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Student Financial Aid

LBCC administers a comprehensive student financial aid program to assist students in meeting college costs. The amount of financial aid awarded varies from student to student depending on the individual’s need and resources. Financial Aid is intended to help students who might not otherwise be able to attend college. Although the primary responsibility for meeting college costs rests with the student and their family, the college recognizes that many families have limited resources and are unable to meet the cost of a college education. Federal and state financial aid programs have been established to provide assistance to students with documented financial need.

Awards are initially offered based on full-time enrollment. The number of units in which students actually enroll may impact the amount of financial aid received for the various aid programs. Please note that the number of units enrolled do not include courses for which students are waitlisted.

Enrollment Status

In Primary Terms Number of Units
Full-time 12 or more units
Three-quarter-time 9-11.5 units
Half-time 6-8.5 units
Less than half-time 1-5.5 units

The application process for financial aid begins with completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA), which is available on October 1 for the following fall semester. Students may apply online at www.fafsa.gov or dream.csac.ca.gov.

In addition to having financial need, students must meet the following conditions:

  • Be enrolled in an eligible program of study leading to completion of an A.A. or A.S. degree, transfer requirements, or a certificate program
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress
  • Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, or, for the CADAA, be classified as AB 540 eligible
  • Not be in default on any student loan or owe a refund on any grant made under any Title IV program
  • Have a social security number and have a high school diploma, or GED

Student budgets include educational expenses, such as tuition, fees, books, supplies, housing, food, transportation, child-care, and personal expenses. Financial aid recipients must adhere to the standards of progress of the financial aid programs. Financial aid recipients must adhere to the standards of progress of the financial aid programs posted at www.lbcc.edu/financial-aid-policies.

Federal Financial Aid Programs

Federal Pell Grants

Pell grants are a federally funded program designed to be the foundation of financial aid for undergraduates who demonstrate need. The amount of the Pell Grant is based on the cost of attendance minus the expected calculated family contribution and the student’s enrollment status at the time of payment. Award amounts vary according to eligibility and enrollment. For more information, visit www.lbcc.edu/post/grants. Pell Grants are limited to 6 years or 12 full-time semester enrollments.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)

This federally funded grant is available to undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional financial need. The awarding of FSEOG funds is limited1 and must be given to maximum Pell Grant recipients.

The Federal Work Study Program (FWS)

This federally funded program provides employment opportunities1 to students with financial need. Students awarded FWS receive an allocation of funds earned through part-time jobs on campus. FWS provides an excellent learning process through on-the-job training. Students are employed a maximum of sixteen hours per week while school is in session.

The William D. Ford Direct Loan Program

This program provides loans to students to be used for educational expenses. Freshman students may borrow up to $3,500 per year, and sophomores who have completed at least thirty units may borrow up to $4,500 per year in subsidized loans. Based on need, additional unsubsidized loans are also available.

1

FSEOG and FWS funds are limited and early application is strongly advised.

California State Financial Aid Programs

California College Promise Waiver

Students can qualify for the California College Promise Waiver in several ways: The student demonstrates financial need according to federal methodology based on completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or The student or the student’s family is receiving CalWORKs, formerly TANF/AFDC, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or General Assistance/General Relief, or the student is a disabled veteran or a dependent of a deceased or disabled veteran as certified by the California Department of Veterans Affairs, or the student is a recipient or the child of a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, or the student is a dependent of a victim of the 9/11/01 terrorist attack, or the student is a dependent of deceased law enforcement or fire suppression personnel killed in the line of duty, or the student meets specific income criteria based on family size as set by the State of California. 

The California College Promise Waiver will require satisfactory academic progress. All grades will be used to determine eligibility. Any combination of two consecutive fall and spring semesters of cumulative GPA below 2.0 or cumulative course completion of less than 50% may result in loss of the California College Promise Waiver. For more information, visit www.lbcc.edu/post/board-governors-bog-fee-waiver.

Cal Grants

Cal Grant Programs are available to California Residents who qualify. United States citizens, permanent residents, or eligible noncitizens may apply for Cal Grants via the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). Beginning January 15, 2013 AB-540 students may apply via the California Dream Act Application. The maximum opportunity deadline to apply is March 2nd each year for all California college students. If a student misses the March 2nd deadline and plans to attend a community college in the fall, the student has until September 2nd to apply for limited remaining grants. Cal Grants also involve a GPA submission requirement. The college electronically transmits GPA verifications for certain students. For detailed information, go to https://www.csac.ca.gov/. Students must be actively enrolled in at least six units to receive Cal Grant benefits.

Cal Grant A assists low and middle-income students with tuition and fee costs at four-year colleges and universities. Grant recipients are selected based on financial need and grade point average.

Cal Grant B provides a living allowance and tuition and fee assistance for low-income students. Cal Grant B may be used at community colleges as well as at four-year schools.

Cal Grant C helps vocational students with tuition and training costs. Recipients must be enrolled in a vocational program at a community college, independent college, or vocational school in a program of study from four months to two years in length.

Student Success Completion Grant

The purpose of the SSCG grant award is to provide the student with additional financial aid to help offset the total cost of community college attendance, and to encourage full-time attendance and successful on-time completion.

To qualify for the SSCG:

  • Be eligible for a Cal Grant B or C award
  • Meet federal satisfactory academic progress (SAP)
  • Have unmet need to receive the SSCG
  • Maintain full-time attendance

A maximum of $2,596 annually at one thousand two hundred ninety-eight dollars ($1,298) per semester for eligible students who enroll and attend 12 through 14.99 units per term.

A maximum of $8,000 annually at four thousand dollars ($4,000) per semester for eligible students who enroll and attend at least 15 units per term.

Funds for this program are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Early application is strongly advised.

Chafee Grant Program

This program is available to former foster youth. Awards are $5,000 per year. Students may apply using the FAFSA and the separate Chafee Grant application. For more information, visit https://chafee.csac.ca.gov/.

Dream Act/AB540 Eligibility

Several types of state and institutional aid are available to AB 540 students as a result of the California Dream Act, such as the California College Promise Waiver or Cal Grants. Visit www.lbcc.edu/california-dream-act to read more about these awards.

Refunds and Withdrawals

Return of Title IV Funds Policy

The Financial Aid Office is required by federal statute to calculate/recalculate federal financial aid eligibility for students who: 

  • Completely withdraws, and/or;  
  • Stops attending before the end of the semester/payment period, and/or;  
  • Does not complete all modules (courses which are not scheduled for the entire semester or payment period for which they registered at the time those modules began.) Does not provide written confirmation to LBCC at the time of ceasing attendance of future attendance of a module during the same payment period. 
  • Dismissed 

Prior to completing 60% of a payment period or term, the federal Title IV financial aid programs must be recalculated in these situations. LBCC will use the date of complete withdrawal or drop to determine the amount of federal aid that is “earned” based on the amount of time the student was enrolled.

If a student leaves the institution prior to completing 60% of a payment period or term, the financial aid office recalculates eligibility for Title IV funds. Recalculation is based on the percentage of earned aid using the following Federal Return of Title IV funds formula: Percentage of payment period or term completed = the number of days completed up to the withdrawal date divided by the total days in the payment period or term. (Any break of five days or more is not counted as part of the days in the term.) This percentage is also the percentage of earned aid. After the 60.02% point in the payment period, a student has earned 100% of the Title IV funds they were scheduled to receive during the period, and will not have a payment obligation to return any funds.

Withdrawals

The date of complete withdrawal or drop is used to determine the amount of federal aid that is “earned” based on the amount of time the student was enrolled. If a student does not officially withdraw from all classes but fails to earn a passing grade in at least one course, federal aid regulations require that the college assumes the student has “Unofficially Withdrawn,” unless it can be documented that the student completed the enrollment period. Unofficial withdrawals require a Title IV refund calculation at the midpoint of the enrollment period. The reduction of federal aid may create a balance due to LBCC that must be repaid.

Title IV Refund Process 

Funds are returned to the appropriate federal program based on the percentage of unearned aid using the following formula: Aid to be returned= (100% of the aid that could be disbursed minus the percentage of earned aid) multiplied by the total amount of aid that could have been disbursed during the payment period or term.

If a student earned less aid than was disbursed, the institution would be required to return a portion of the funds and the student would be required to return a portion of the funds. Keep in mind that when Title IV funds are returned, the student borrower may owe a debit balance to the institution.

If a student earned more aid than was disbursed to them, the institution would owe the student a "Post-Withdrawal Disbursement" (PWD) which must be paid within 180 days of the student’s withdrawal. The institution must return the amount of Title IV funds for which it is responsible no later than 45 days after the date of the determination of the date of the student’s withdrawal.

Refunds are allocated in the following order:

  • Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loans
  • Subsidized Direct Stafford Loans
  • Direct PLUS Loans
  • Federal Pell Grants for which a Return of funds is required
  • All other Federal Grants for which a Return of funds is required

Decrease of Units or Change of Enrollment

When a student decreases/reduces their course load, the decrease represents a change in enrollment status, not a complete withdrawal. Therefore, an R2T4 calculation is not required. However, the student’s Federal grants are subject to recalculation.

Title IV Refund Repayment Policy

  1. A bill will be sent with the amount due. The student will not be eligible for further financial aid funds until the overpayment is paid in full. In addition, school records will be placed on “hold.” The student will not be able to register for classes or request academic transcripts until this bill has been paid in full.
  2. If the student does not pay this bill or make payment arrangements, the overpayment will be reported to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). NSLDS notifies all other colleges and universities that the student now owes money. The student will be ineligible to receive further financial aid at any college. The NSLDS notification will be removed when the bill is paid in full.
  3. If the student continues to ignore this bill, and a final notice is sent to the student, the account will be turned over to the Department of Education for all future collection. The Department of Education has the ability to garnish wages, withhold tax refunds, send the student account to a collection agency, and take the student to court to recover the money owed.
  4. The student must pay this bill in full within 30 days.

Financial Aid Office       

Liberal Arts Campus
Room A-1075
562-938-4485

Pacific Coast Campus
Room GG-201
562-938-4485

Veterans Service Office (VSO) and GI Bill

The VSO provides an office of support for active military, veterans, and their dependents by offering assistance with processing VA Educational Benefits, Priority Registration, Educational Counseling, Financial Aid, and Enrollment at LBCC. Additionally, the VSO has partnered with multiple national, state, and community resources to offer additional non-educational or VA assistance to student veterans with their transition and success at LBCC.

Veteran Services Office
Liberal Arts Campus
A-1029
562-938-4162

VSO Outpost*
Pacific Coast Campus
GG-102

*General information service only at the PCC campus.

G.I. Bill

Qualification for a G.I. Bill® is determined by the Department of Veteran Affairs. Students and prospective students may go to the VSO for assistance in completing the Application for VA Education Benefits.

After a student has applied for a G.I. Bill®  they must start a file in the Veteran Service Office, meet with a VSO counselor, and enroll in appropriate courses. They also must complete a Request for Certification of Benefits at www.lbcc.edu/overview/veteran-student-services per federal regulations, only required courses for a declared major can be certified by the institution. For additional information/clarification please contact the VSO. The G.I. Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Scholarship Office/LBCC Foundation Scholarships

The college administers more than 1,000 scholarships each year. These scholarships are funded by campus and community organizations, local businesses, and private donors. The Scholarship Office is located in A-1041 (LAC). For more information on scholarships visit www.lbcc.edu/scholarships.

Rotary Club Honors Scholarships

Each year the Long Beach Rotary Scholarship Foundation awards Rotary Honor Scholarships to students who attended a Long Beach Unified High School. Recipients must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher and be enrolled in the LBCC Honors Program. Rotary Club Honors Scholarship applications are available in September at www.lbcc.edu/scholarships.