What classes are eligible for Federal and State financial aid?
Federal financial aid regulations mandate that only classes required for graduation in your current active Program of Study are eligible for federal funding. In addition, some State of Michigan aid programs follow these regulations. Thus, your financial aid enrollment status may be different from your actual enrollment status. Classes not required for graduation may not be eligible for federal and state funding. Financial aid such as Pell Grants, Direct Loans, work-study, Michigan Reconnect (MRC), and Michigan Tuition Incentive Program (TIP) are subject to this rule. Students who have scholarship awards and some state aid programs are not affected by the federal financial aid regulations.
How do I know what classes are required for my Program of Study?
It is important that your current academic records are correct. If you are unsure of your current Program of Study you can login to your MyGRCC account and click on your Online Center – once in your Online Center select the Academic Progress tile to review the courses required for your program of study. Additional information can be found in the Student Records section of our website.
How do I change my Program of Study?
- Log into the Online Student Center
- Select the Academic Records tile
- Select Declare Academic Program on the left-hand side (last item listed)
- Click Declare Program or follow the displayed link
- Complete the form instructions and submit
- Check your GRCC email for confirmation of your declaration of academic program. You will receive this confirmation within 24 hours of submission.
For more information on changing/declaring a new program of study please visit: https://www.grcc.edu/students/student-records/declaration-academic-program
What if I need to take a required exemption/prerequisite class not in my Program of Study?
Please reach out to an Academic Advisor if you need to take a class that is not currently listed on your Academic Progress report accessed on your Online Center via MyGRCC. You can contact the Academic Advising office at (616) 234-3900 or advising@grcc.edu.
How do I know if I have a financial aid issue with my selected classes?
If we determine one or more of your courses are not eligible, we will send you an email to your GRCC student email account. Please check your Academic Progress tile to determine which classes are required for your declared Academic Program.
What if I want to take classes that are not required?
You are welcome to take classes which are not required for your Program of Study. However, you may need to pay for these classes out-of-pocket or be receiving aid from sources other than federal or state programs.
How long will financial aid pay for developmental or remedial classes?
Up to a maximum of 30 attempted credits of developmental (classes below the 100 level) and/or prerequisite coursework are eligible for financial aid, as long as you are otherwise eligible for financial aid.
What academic programs are eligible for federal and state financial aid?
Federal and State regulations require that a student must be enrolled in an eligible Program of Study to receive financial aid. All associate degrees and most certificate programs of 16 or more credit hours in length are eligible. Newly developed certificate programs must first receive approval from the U.S. Department of Education. College Guest, Early College and non-degree seeking students are not eligible for financial aid funding.