Financial Aid FAQs

• What type of financial aid does SGTC offer?
  • SGTC offers the HOPE Grant, HOPE Scholarship, Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work Study and FSEOG.
• What is the difference between HOPE Grant and HOPE Scholarship?
  • Georgia residents who are attending a Georgia public technical college to earn a certificate or diploma are eligible for HOPE Grant regardless of high school graduation date.
    HOPE Scholarship is for Georgia residents who are attending a Georgia public technical college to earn an associate’s degree. To qualify the student must be a 1993 or later graduate of a Georgia high school and have a cumulative “B” average at the time of graduation (3.0 for college prep; 3.2 in technical curriculum track). The student must maintain the “B” average at each checkpoint.
• Can I complete my FAFSA application for the Pell Grant on-line?
  • Yes, you can go to www.studentaid.gov to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You will need income tax returns (1040, 1040A etc.) for you and/or your parents, W-2’s and any other income information for the previous year. SGTC Financial Aid office has a Resource Lab available for students to apply on-line.
• What is SGTC’s school code?
  • Our school code is 005617. This school code is needed when you complete the FAFSA application on-line.
• Does SGTC offer student loans?
  • No, South Georgia Tech does not participate in any Title IV loan programs.
• Am I eligible for Pell if I am accepted as Learning Support?
  • No, because Federal regulations require a student to be fully accepted into an eligible program of study before receiving the Pell grant. Students must be accepted into their program of study as Provisional or Regular to be eligible.
• How often do I need to apply for financial aid?
  • You apply one time a year for the Federal Pell Grant. We ask you to re-apply starting in February of each year once income tax returns have been completed. The financial aid year is from July 1 – June 30 of the following year. Everyone must re-apply for the Pell Grant before Fall semester no matter when you first apply.
    The HOPE Grant/Scholarship is a one-time only application and does not have to be updated.
• Do I have to use my parent’s income information on my FAFSA application if I live on my own and support myself?
  • If all of the questions in Section 2 (Student Dependency Status) of the FAFSA application are answered “NO”, students MUST provide parents’ income information.
• How much money do I have to make to qualify for Pell Grant?
  • The income limits vary from student to student. Eligibility is based on several factors including the number of family members, number in college and family income. This is how the EFC (Expected Family Contribution) is determined.
• Do I have to attend full time to receive financial aid?
  • No, you can take one class and receive financial aid. However, the amount of Pell Grant you receive each semester is based on your enrollment.
• What time of the semester are Pell refunds given out to students?
  • Pell refunds are disbursed at the end of the 4th week of class. The Business Office prepares the refunds and notifies instructors and students when the refunds are ready to be issued. Other batches occur during the semester.
• Do I need to make an appointment to come into the Financial Aid Office for assistance?
  • No, our office is open 8:00 – 6:00 Monday – Thursday and 8:00 – 12:00 on Friday. We can also be reached at 229-931-2693, 229-931-2755 or 1-800-928-0283. The Cordele Campus is 229-271-4043