complete your financial aid file?

You have two easy and convenient options for getting copies of your federal tax return information (tax return transcript) by phone or by mail. Request transcripts by calling 1-800-829-1040, or order by mail using IRS Form 4506T (Request for Transcript of Tax Return). The IRS does not charge a fee for transcripts. Allow two weeks for delivery.