FAQ: Financial Aid Overview and Eligibility

Colorado Mountain College believes that a college education may be the most important investment a student will ever make. The investment of time, money and commitment to obtain a good education will be a critical factor in determining the kind of career a student will have in addition to lifestyle and future. A student should not be denied the opportunity to achieve educational and career goals because of financial resources. All students have different needs. CMC’s Office of Student Financial Aid feels strongly that the student’s need should be met with a distribution of grants and self-help aid (loans and work-study).

FAQ: Sharing my data

Who can I share my information with?

How can I share my information?

When you need you parents, academic advisor, or other support person to help you navigate your Financial Aid, you will need to first decide what information should be shared with them.

Then you will need to complete a consent form specific to that information. These include the FERPA, FAFSA, or FTI consent form. See the other FAQ's to determine which consent form is needed for your situation.

Contact The Office of Financial Aid for the FAFSA and FTI consent form. Contact the Registrar's office for the FERPA consent form.

How do I share my Educational records (FERPA)?

FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal Law which gives students certain rights with respect to their educational records.

Once a student reaches 18 years of age or attends a postsecondary institution, he or she becomes an "eligible student," and all rights formerly given to parents under FERPA transfer to the student.

Under FERPA students have the right to:

Control the disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) (except in certain circumstances specified in the FERPA regulations)
Access their education records
Seek to have the records amended
File a complaint with the Department of Education.

Disclosure Of Education Records

Educational records are protected and can only be released to a third party with written consent from the student.

If a student wants to allow their parent(s) or guardian (or another individual) access to their educational records they must submit a FERPA Release Of Information Waiver . The release of information waiver authorizes Colorado Mountain College to release any and all information from a student’s education record to the student’s parent(s) guardian (or other individual) designated on the form. This authorization remains in effect until rescinded by the student.

If a student requires the release of specific information for a specific purpose; for example a copy of their immunization records or a grade verification for a scholarship they must submit a FERPA Consent To Release Specific Confidential Information. This authorization is only in force for the specified request. Additional information for additional individuals/agencies must be requested separately.

There are some circumstances where Colorado Mountain College can release information from your educational records without written consent according to specific exceptions in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Please see the catalog for more information.

If you have questions concerning FERPA, contact the Colorado Mountain College Registrar’s Office at registrar@coloradomtn.edu.

Please Note

A FERPA form alone is not sufficient to authorize the release of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Federal Tax Information (FTI) data. A separate form must be completed and submitted by the student to the Office of Financial Aid. For more details, please refer to the FAFSA Information Sharing and FTI Information Sharing tabs below.

Directory Information

Colorado Mountain College hereby gives notice that it has designated certain items as "Directory Information" under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

The following Directory Information concerning students at Colorado Mountain College can be disclosed without prior written consent:

Student name
Dates of attendance
Enrollment status
Degrees and awards received
Activity and sports participation
Major

Currently enrolled students may choose to withhold disclosure of directory information by submitting the FERPA Request to Withold Directory Information to the Registrar’s Office. Information will be held confidential and the request is effective until rescinded, in writing, by the student.

How do I share my FAFSA information?

FAFSA Data

FAFSA data is considered the following:

The fact that the FAFSA was submitted
Applicant and Contributor information provided on the FAFSA
- Personally identifiable information (PII)
- Demographic information
- Student eligibility information
- List of colleges receiving the FAFSA
Manually entered income and asset information
Student Aid Index (SAI)
Pell grant eligibility (Yes/No)

FAFSA data can only be shared in the following situations:

Only for the application, award, and administration of financial aid (federal, state, institutional)
If the request for Pell grant eligibility is to refer students to success resources and support their persistence and completion, this is only allowed with written consent from the student. That is because these are not considered application, award or administration of FA
Can use for research that does not release PII

How to share FAFSA data

Contact the Office of Financial Aid the Office of Financial Aid. We will send you a DocuSign form to complete where you will list who you want to share your FAFSA data with and why. We can not share this information if you only complete a FERPA release. This signed consent for is required for us to release any information even if it is to your parent.

How do I share my Federal Tax Information?

FTI data is considered the following:

Any Federal return information received from the IRS through the Future Act Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX)

FTI data can be shared in the following situations:

Only for the application, award, and administration of financial aid (federal, state, institutional)
FTI cannot be used for research
To the student through printing off a copy of their Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR)
With written consent from the student we can share to
- Scholarship granting organizations
- An organization assisting the student in applying for and receiving
- Federal, State, local, or tribal assistance that would cover some cost on their cost of attendance (COA)
With written consent from the student an individual selected by the applicant can be included in a discussion (Advisor, Counselor, Parent, ect) while the student is present

How to share FTI data

Contact the Office of Financial Aid. We will send you a DocuSign form to complete where you will list who you want to share your FTI data with and why. We can not share this information if you only complete a FERPA release. This signed consent for is required for us to release any information even if it is to your parent.

FAQ: Applying for Financial Aid

How to apply?

Who can apply?

To be eligible to receive federal student aid, you must:

Be a citizen or eligible non-citizen of the United States.
Have a valid Social Security Number. (Students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau are exempt from this requirement.)
Have a high school diploma (or equivalent) or a General Education Development (GED) certificate, or have completed homeschooling. If you don't you may still be eligible for federal student aid if you were enrolled in college or career school prior to July 1, 2012. For more information see Federal Student Aid - Eligibility Requirements.
Be enrolled in an eligible program as a regular student seeking a degree or certificate.
Maintain satisfactory academic progress.
Not owe a refund on a federal student grant or be in default on a federal student loan.

Caution: Some information may change as the US Department of Education continues to issue new regulations. Stay in contact with the Office of Financial Aid.

If you do not meet the above Citizenship requirements, you can complete the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA).

When to apply?

You only need to complete the FAFSA/CASFA once per year, however you must complete a new FAFSA/CASFA each Academic Year. CMC's Academic Year consists of Fall, Spring, and Summer.

We encourage students to apply early since funds are limited and will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. Students should check deadlines for specific scholarships or funding they are interested in applying for. Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), CMC Foundation Scholarship, and Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI) applications as early as possible for the best aid offer.

While you can complete the FAFSA/CASFA early before you start attending at CMC, you can not complete the FAFSA/CASFA after you stop attending. Please make sure to complete the FAFSA/CASFA early and before you stop attending or you will not be eligible for Financial Aid.

How do I protect my identity when completing the FAFSA?

Reduce Your Risk of Identity Theft When Applying for Aid

Identity theft can occur when criminals access personal data such as names, Social Security numbers, and bank and credit card information. Using the stolen data, the criminal can illegally obtain credit cards, set up mobile phone accounts, and more. Take the following precautions to reduce your risk when applying for federal student aid:

Apply for federal student aid by filling out the FAFSA form at the Federal Student Aid Official Website.
After completing the FAFSA form online, exit the application and close the browser; any cookies created during your session will be deleted automatically.
Don’t tell anyone your FSA ID username or password, even if that person is helping you fill out the FAFSA form.
Review your financial aid offers and keep track of the amounts you applied for and received.
Never give personal information over the phone or internet unless you made the contact. If you have questions about an offer of aid or about your student loan account, ask CMC or contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center.
The Department of Education stores your information within the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS^®) database and provide access to it when you log in to your Federal Student Aid account. However, if you complete or even request a student loan application from a lender, you may be granting the lender permission to access your file. Before providing personal information to an organization, review its privacy policy.
Keep receipts and documents (for example, credit applications or offers, checks and bank statements) with personal information in a safe place, and shred them when you are finished with them.
Keep your purse or wallet safe at all times; store it and other items containing personal information in a secure place at home, especially if you have roommates.
Immediately report all lost or stolen identification to the issuer (e.g., the credit card company or your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles) and to the police, if appropriate.

Do I have to pay to complete my FAFSA?

You Don’t Have to Pay for Help With the FAFSA^® Form

Several websites offer help filling out the FAFSA^® form for a fee. These sites are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). We urge you not to pay these sites for assistance that you can get for free elsewhere. The official FAFSA form is available from studentaid.gov, and you can get free help from

The CMC Office of Financial Aid
Federal Student Aid - FAFSA Help; and
The Federal Student Aid Information Center.

If you are asked for your credit card information while filling out the FAFSA form online, you are not at the official government site. Remember, the FAFSA site address has .gov in it!

Do I have to pay to have help in finding money for school?

You Don’t Have to Pay for Help Finding Money for College or Career School

Commercial financial aid advice services can cost well over $1,000. Of course, simply charging for help or information that’s available for free elsewhere is not fraudulent. However, if a company doesn’t deliver what it promises, it’s scamming you.

If you’re unsure whether to pay a company for help finding financial aid, stop and think for a minute: What’s being offered? Is the service going to be worth your money? Do the claims seem too good to be true? You might have heard or seen these claims at seminars, over the phone from telemarketers, or online:

“Buy now or miss this opportunity.” Don’t give in to pressure tactics. Remember, the “opportunity” is a chance to pay for information you could find yourself for free.
“We guarantee you’ll get aid.” A company could claim it fulfilled its promise if you were offered student loans or a $200 scholarship. Is that worth a fee of $1,000 or more?
“I’ve got aid for you; give me your credit card or bank account number.” Never give out a credit card or bank account number unless you know the organization you are giving it to is legitimate. You could be putting yourself at risk of identity theft.

What is CMC's FAFSA code?

Who should I list as my parent when completing my FAFSA?

A legal parent includes a biological parent, an adoptive parent, or a person that the state has determined to be your parent (for example, when a state allows another person’s name to be listed as a parent on a birth certificate). Grandparents, foster parents, legal guardians, older brothers or sisters, widowed stepparents, and aunts and uncles aren’t considered parents unless they’ve legally adopted you.

Parents Marital Status will determine who you should list. See below for additional information:

Never Married
- The parent that provided the most financial support during the last 12 months. If both parents provide the same amount of support, then you will list the parent with the highest income during the 2022 year.
Unmarried and both legal parents are living together
- Both of your legal parents
Married
- Both of your parents
Remarried (after being divorced or widowed)
- Parent and Stepparent
- List the parent that provided the most financial support during the last 12 months. Once you determine this, you will then list their spouse as well.
Divorced or Separated
- The parent that provided the most financial support during the last 12 months. If both parents provide the same amount of support, then you will list the parent with the highest income during the 2022 year.
Widowed
- Your parent

What happens after I complete my FAFSA?

You will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary either to your email or mailed to you (if you filed on paper). This will let you know the information you listed as well as your SAI.

CMC will receive an Institutional Student Information Record or ISIR within 3-5 Business days. This has the same information as the FAFSA Submission Summary you receive. Please note, this will only begin after the first half of March.

CMC will review your ISIR for conflicting information or Verification requirements. If we need additional information from you, you will receive document requests in Basecamp. These must be completed before you can receive a Financial Aid Offer.

Once all of your requirements are complete, you will receive a Financial Aid Offer. You will receive an email to your CMC issued student email when this is available for you.

You will need to review your offer and either Accept or Decline each award. This is done in Basecamp. We will Auto Accept any Grants or Scholarships that we offer you. This way you do not loose out on free money.

Where is my Financial Aid?

Make sure you have completed your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- Did you list CMC as a school on your FAFSA? Remember our school code is 004506
- You will receive an email from us when we have received your FAFSA information. We can not make any award offers until the Department of Education has processed your FAFSA and send us your information.
Check Basecamp to ensure you have completed all of your required items on the Financial Aid Checklist
Have you completed a CMC Foundation Scholarships and Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI) application?

Can I receive Financial Aid if I am also enrolled in High School, ASCENT, or TREP?

No, students who are enrolled in High School, ASCENT, or TREP programs have not yet graduated yet from High School or received an equivalency so therefore are not eligible for Federal or State Financial Aid.

Concurrent enrollment, also known as "dual enrollment," is a program that allows high school students to earn college or vocational credit toward a postsecondary credential with a certificate or degree.

All classes taken while a student is in High School are included in your Academic History and can affect your future SAP status if you are admitted later as a regular CMC student.

Please see the Concurrent Enrollment webpage for additional information about the program.

How can I get Work Study?

Where is my COF?

State funding for college students enrolled in Colorado colleges and universities comes in two forms, block grants and The College Opportunity Fund (COF). COF is a direct benefit program that provides state-tax dollars to colleges and universities on behalf of eligible undergraduate students, but is not need-based financial aid. Created by the Colorado legislature in 2004, the COF program enables the state to award taxpayer funding directly to students.

Due to its unique funding model, Colorado Mountain College does not participate in the COF program. Instead, CMC receives block grants from the state, dollars that are directly applied to the overall costs of in-district and in-state students at the college, which helps CMC maintain tuition prices that are among the lowest in the nation. This has the added benefit of reducing paperwork burdens on enrolled students, too.

Whether or not they choose to participate in COF, all public colleges in Colorado receive the same amount of need-based financial aid funding per student, based on their level in college, from the state.

FAQ: Payments and Receiving Aid

Where is my refund?

All awards are paid/disbursed to your student account about 2 weeks into each semester. These are paid once you begin attendance in all classes for that semester. So if you have late starting classes, your disbursements will be delayed.

Any aid you have been awarded will be credited to your outstanding student charges (Tuition, fees, on campus housing, meals, ect) first.
If you are a first time Direct Loan borrower, your loans will not pay until 30 days into the semester.
If you are receiving a loan only for 1 semester, the loan will be paid in 2 even payments during that semester. The first half will pay 2 weeks (or 30 days for first time borrowers) into the semester. The second half will pay about 8 weeks (half way) into the semester.
Pell Recalculation Date: Each semester we have 1 day, much like census, where your registration is "locked" in so that we can determine your enrollment status for Pell eligibility. On this day we determine the credits that you are enrolled in and if eligible/awarded will pay in the Pell grant for that enrollment. So if on this day, you are enrolled in 12 eligible credits you would receive full time Pell, 9 eligible credits and you would receive 3/4 time Pell, ect.
- This does not lock in your registration. You are still free to add/drop after this point (all of the rules regarding add/drop still apply including CMC tuition refund rules)
- Your Pell grant will not change after this date due to an enrollment change. So if you add additional classes increasing your enrollment from 3/4 time to Full time, you will not receive additional Pell grant. Likewise, if you drop from Full time down to 3/4 time your Pell grant will not reduce.
  - The exception to this is if you drop all of your classes and we have to perform a Return to Title IV calculation.
- Helpful hints:
  - Make sure you have your class schedule set before the semester starts
  - Try to not make changes after the semester begins
  - Talk with your Academic Advisor/Counselor to set up the best schedule for you to succeed in so that your not having to change it after the semester begins.

Refunds:

Refunds are any aid left over after all student charges are paid.

If you have a refund owed to you, these will then be sent to you either as a physical check or through direct deposit. While these are sent out once a week after disbursements are made, they can take anywhere from 1 - 2 weeks after we disburse to your student account for you to receive them.
- Physical Check: the timing will depend on the Post Office and if your mailing address is up to date. If your mailing address is not up to date then it's possible that the check will be returned to the school. We will then have to reach out to you, update your address, and re-mail the check.
- Direct Deposit: the timing will depend on when your bank releases the money to your account. This can vary from 24-72 hours after they receive the funding.
If you have a Parent Plus loan, any refund of this aid will be paid to the parent unless if the parent authorizes CMC to pay the credit balance to the student. This option can be selected when the parent completes their credit check through the Department of Education.

Other Important Items:

Financial aid is paid only for classes that are required for your Degree or Certificate that you are enrolled in. If you are taking classes that are not required for your program, we can not pay aid for them.
Financial aid is paid based on the understanding that you are attending and participating in all of the classes in which you are registered for. If you do not participate/begin attendance in all of your classes, your financial aid can be reduced.
If you withdraw or drop classes, your financial aid can be reduced or fully cancelled. Please talk with your Academic Advisor and Financial Aid Specialist before you withdraw.

Can I make payments?

CMC does offer a payment plan that can be set up through Basecamp. Payment plans are processed by the Student Accounts and not the Financial Aid Office.

Please see the Student Payment Plans page for additional information and for information on how to sign up for one.

Contact your Local Campus Fiscal Manager or Student Receivables Manager if you have questions about your Student Account.

Who do I contact with questions about my award?

Do I have to pay for help with my student loans?

You Don’t Have to Pay for Help With Your Federal Student Loans

Many student loan debt relief companies charge a fee to provide services that you can take care of yourself for free by contacting your loan servicer. At no cost, the U.S. Department of Education and their federal loan servicers can help you

Have questions or need help with your student loans? Contact your loan servicer.

How can I identify a Student Loan Scam?

Borrowers have reported receiving phone calls, emails, letters, and/or texts offering them relief from their federal student loans or warning them that student loan forgiveness programs would end soon. Usually, the so-called student loan debt relief companies offering these types of services don’t offer any relief at all. Often they’re just fraudsters who are after your money.

Here are some examples of the false claims made in these communications:

“Act immediately to qualify for student loan forgiveness before the program is discontinued.”
“You are now eligible to receive benefits from a recent law that has passed regarding federal student loans, including total forgiveness in some circumstances. Federal student loan programs may change. Please call within 30 days of receiving this notice.”
“Your student loans may qualify for complete discharge. Enrollments are first come, first served.”
“Student alerts: Your student loan is flagged for forgiveness pending verification. Call now!”

Communications using this type of aggressive advertising to lure borrowers are NOT coming from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) or its partners.

Here are some signs to help you identify a scam by a student loan debt relief company:

They require you to pay up-front or monthly fees for help.
They promise immediate and total loan forgiveness or cancellation.
They ask for your FSA ID username and password.
They ask you to sign and submit a third-party authorization form or a power of attorney.
They claim that their offer is limited and encourage you to act immediately.
Their communications contain spelling and grammatical errors.

What should I do if I have seen Fraud?

Report Financial Aid Fraud

A company charging for financial aid advice is not committing fraud unless it doesn’t deliver what it promises. For more information about financial aid fraud or to report fraud, contact the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Report Fraudulent Activity by a College or Career School

Contact ED’s Office of Inspector General Fraud Hotline to make a confidential report if you suspect your school or an individual of fraud, waste, or abuse involving federal student aid (e.g., Federal Pell Grants, Direct Loans, etc.).

Contact ED’s Federal Student Aid Feedback Center if you believe that

someone at your school has misrepresented any aspect of the educational program, its cost, or its outcomes; or
the school’s administration of the federal student aid programs, and/or the school’s recruitment practices, may have violated federal regulations.

Report Identity Theft

If you suspect that your student information has been stolen, it is important to act quickly. These offices will help you determine what steps to take depending on your situation:

Report Student Loan Debt Relief Companies

If you have already shared your information or paid a student loan debt relief company, you should do the following:

Contact your federal loan servicer to revoke any power of attorney or third-party authorization agreement that your servicer has on file. You should also make sure no unwanted actions were taken on your loans.
Contact your bank or credit card company, and request that payments to the debt relief company be stopped.
File a complaint with the FTC.
File a report of suspicious activity through the Department of Educations Feedback Center.

Also, be sure to log in and change your account password. Do NOT share your new account password with anyone!

FAQ: Class Length and Late Starting Classes

What is considered a Module?

CMC uses 16-week semesters in fall and spring. Summer is shorter. Classes that run the entire semester are full-length courses. Any class that is shorter than the full semester, whether it’s 1 week, 8 weeks, or 14 weeks, is considered a module.

Even if a class is short, it counts toward your semester enrollment. All the shorter classes (modules) you take in a semester are combined when calculating your financial aid, if you meet all important dates.

What is considered a late starting class?

How does taking a short class affect my Financial Aid?

How does taking a short class affect my Disbursement of my awards?

What about Dropping or Withdrawing from a Module?

What about registering for classes?

You will want to plan out your whole semester at the beginning and register for all classes that you plan on taking at the beginning of the semester. Since we use all classes in the semester to determine your eligibility, if you register for a class later in the semester you may not have it considered for your eligibility.

This is very important with the Federal Pell Grant. CMC uses a Pell Recalculation Date where only the classes you are registered for on or before that date are used to calculate the Federal Pell Grant. If you add a class after that date, you will not receive the Federal Pell Grant for it. To receive the Federal Pell Grant for your full registration, you need to plan accordingly and register for the full semester before this date.

2025-26 Pell Recalculation Date:

Fall: September 7, 2025
Spring: January 25, 2026
Summer: May 31, 2026

Federal Direct Loans require you to be enrolled in at least 6 credits to qualify. If you register later in the semester for a late-starting class that brings you up to 6 credits or more, your loan disbursement may be delayed until that class begins. Staying at 6 or more credits is also required to keep your loans in deferment.

What happens if I change my enrollment?

Be sure to plan your entire semester and register for all your classes before the term begins.

Changing your enrollment after the semester starts can affect your Financial Aid, but the impact varies for each student. It depends on factors like your class start dates, the number of enrolled credits, your specific financial aid awards, and the timing of any course changes.

If you need to add or drop a class after the semester has started, please contact us. We’ll review your situation and explain how it may affect your Financial Aid.

FAQ: Staying Eligible for Aid

How do I stay eligible for Financial Aid?

Students must maintain certain academic standards to remain eligible for financial aid. These standards include GPA, completion rate, and progress toward a degree or certificate. CMC has established these guidelines for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP);

Submit a new FAFSA each academic year. The FAFSA for the next Academic year typically will open on October 1st.

The priority date at CMC for applying for financial assistance is March 31 for the next academic year (fall through summer semesters).

What happens if I have a Return of Title IV?

A Return of Title IV or R2T4 is when you did not complete all of the classes you were scheduled to complete in a semester. This can occur if you Drop, Withdraw, or receive all F's or Incomplete grades in that semester. If an R2T4 is calculated for you you most likely will owe a balance to CMC for the amount of aid that you did not earn.

You can not return to CMC until that balance is paid in full or a payment arrangement is set up.

If you end up owing a balance you will need to work with Student Accounts to either make payment arrangements or pay your balance in full.

Why is my SAP status Yellow?

Why is my SAP status Red?

When you are in Basecamp and you are reviewing your Satisfactory Academic Progress or SAP status and you find it Red, that means that you are failing SAP and would need to appeal.

Please submit a request for an Appeal in Basecamp or Contact the Office of Financial Aid and we can send you the appeal.

Until you have completed and had your appeal approved, you are not eligible for Financial Aid.

How do I submit a SAP appeal?

I submitted a SAP Appeal, what now?

SAP appeal submitted before the semester deadline:

Once the SAP appeal is fully completed by the student, and Academic Advisor/Counselor the SAP appeals committee will review the appeal. This process can take 10-14 business days to complete. Monitor your CMC email for updates or requests for additional information. If you are approved, you can be eligible for Title IV aid for the current semester.

SAP appeal submitted after the semester deadline:

Any completed SAP appeals submitted after the deadline (regardless of the reason for late submission) will be reviewed after the grades for the current semester are received. So if you are submitting an appeal for Fall and miss the deadline, the SAP appeal will be reviewed after all Fall grades are submitted. If your appeal is approved, you would be eligible for the next semester.

SAP appeal deadlines:

Fall 2025 - October 17, 2025
Spring 2026 - March 6, 2026
Summer 2026 - July 10, 2026

Still have questions?

Get quick access to Financial Aid Specialists by booking a quick 15-minute drop-in virtual advising appointment, a 30-minute virtual or phone meeting, or a 60-minute session for personalized FAFSA/CASFA assistance, all available with bilingual support.

Contact Financial Aid