Federal Financial Aid and Eligibility Requirements

Federal Financial Aid

Students applying for federal, state, and institutional financial assistance for the 2022-2023 academic year are required to complete the 2022-2023 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The new 2023-2024 FAFSA application will come out on October 1st of 2022. It is important to submit the FAFSA in a timely manner and meet Virginia Peninsula Community College's priority dates. The priority date to submit the FAFSA for Fall is May 1, Spring November 1, and Summer April 1.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Complete FAFSA Online

This form provides the Federal Processing Center with household, income, and asset information used to determine the expected family contribution and Federal Pell Grant eligibility for each applicant. The FAFSA is required for federal and state financial assistance.

Parent information is required unless the student is one of the following: 24 years of age, a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces or on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training, working on a master's or doctorate degree program, married, both parents are deceased, dependent of the court, has children who receive more than half of their support from the student, has legal dependents other than children or a spouse, has been an emancipated minor by a court in their state, or has been determined to be an unaccompanied youth who is homeless. It is possible for students to complete their FAFSA even in the rare instance that parents refuse to complete/submit their portion. The student will need to report (on their FAFSA and also to the Financial Aid Office) that their parents refuse to provide their information, and as a result, the student will only be eligible/considered for unsubsidized educational loans.

The Virginia Peninsula Community College Financial Aid School Code is 006871. The Financial Aid Office will receive your FAFSA data/results electronically if the school code is listed.

Complete the 2022-2023 FAFSA online at www.studentaid.gov. Students and parents must apply for an FSA ID number (formerly known as a PIN) which can be done on the FAFSA website. If you do not have Internet access, you may visit the Virginia Peninsula Community College Financial Aid Office, the College Library, or any other public library to complete a FAFSA application.

  • General Eligibility Requirements
    Students must meet all eligibility requirements described here to be considered for any Title IV federal financial aid programs and need-based assistance from Virginia Peninsula Community College:
  • Approved Degree Program
    Students must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate program with a minimum of 16 credit hours to complete the program.
  • High School Diploma
    Students must have a high school diploma, GED, or have been home-schooled.
  • Enrollment Status
    Students who register less than full-time are still eligible to receive financial aid. They will have their financial aid awards reduced to reflect their actual enrollment. Students may receive financial aid if they are at least part-time (6 credit hours).
  • Satisfactory Academic Progress
    To remain eligible for all grant, loan, or work assistance programs, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress according to the standards and practices of Virginia Peninsula Community College. Students who fail to maintain satisfactory academic progress may not receive federal, state, or institutional aid.
  • Citizenship Status
    Students must be U.S. citizens or registered permanent residents in order to be eligible for federal, state, and institutional financial assistance.
  • Valid Social Security Number
    Students must have a valid Social Security number to receive financial aid. Exceptions to this rule are students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau.
  • Default or Owe Refund
    To be eligible for financial assistance, students must not be in default on a Federal Perkins Loan, or Stafford Student Loan, nor owe any refund on a federal student grant.
  • Drug Conviction
    The new law suspends federal student aid eligibility for students convicted under federal or state law for possession of or sale of illegal drugs (not including alcohol or tobacco). If you have been convicted in the past, this does not automatically mean that you are ineligible for federal student aid. In order to determine your eligibility, you will need to answer questions on the FAFSA

Incarcerated students and sex offenders

Students incarcerated in federal and state penal institutions aren't eligible for Pell grants, but students incarcerated in local penal institutions are eligible. Students incarcerated by jurisdictions defined as a state in the law, such as the District of Columbia, are considered to be in a state penal institution and aren't eligible for Pell grants. A student isn't considered incarcerated if she is in a halfway house or home detention
or is sentenced to serve only on weekends. The cost of attendance for students who are incarcerated in local
penal institutions is limited to tuition and fees and the price of books and supplies specifically related to the student's course of study.

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) disqualifies from receiving Pell grants students who are subject to an involuntary civil commitment following incarceration for a sexual offense (as determined under the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program).

Deadlines for Submission of Applications

If you submit your FAFSA after the priority deadlines, it will be processed in the order received and you should have alternative means to pay your tuition and fees by the tuition deadline dates for each semester.

Renewal Information

Financial assistance is not automatically renewed each year. Recipients must apply each year. Most students are automatically sent a renewal reminder by e-mail if they provided an e-mail address or by regular mail if they did not. Students can reapply using Renewal FAFSA on the Web.