Butler Community College - Financial Aid

Financial Aid Process
Butler Federal School Code 001906

You Must Reapply Annually - Start Early
Processing your application can take up to 8 weeks or longer

Fill out the FAFSA application
The first step in applying for financial assistance is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Renewal Application. By completing the FAFSA or the Renewal Application, you will be applying for the following types of Federal Student Aid: grants, work-study employment, and Stafford loans. If you answer 'no' to all the FAFSA questions numbered 48-54, a parent signature and income information is required. There are two alternatives for processing the FAFSA as outlined:

a) Should you wish to process your FAFSA Application or Renewal Application ELECTRONICALLY, you (and your parents if required) will need to request a PIN(s) if you have not already done so. The PIN(s) will serve as your electronic signature(s) on the FAFSA. Without a PIN, you must print the signature page and mail the page to the federal processor, which will slow down your processing. The process will be quicker if you acquire your PIN(s) prior to filing the electronic FAFSA. 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.

b) If you prefer to process a PAPER FAFSA or Renewal Application, mail the paper application to the federal processing center using the envelope that is provided with the FAFSA or Renewal Application. Be sure to include your signature (and your parents if required) on the paper FAFSA or Renewal Application. Do not mail any supporting documents with your application, the federal processing center will destroy any such documents.
Be admitted to Butler
If you are a new student, you must have an 'application for admissions' on file. Students who are returning to Butler must submit an updated 're-admit form' if they have not been enrolled one or more semesters.
Transfer Students
If transferring to Butler between terms and Butler was not listed on the original FAFSA application, you will need to utilize your PIN number to add Butler (001906) to your application before awards can be made. Butler will contact you with a request for additional information if required for verification.
Review your SAR
You will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) 2-5 weeks after you mail or electronically submit the FAFSA or Renewal Application. This SAR contains key information about your aid eligibility. If any of the information on the SAR is incorrect, contact the Financial Aid Office and we will make any necessary changes for you. If all the information is correct, keep the SAR for your records. The Financial Aid Office will receive all of your SAR information electronically from the federal processing center, if Butler (001906) is listed as one of the schools you requested to receive the data.
Communicate with Us
Read the paper communication letter sent to you from the Butler Student Financial Aid office (SFA) - the letter includes important information! In this letter, we officially inform you that the Butler SFA office will correspond with you electronically, unless you tell us otherwise. You do have the option to change to United States Postal Service mail, but you have to let us know in written format. Respond to SFA your choice of communication via e-mail at finaidmail@butlercc.edu; or, fax your communication letter to 316.322.3316; or return your communication letter to Butler Community College - Student Financial Aid - 901 S Haverhill Road - El Dorado, KS 67042. Be sure to read how to access your Butler Pipeline account information that is included in this communication letter. Pipeline will be your Butler Information Portal.
Submit required documents
Federal aid applicants are randomly selected for 'verification'. These students must provide additional information, such as federal income tax returns, citizenship documentation, etc. If Butler is requiring additional information, you will be sent a letter explaining what is needed. All requested documentation must be submitted in order to continue the processing of your application. All documents received by 3:00 p.m. in our office will be posted the same day. Otherwise, the posting date will be the following business day. File completion is processed in date order according to the date that the last required, accurately completed document was received.
Receive award letter
You will be sent an award letter when your financial aid file is complete. Award letters are sent beginning in April or May for the following academic year. Make sure you apply early and that you submit all requested documentation or forms in a timely manner. You must also complete any additional paperwork that is necessary, such as loan forms. Award amounts printed on award letters are based on full-time enrollment (12 credit hours). Pell awards are pro-rated at disbursement time if you are enrolled in less than full-time.

All awards are contingent upon receipt of all official final transcripts for all of your academic work. This includes both high school and college transcripts. Official transcripts are not hand delivered, nor faxed, nor e-mailed copies. Although these may be used for advising purposes, this type of transcript will not meet the official requirement for any type of financial aid or for graduation purposes. Official means the transcript must be sent directly from your school to the Registrar Office - 901 S Haverhill Road - El Dorado, KS 67042 (or from your State Department of Education for GEDs).
Accept Federal Work-Study if Awarded
Federal Work-Study (FWS) funds are limited, so accept your award early by returning the FWS job skills form. FWS positions are not guaranteed. Financial Aid will make every effort to aid a student in locating a position but the final decision is up to the individual supervisors. Talk to your instructors, some are looking for student workers and they like to hire students that are in their classes. You may utilize the Student Career and Employment Services (CES) for free assistance in preparing a resume, preparing for an interview, and much more. Student Career and Employment Services are located at the El Dorado campus in the Hubbard Center, room 619 or at the Andover campus in the 5,000 building. To contact the El Dorado CES.call 316.322.3294, or call 316.218.6126 to contact the Andover CES.
If you wish to accept a Federal Stafford Loan:
* your file must be completed by the Financial Aid Office
* all first-time Butler loan applicants must complete online entrance loan counseling
* you must be making satisfactory academic progress
* you must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours at Butler
* You will need to read and follow the instructions carefully within your Pipeline account for accepting an Offered Stafford loan, and to begin the loan counseling/MPN process.
Professional Judgment
Financial aid administrators have the authority to take into consideration unique family circumstances not reflected on the application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Adjustments can be made to the expected family contribution (EFC) or to the cost of education on an individual student basis through Professional Judgment. If your EFC is 0, there is no need to request Professional Judgment.
Current year income estimates will be substituted for base year income and will not be considered prior to July 1st. No professional judgments will be processed once classes have ceased for that academic year.

The following is a list of circumstances that may be used by a financial aid administrator in the use of Professional Judgment.
- Unemployment or reduced employment of the student, spouse, or parent
- Loss or reduction of an untaxed income or benefit
- Disability of a student, a spouse, or a parent
- Lump sum settlement received in base year
- Excessive medical/dental expenses paid in current year
- Divorce or separation of a dependent student’s parent or death of independent student's spouse
- Natural disaster -such as a tornado or flood
- Parent enrolled in post-secondary institution at least half-time (6 credit hours)
- Parental post secondary educational debt for parent and student
Should you and your family have a unique circumstance, contact our Professional Judgment Counselor after July 1st prior to the beginning of the academic school year you plan to attend. The counselor will work with your case after all documentation has been submitted. If the professional judgment is not in your favor, the judgment will not be processed.
Dependent Student with Parent and/or Step-Parent in College
If you had to include parental information on your FAFSA application and you have a parent(s) or step-parent who is enrolled in at least six credit hours of college coursework, click here to download a professional judgment enrollment certification form. You may only submit a parent enrollment certification form for the parent/step-parent that is included on your FAFSA application. Once the completed certification form is submitted to the Butler Office of Student Financial Aid, an adjustment will be made to include your parent or step parent as a member in college if it is beneficial to you.
Charging books and supplies to Financial Aid
Electronic book vouchers are available 2 weeks before classes begin. Your Financial Aid award (excluding work-study) must exceed all Butler charges to receive a book voucher. Take your current schedule to the El Dorado or Andover bookstore to charge books and supplies to Financial Aid. You do not need a book voucher for an Activity Award Scholarship (see #17). Activity Scholarship books are available at the bookstore one week before classes begin.
Funds credited to your account
All federal financial aid funds will be credited to your Butler Accounts Receivable billing account approximately 30 days after classes begin, assuming all of the above steps have been completed.
Refund
If the total amount of financial aid funds credited exceed your account balance due, a refund check for the remainder will be mailed to your local address on file. Be sure the Registrar's Office has your current local address and permanent address.
Financial Aid Suspension

If you are on financial aid suspension, you can be reinstated one of two different ways. One way, submit an appeal along with supporting documentation to the Office of Student Financial Aid. If your appeal is granted by the Financial Aid suspension committee, you will be awarded financial aid. The second way is if your appeal is denied or you choose not to appeal your suspension status, you can be reinstated by taking six credit hours in one term at Butler and maintaining a semester and cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. Once you have met these requirements, you should contact the Office of Student Financial Aid to inform us that you have taken 6 hours on your own. For the first semester of receiving financial aid at Butler, you will enter on probationary status if your transfer credits or previous Butler credits is below the required 2.0 GPA.
Apply for Foundation and Academic Scholarships
If you wish to apply for a scholarship, contact the Butler Financial Aid Office to request a scholarship application. You may also request an application for scholarship via e-mail, be sure to include your mailing address. Students receiving Athletic Scholarships may not be eligible for Academic or Foundation Scholarships. The scholarship application priority date is March 1 for the following academic year but applications will still be accepted after this date.

To be eligible for a Foundation Scholarship a student must:
* have at least six Butler credit hours completed
                                  or
* be a first-time, full-time, regularly admitted college student who has never attended another college

To be eligible for an Academic Scholarship a student must:
* be a first-time, full-time, regularly admitted college student who has never attended another college
                                  and
*have graduated from an accredited high school with at least a 3.0 GPA or 22 ACT or 1010 SAT or was the Valedictorian or Salutatorian of your class
                                  or
*have completed your GED with at least a 3100
                                  or
*have graduated from a non-accredited high school with at least a 22 ACT, or 1010 SAT, or 3100 GED
Apply for Activity Award Scholarships
If you wish to apply for an Activity Award Scholarship such as an athletic, band, drama, journalism, music, etc. , you should contact the department supervising that activity. Award letters will indicate estimated amounts only. An activity scholarship covers the exact cost of tuition and books, the student is responsible for any fees. Scholarship Books are available at the bookstore one week before classes begin.

Apply for Other Scholarships
Contact your local organizations and apply early for scholarships. Examples: your local church, your local businesses, your parent's employer, your employer, etc.
Veteran Benefits
If you are eligible to receive veteran benefits, you should contact the Butler Veteran's Benefits Representative.
Selective Service
In order to receive Federal student aid, you must be registered with Selective Service if you are a male. If you believe that you are not required to register, call the Selective Service office at 1-847-688-6888 for information regarding exemptions.
Start Now
FAFSA Applications are available in December for the upcoming academic year and can be filed after the first of the year. Applications should be completed well in advance of each semester's registration. This allows aid to be awarded prior to the start of the term. Aid is awarded for the full academic year, excluding summer, and based on full-time enrollment (12 credit hours). Applications should be completed by April 1 for the following fall semester.