Butler Community College - Financial Aid

The Financial Aid process can take eight weeks or longer, depending on what documentation is required, and how quickly the student fulfills these requirements. Apply early, some types of Federal Aid are awarded to eligible students on a first-come first-serve basis. Butler’s priority date is April 1st for Federal Financial Aid preceding the Fall semester. You can apply for Federal Financial Aid online.

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How can I check on my Financial Aid?

Butler students can check on their Financial Aid through their pipeline account. Pipeline@Butler is a convenient, secure, and centralized intranet portal to access important information and web-based services 24/7 at Butler Community College. Pipeline has all the information a student needs to make connections to Butler. Web-based services include e-mail, class registration, grade reporting, class schedules, Financial Aid, etc. In order to view your Butler Financial Aid information such as: status, award, estimated disbursement dates, etc. , log-in to your pipeline account at the Butler homepage. Enter your pipeline username and password in the pipeline@butler fields located on the right of Butler's homepage. Once in pipeline, locate ‘Student Quick Clicks’ on the left-hand side of the screen, and choose either ‘FinAid Awards Info’ or ‘FinAid Eligibility Info’. From there, you can view required documents for Financial Aid, or view your Financial Aid awards.

How do I apply for Financial Aid?

You can apply for Financial Aid online.

If you apply online for Financial Aid, the Department of Education (DOE) will process the application in 2-3 weeks. If you fill out the paper application, it can take up to 6 weeks to process. This application covers Grants, Stafford Loans and Federal Work-Study. We can mail you a paper application if you like. For faster processing of your online Financial Aid application, you will want to get a PIN from the DOE before applying online. Having a PIN, allows you to electronically sign your application for Financial Aid, thus eliminating the need for mailing any paperwork to the DOE. To apply for a DOE PIN, check here.

Butler Community College's Federal School Code is: 001906.

The Butler Community College Academic Scholarship Application is available to download and print online. Click here to download the Butler Community College Vocational Scholarship Application.

How do I apply for Scholarships?

The Butler Community College Academic/Foundation Scholarship Application is available to download and print online. Click here to download the Butler Community College Vocational Scholarship Application. Click here to complete an online Kansas State Scholars scholarship application form, and be sure to submit the required processing fee with the application.

How do I view my Financial Aid information if I encounter a 'moniker' message within the 'Student Quick-Clicks' Pipeline channel?

The 'moniker' message within the 'Student Quick-Clicks' channel will automatically go away if you wait 10 minutes or longer. To avoid waiting, make these simple clicks within your Pipeline account to view your Financial Aid:

Click the ‘My Courses’ Tab – click the ‘Student & Staff Service’ hyperlink – click ‘Financial Aid’.

For viewing Financial Aid requirements – click ‘My Eligibility’ – click ‘Student Requirements’ – select the appropriate aid year code, submit.

For viewing Financial Aid awards – click ‘My Award Information’ – click ‘Award by Aid Year’ – select the appropriate aid year code, submit.

Why is it necessary to write a thank-you card for my scholarship award, and what should I write?

Thank-you cards are a mandatory condition for accepting foundation and/or academic scholarships at Butler. Click here to review our thank-you card guidelines and tips.

What if someone asks for my U.S. Department of Education PIN? Should I share my PIN with anyone?

DO NOT share your PIN with anyone. Request a duplicate PIN if it has been lost or forgotten or if you feel your PIN has been compromised. When you receive a PIN from the Department of Education, you agree to not disclose or share your PIN with anyone because your PIN serves as your electronic signature and provides access to your personal records, you should never give your PIN to anyone, including commercial service providers that offer to help you complete your FAFSA. Be sure to keep your PIN in a safe place; you will be able to use the same PIN in the future to apply electronically for student aid and access your U.S. Department of Education records.

What should I do if I suspect someone else knows my U.S. Department of Education PIN?

If you think that someone else may know your PIN, or you believe your PIN has been otherwise compromised, the U.S. Department of Education can issue a new PIN for you and send it to you via the U.S. Postal Service or e-mail. To request a new PIN be sent to you, click here.

Are my classes going to be dropped if my Financial Aid is not ready?

If your Financial Aid is not complete before payment for classes is due, you will need to contact the Accounts Receivable Office to inquire about a Payment Contract, or pay your bill in full. Once processing of your Financial Aid is complete, it will be applied toward the remaining balance of your payment contract. You are required to continue making payments on your payment contract until processing of your Financial Aid is complete or your balance is paid in full. Please note: if your Financial Aid is complete, BUT a High School transcript or College Transfer transcript(s) are required, your Financial Aid will not hold your classes. Anyone with Financial Aid awarded, but transcripts are required will need to setup a Payment Contract before payment is due.

What happens to my Financial Aid if I drop a class?

If you drop a class, your Financial Aid can be reduced, and you may be required to repay some or all of your Financial Aid. Financial Aid amounts are based on the number of credit hours for which a student enrolls for that semester. If a student drops a class and receives a refund, their Financial Aid will be pro-rated based on their new enrollment status. In addition, dropping a class can cause you to be placed on either Financial Aid Probation or Suspension (refer to the Policy of Academic Progress Requirements for 0708 or 0809 ). Please contact the Financial Aid Office if you have questions regarding how dropping a class will affect your Financial Aid.

Do I have to re-apply for Financial Aid every semester?

You do not have to re-apply every semester for Financial Aid, however you do have to re-apply for Financial Aid each school year. Butler’s Financial Aid year starts with the Fall semester, and includes the following Spring and Summer semesters. Every Fall, a new Financial Aid year begins. Apply early, some types of Federal Aid are awarded to eligible students on a first-come first-serve basis. Butler’s priority date for Financial Aid is April 1st, and March 1st for scholarships, preceding the Fall semester. You can apply for Financial Aid online.

The Butler Community College Academic Scholarship Application is available to download and print online.

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How can I charge my books and supplies to Financial Aid Funds?

Book vouchers are normally available two weeks prior to the beginning of classes each semester. To be eligible for a book voucher, processing of a student’s Financial Aid must be complete, and there must be Financial Aid available after the student’s bill has been paid in full. Take a copy of your current semester schedule and picture ID (current Butler ID or driver's license) to the El Dorado or Andover bookstore.

What is Butler’s Federal School Code?

Butler’s Federal School Code is 001906.

My parents make too much for me to qualify for Financial Aid. What can I do?

Most student's are eligible for at least an Unsubsidized Loan, even if their parents’ income is too high to qualify for a Pell Grant, or other need-based aid. The following are criteria to be eligible for Federal Student Aid:

Enroll in an eligible program of study leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate.
Be a U.S. citizen, or an eligible non-citizen.
Have a high school diploma, or complete the GED before receiving federal aid.
Not be in default on any loan, nor owe repayment on grants previously received from any college.
Be registered with Selective Service, if required.
Maintain the standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (0708 or 0809) .

How many hours do I have to be enrolled in to receive Financial Aid?

The minimum number of credit hours required varies for different types of Financial Aid. To be eligible for a Federal Stafford Loan, a student must be enrolled in a minimum of six (6) credit hours. The minimum number of credit hours to be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant varies from student to student. Please contact the Financial Aid Office to ask about your individual situation. For scholarships in general, students must be enrolled Full-Time, which is 12 credit hours; however, there are some exceptions. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Can I get Financial Aid from two different colleges during the same semester?

Students who are taking classes at two different colleges during the same semester may be eligible to receive Financial Aid for their combined enrollment at both colleges. For the Federal Pell Grant, a student can only receive a Pell Grant payment from ONE (1) college per semester. However, it may be possible to combine the student's enrollment at two colleges into one total enrollment, and receive the Pell Grant based on the total enrollment from one college. This is referred to as a Consortium Agreement. If a student is enrolled in 12 or more credit hours at one college, the student will not benefit from a Consortium Agreement. With regards to a Consortium Agreement, one school is considered the "home" or primary school, and the other is the "host" or secondary school. The "home" school is where the student will actually receive their Financial Aid from the Consortium Agreement, and where the student initiates the Consortium Agreement. The "host" school receives a Consortium Agreement from the "home" school, verifies the student's information, and sends the information back to the "home" school. Butler will only participate in a Consortium Agreement as the "host" school. Contact our Financial Aid Office if you have any questions. Our institutional policy does not allow students to receive loans at two schools during the same term.

What determines my grade level? How do I find this information?

Your grade level for a Federal Stafford Loan is based on how many hours of college credit that you have completed. Students are classified as a “Freshman”, if they have completed between 0 and 29 credit hours of college credit. Students are classified as a “Sophomore”, if they have completed 30 or more credit hours.

You can find out how many credit hours you have completed by logging onto your pipeline account at the Butler homepage. Enter your pipeline username and password in the pipeline@butler fields located on the right of our homepage. Once you are in pipeline, click the 'Student Services' tab at the top, locate ‘Student Quick Clicks’ on the left hand side of the screen, and click on ‘Academic Transcript’. Under ‘Student Records’, click on ‘Academic Transcript’. Next, it will ask for ‘Transcript Level’, choose ‘Undergraduate’ from the drop-down menu, and click ‘Submit’. This will show your current Unofficial Academic Transcript, click on ‘Transcript Totals’. The number of credit hours listed for ‘Overall – Earned Hours’, will be used to determine your grade level.

If my Financial Aid is complete, but I decide not to take classes what should I do?

You should notify our Financial Aid Office, and we will cancel your Financial Aid for that semester. If you were also awarded Financial Aid for the next semester, that Financial Aid will still be available if you decide to take classes.

***Failure to attend or ceasing to attend a class does not constitute an official withdrawal! ***
This is applicable regardless of the number of hours dropped, simultaneous hours added or the time period of the drop. Failure to make a formal request in writing or via pipeline@butler to drop a class or classes will result in full assessment of charges whether any sessions are attended or not.

Why do I have to use my parents' income if I do not live with them, and I pay my own bills?

The Department of Education uses the following criteria to determine if a student must provide their parent's income information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA):

For 2007-2008 Academic Year - Were you born before January 1, 1984?
For 2008-2009 Academic Year - Were you born before January 1, 1985?
Will you, the student, be working on a master's or doctorate program during this school year (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, or graduate certificate, etc)?
As of today, are you, the student, married? Answer "YES" if you are separated but not divorced.
Do you, the student, have children who receive more than half of their support from you?
Do you, the student, have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you now and through
June 30, 2008 for the 2007-2008 FAFSA application?
June 30, 2009 for the 2008-2009 FAFSA application?
Is the student:
(a) an orphan (both parents are deceased), or
(b) are you or were you (until age 18) a ward/dependent of the court?
Are you, the student, currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training?
Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?

If you can answer "Yes" to any of the questions listed above, then you are not required to provide your parents' information on the FAFSA. If you answer "No" to all of the questions above, then you are required to provide your parents’ information on the FAFSA, unless there were extreme circumstances as to why you are no longer dependent on your parents for support. Independent status is NOT determined by your wish to be financially independent from your parents, nor on the basis of your parents’ unwillingness to finance your college education. Please contact the Financial Aid Office if you have additional questions.

My parents are divorced, whose income am I required to provide on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?

If your parents are divorced or separated, you will provide information on the FAFSA for the parent who you lived with more during the past 12 months. (If you did not live with one parent more than the other, give answers about the parent who provided more financial support during the past 12 months, or during the most recent year that you actually received support from a parent. ) If that parent is remarried as of today, answer the questions on the rest of the FAFSA form about that parent and the person who your parent married (your stepparent).

Yes, you will need to provide the Butler Office of Student Financial Aid Office with a Professional Judgment Enrollment Certification form for your parent(s) and/or step-parent. Once our office has received this form from the attending institution's registrar's office, an adjustment will be made to include that parent as a member in college if it is beneficial to you.

What is verification? Why was I selected?

Verification is a process in which the Financial Aid Office is required to verify certain information listed by the student on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Common information to verify includes Federal Income Tax information, number in household, number of students in college, and untaxed income information. The Department of Education randomly selects applicants for the verification process. If a student is selected for verification, they must provide all the required documentation in order to receive Financial Aid.

What does EFC mean?

EFC stands for 'Expected Family Contribution'. The Department of Education uses income and asset information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to calculate each student’s EFC. The student’s EFC determines his/her eligibility for need-based aid, such as Federal Pell Grant, Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, Federal Work-Study, and Federal Subsidized Stafford Loans.

How do I transfer my Financial Aid to/from another school?

There are a couple of ways to get your Financial Aid information sent to Butler. If you completed your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online, you can go online and add Butler's Federal School Code to your Student Aid Report as a correction. Adding Butler's School Code lets the Department of Education (DOE) know that you want your Financial Aid information to be sent to Butler. Butler's Federal School Code is 001906. If you are transferring to another school, you will list that school instead of Butler.

If you completed a paper FAFSA, we will need the DRN number, from the first page of your Student Aid Report (SAR) in order to begin processing your Financial Aid. The SAR was mailed to you from the Department of Education (DOE). If you cannot locate your SAR, you can call the DOE at 1-800-4-FED-AID, and request to have a duplicate copy mailed to you.

Once we receive your Financial Aid information from the DOE, we will contact you, letting you know of any further documentation that is needed.

What if my family's financial situation changes after I apply for Financial Aid, or it differs from the tax return?

If you or your parents’ financial situation is different than what is listed on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you can complete the Professional Judgment form. This form allows you to list how your situation has changed, and document these changes. Common changes are: a loss of employment, reduced employment, loss of untaxed income (such as Social Security benefits), or having one or more of your parents attending college. Please contact the Financial Aid professional judgment counselor if you have any specific questions regarding your situation.

Is my Financial Aid refund issued to me, or does it carry over for the next semester?

All Financial Aid available after a student’s bill has been paid, is refunded to the student each semester. Financial Aid refunds do not carry over for the next semester. Financial Aid refunds are mailed to students approximately six weeks after the beginning of each semester.

My award letter said that I was going to receive a certain amount, but I did not get as much as it said, why?

Award letters are based on Full-Time enrollment. If you enroll less than Full-Time, your Financial Aid will be pro-rated based on your actual enrollment for each semester.

When are Financial Aid refund checks mailed out?

Financial Aid refunds are mailed to students approximately six weeks after the beginning of each semester. You are not allowed to pick up refund checks. To expedite delivery of any refund, always make sure your local address is current by checking your Pipeline account.

What happens if I have a Fall only loan or a Spring only loan?

If you have a Fall only loan or Spring only loan, the funds will come in two disbursements. The first disbursement will be approximately 30 days after the beginning of the semester. The second disbursement will be approximately one month after the first disbursement.

What are the loan limits?

Freshman is $3,500 and Sophomore is $4,500
Summer Loan Limits at Butler for a Freshman are $650, and $875 for a Sophomore regardless of the academic year.

What happens to my Financial Aid if I fail to meet the standards for Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)?

If you do not appeal or your appeal is denied, your Financial Aid will be cancelled for the following term(s). If you appeal and your appeal is granted, you will be placed on probation for the next term your enroll. While on probation, Financial Aid can be received. However, while on probation you must complete all credit hours enrolled and meet the 2.0 GPA requirement for the semester and cumulative standards. If you fail to meet these, you will go back to suspension status and will not receive Financial Aid at Butler.

If I am placed on probation for Financial Aid, does this mean I will lose my Financial Aid for the following term?

No, probation is a warning and you do not need to appeal your SAP status. However, during the following term if you do not complete all of your credits you are enrolled in or if you do not meet the 2.0 GPA requirement for the semester and cumulative standards, then your SAP status will automatically calculate as suspension. Should you go on suspension at the end of the term, all Financial Aid will be cancelled for the following term(s).

How do I appeal my status or get reinstated if I do not meet Financial Aid SAP requirements?

You may return the SAP Appeal form enclosed with your SAP letter or download the form via the Butler web page and submit your form to the Office of Student Financial Aid located at 901 South Haverhill Road, El Dorado, KS 67042. In addition, the Office of Student Financial Aid will accept faxed forms at 316-322-3316. All supporting documentation must be submitted with the appeal form. The decision of the Appeal Committee is final and you may not re-appeal. If your appeal is granted, you will be probationary. If denied, you can take six credits at Butler during one semester and pay for those credits on your own, maintain a semester and cumulative GPA of at 2.0 and be reinstated. Once you have met these requirements, you should contact the Butler Office of Student Financial Aid to inform us you have taken six credits at Butler on your own.

What happens to my Financial Aid if I am placed on suspension for Financial Aid due to my instructor not submitting my grades on time or the instructor made a mistake on my grade(s)?

You will remain on suspension until the incomplete or new grade(s) are updated in the computer system. The Office of Student Financial Aid runs weekly reports to check for changes to your record. Once the grade(s) are updated and if you meet the requirements for SAP, you will receive a letter from the Office of Student Financial Aid indicating your new SAP status.

Does my academic progress affect my Financial Aid?

Academic progress is calculated different from Financial Aid SAP requirements. You can be placed on both. Your Financial Aid SAP status is the only one that will affect your Financial Aid.

Is a Stafford student loan considered Financial Aid and if I am placed on suspension for SAP, does this mean my loan will be cancelled?

Yes, federal Stafford Student Loans are considered Financial Aid. If you do not meet SAP requirements, any future disbursements for your loan will be cancelled and your loan will go into repayment status. Should you be reinstated later, you will need to accept your loan via your Pipeline account, or submit a written request to be approved for a student loan.

If I am placed on Financial Aid suspension for SAP, does this mean I will lose my scholarships?

Not necessarily, however you should double check with your scholarship sponsor.

Can I submit an appeal for my Financial Aid SAP status after the deadline or for a previous semester?

Yes, the Office of Student Financial Aid will accept late appeals and/or appeals from a previous semester. However, you may need to setup a payment plan to save any pre-enrolled classes until your appeal has been reviewed. Otherwise, your classes could be dropped for non-payment or because you do not have any Financial Aid to cover your charges for your classes.

Does my SAP status follow me to other institutions should I decide to transfer?

You should check with the other institution. Each institution has their own SAP policy and they may or may not consider your Butler SAP status.

Does my SAP status from another institution affect my Financial Aid status at Butler?

Butler does not look at your SAP status from another institution unless your overall transfer GPA is below a 2.0. Should your transfer GPA fall below a 2.0, your first semester on Financial Aid at Butler will be probationary. While on Financial Aid probation at Butler, you must complete all credit hours enrolled and maintain at least a 2.0 semester and cumulative GPA.

What if I have never received Financial Aid at Butler, but I have taken Butler classes and my overall GPA is below a 2.0, does this affect my eligibility for Financial Aid?

Yes, you will be placed on probation for your first semester on Financial Aid. While on Financial Aid probation at Butler, you must complete all credit hours enrolled and maintain at least a 2.0 semester and cumulative GPA.

How can I help the Butler Office of Student Financial Aid with protecting my identity from being stolen?

Learn your Butler Student ID number and use it in place of your social security number (SSN). Any time you correspond with Butler, do not use your entire SSN or the last four digits of your SSN, especially when you correspond electronically. It is safer to use your Butler Student ID number or the first five digits of your SSN. Our Financial Aid office locations do have keypads to allow entry of your SSN to avoid a student from publicly announcing SSN's in an open area. When entering your SSN on our keypads, make sure no one is in close enough range to watch your entry.

What if you discover you are a victim of identity fraud or you fear you may be a victim, what should you do?

Contact the Federal Trade Commission at:
www.ftc.gov or
1-877-438-4338, or

Consumer Response Center, FTC,
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20580
Contact the following three major credit bureau agencies to put yourself on Fraud Alert and request a copy of your credit report:

Equifax – PO Box 740250 – Atlanta, GA 30374-0250 or call 1-800-525-6285

Experian – PO Box 1017 – Allen, TX 75013 or call 1-888-397-3742

Trans Union – PO Box 6790 – Fullerton, CA 92634 or call 1-800-680-7289|
If your checks or bank account information were stolen, close your bank account.
Ask retailers who use their databases not to accept the checks on your closed account:
TeleCheck 1-800-710-9898
Certegy, INC 1-800-437-8120
International Check Services 1-800-631-9656
Cancel all accounts that have fraudulent activity or are at risk.
Contact your local law enforcement agency.
Contact the U.S. Postal Service if you know or suspect your mail has been stolen.
Keep detailed records of any theft of your identity and of your activities to resolve the theft, including logs of the following:

*The date, time, and amount of any unauthorized activity on your accounts;
*The date, time, duration, and cost of any phone calls; and
*The date and cost of any mailings