Apply for Financial Aid

Priority filing deadlines for Federal Student Aid are:

• Fall Term: April 1
• Spring Term: August 1
• Summer Term: January 1

Per Federal Regulations, the FAFSA must be filed no later than June 30 each academic year. Visit FAFSA Application Deadlines for more information.

• FAFSA Checklist (PDF)

Our Financial Aid Office will contact you via email if we need supporting documents to complete your file after we receive your FAFSA. Some documents we may need include:

• Federal tax return transcripts
• W-2s
• Verification worksheets
• High school transcript or diploma verification

Your financial aid will not be awarded until we receive all of your requested documentation. Once your file is complete, an award notification will be sent to you and direct you to access your award on the Financial Aid Self-Service page.

Foreign High School, College Transcript, and Transfer Credit Evaluation

Students who have earned or completed high school, college or university course work at an institution in a country other than the United States must obtain a complete evaluation of foreign high school diplomas/transcripts, college degrees/transcripts, and/or other relevant documents. A foreign transcript evaluation is required any time foreign course work is used to meet eligibility for Federal Student Aid, even if the foreign transcript has previously been accepted by a different college or university in the United States.

SCC does not offer a transcript evaluation service. It is the responsibility of the student to have the transcript evaluated by an outside degree evaluation service. A written equivalency report, sent to the Financial Aid Office from the degree evaluation service, must be provided to SCC before the student's eligibility for financial aid can be determined.

The following institutions provide foreign transcript evaluation services and charge a fee. The cost of the evaluation must be paid by the student. The college does not promote or approve any of these agencies. This is provided only as a possible source.

Federal and/or Institutional Verification Process

Southeast Community College has partnered with Inceptia's Verification Gateway, an online portal that guides students and parents through the verification process.

If your FAFSA is selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education, you will receive an email from VGCS@inceptia.org (or a postcard) with a link to get started. **Begin within 7 days of receiving your notification** to ensure your financial aid is processed on time. Failure to complete verification could result in delayed or denied aid.

Follow these steps to complete your verification.

• Access our school’s unique website link in the email from VGCS@inceptia.org or listed below.
• Create your account* and choose preferences for text messages and e-signatures.
• Complete your Task List.
• Confirm your signature and review your information.
• Sign your account.

*If you are a dependent student, your parent also needs to create their own account and complete each of these steps.

Southeast Community College Verification Gateway Links
Federal Verification: https://southeastcommunitycollege.verificationgateway.org

Questions about the verification process?
Verification Gateway User Guide for Students & Parents
Verification Gateway FAQs
Contact Inceptia, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. central at 833-932-1877 or VGCS@inceptia.org

About Inceptia
Inceptia, a nonprofit organization, provides innovation and leadership in higher education access and success through engaging and empowering students and streamlining processes. Our mission is to support schools in illuminating a path towards educational and financial success for students and families, allowing them to pursue their dreams of reaching their full potential. Our solutions are designed to support student success by helping schools maximize resources, so they can spend more time delivering meaningful learning experiences across the student lifecycle that fosters education and personal development.

Financial Aid funds are transferred (disbursed) to a student’s account no earlier than the 10th day of each term, after the Financial Aid Office confirms your eligibility.

Once disbursed, your financial aid will first be applied to outstanding charges on your student account, including tuition, fees, books, and other applicable institutional charges.

If your financial aid award exceeds the cost of tuition and fees (and on-campus housing/meals if residing on campus) you may purchase educationally related books and supplies from the Campus Store before funds are disbursed. These purchases may be charged to your student account up to the amount of your excess financial aid.

If funds remain after all charges are paid, the remaining balance will be refunded via the Student Accounts Office, within 14 days from the date the funds are transferred to the Student Account.

Federal Work Study students are paid every 2 weeks for the hours worked the previous work cycle.

Special Circumstance

Federal financial aid is based on a formula created by the U.S. Department of Education to determine a Student Aid Index score, or SAI. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) requires prior-prior year income information to determine your SAI and eligibility for federal financial aid (grants, loans, work-study). Some families SAI may not adequately reflect the family’s current financial situation due to a qualifying extenuating circumstance. The federal government allows schools to review a family’s unique financial circumstances or hardship, beyond the student’s/family’s control, to determine if the situation warrants special consideration under federal regulations.

This federal review process requires the applicant to substantiate the reported Special Circumstances with documentation including, but not limited to, current and past financial records, legal and court records, medical and/or business expenditure receipts, and signed statements. 

Please note that a request for consideration of a Special Circumstance appeal does not guarantee approval. In addition, even if approved a recalculation of FAFSA data does not always result in increased eligibility for the student.

Special Circumstances may include, but are not limited to:

• Involuntary Loss/Change of employment
• Death of a Parent/Spouse
• Divorce/Separation
• Declared States of Emergency or Natural Disaster

Circumstances NOT considered include, but not limited to:

• Standard living expenses (utilities, car payments, rent or mortgage etc.)
• Credit card/other personal debts
• Elective surgeries
• Reduction in 401K/investment values
• Unwillingness to use federal student loans options
• Expenses not related to the cost of attendance for completing degree/diploma

If you believe you qualify for a Special Circumstance review please follow the steps to Request a Professional Judgement.

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

A student under the age of 24, and experiencing homelessness on or after July 1^st of the year specified on the FAFSA, and not in the physical custody of parents or legal guardians is considered an unaccompanied or at-risk homeless youth and could be determined to be an independent status student.  Examples of homelessness conditions include, but are not limited to staying:

• with other people temporarily because you lost your housing or similar reason;
• in a shelter
• in a motel/hotel due to lack of alternatives
• in a car or other unsheltered situation
• living in a campus residence hall but otherwise would have nowhere else to go

You must provide an authorized official’s determination of your status for federal student aid purposes. Examples of authorized officials include:

• McKinney-Vento liaison from high school or other educational agency
• Director of a program or shelter that serves individuals experiencing homelessness
• Director of a TRIO or GEAR UP program
• Financial Aid Administrator at another institution who previously made a determination in the same or prior award year

If you believe you qualify for an Unaccompanied Homeless Youth review, please follow the steps to Request a Professional Judgment for your situation. 

If you do not meet the conditions of an Unaccompanied Homeless Youth or if your appeal is denied, you must correct your FAFSA and add parental information as required to qualify for federal student aid.

Unusual Circumstance

Your dependency status is determined when you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you are considered “dependent,” your financial aid eligibility is based on your income and assets plus your parents’ income and assets.

A student considered dependent may have family circumstances that warrant evaluation so that the student can be considered independent. The basis of a dependency appeal must be rooted in circumstances that are unusual or extenuating. These circumstances may include:

• Abusive home environment
• Parental Abandonment
• Refugee or Asylee (legal status)
• Parent death after FAFSA was completed
• Parental Incarceration

The following situations do not, by themselves, qualify as unusual circumstances in order to grant an appeal:

• Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education
• Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification
• Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes
• Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency
• Student and parents “don’t get along”

If you believe you qualify for a Dependency Override appeal review, please follow the steps to Request a Professional Judgment for your dependency status.

If you do not meet the conditions of a Dependency Override or if your appeal is denied, you must correct your FAFSA and add parental information as required to qualify for federal student aid.

Steps to Request a Professional Judgement

1. Select the application from the options below based on your situation. Contact Carlos Garcia (402-437-2805) ,Associate Director, with questions about your situation.

• Special Circumstances 2025/26 (PDF)
• Unusual Circumstance 2025/26 (PDF)
• Homeless Youth Circumstance 2025/26 (PDF)

• Special Circumstances 2026/27 (PDF)
• Unusual Circumstance 2026/27 (PDF)
• Homeless Youth Circumstance 2026/27 (PDF)

2. Submit full and complete appeal documentation to the Financial Aid Office for review and determination.

3. Monitor your SCC email for any follow-up requests for information or documentation and proceed accordingly. Incomplete appeals are subject to denial.

4. Await the Financial Aid Office’s determination. Allow up to 60 days for the review process to be completed. You will be notified through your SCC email. Determinations are final and cannot be appealed.

These videos from the U.S. Department of Education provide a general overview of federal student aid.

• Responsible Borrowing
• How to Manage Your Student Loans
• Student Loan Repayment Options
• Repayment: What to Expect
• How to Prep for Student Loan Repayment
• How to Complete Exit Counseling