Financial Aid

Students and parents may create an FSA ID on any of the Federal Student Aid websites, including www.fafsa.ed.gov.  For help, visit StudentAid.gov/fsaid.

Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov. Insert LCC’s school code: 001355. For help, contact our Equal Opportunity Center at (719)336-1590. When you complete your financial aid application, you should have certain records on hand. You’ll need to refer to:

• Your tax return
• Your parents’ tax return (if you apply as a dependent student)
• Your spouse’s tax return (if you are married and your spouse filed a separate return)

The 2020 U.S. Income Tax Return is the most important record you will need to complete the 2022-23 FAFSA, since you must use specific numbers from specific lines on the tax return to fill out your application.

Aid from most of the federal student aid programs – except for Unsubsidized and PLUS loans – is awarded on the basis of need. The primary responsibility for meeting college costs rests with the family and the student. The amount of financial aid that you will be eligible to receive is based upon your financial need as determined by a federally approved processor. Financial need is the difference between the cost of attending the college of your choice and the resources available to the student. Resources include: parents’ contribution, earnings from employment, spouse’s income, vocational rehabilitation, welfare, etc. The Financial Aid Officer will take the cost of education at LCC and subtract the amount you and your family are expected to pay toward that cost (Expected Family Contribution [EFC]). If there’s anything left over, you’re considered to have financial need.

Students who feel they may need additional resources to fund their educational costs are encouraged to apply for financial assistance. The financial aid staff will make every effort to utilize state, federal, and private resources effectively to meet a student’s documented need.

Student financial aid is awarded after the student has been accepted for enrollment and has completed the financial aid application process. It is strongly recommended that a student applying for the upcoming Fall semester apply and complete all paperwork by April 1.

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Some students applying for financial aid are required to submit certain documents for verification. The financial aid office verifies applications selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education and others that have questionable information.

Documents needing to be submitted to the financial aid office include (but are not limited to) the following: tax transcript, parents’ tax transcript, spouse’s tax transcript, W-2 forms, and other forms as requested. LCC can no longer accept copies of federal tax return forms in the verification process but is required to request tax transcripts. Tax transcripts can be obtained from the IRS at www.irs.gov or by calling 800.908.9946.

Missing Information Letters will be sent by email to students requesting documentation of items listed on their Student Aid Report (SAR). Only download and complete the verification forms if you have been requested to do so by the LCC Financial Aid Office.

Scholarships are awarded on a yearly basis to those students who meet scholarship criteria and have completed the scholarship application by the scholarship’s deadline date. Scholarships are reviewed each semester and will be terminated if a student does not meet the required satisfactory academic progress requirements or individual scholarship criteria. Most scholarships are for fall and spring semesters. Some scholarships may be renewed for a second year.

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LCC accepts Direct Stafford Student Loans from the U.S. Department of Education. All LCC students may request a student loan. A current FAFSA, Social Security Number and FSA ID are required. Base loan amounts are established by the Department of Education and are as follows:

• Freshman (less than 30 credits earned): $3500 per academic year
• Sophomore (30 or more credits earned): $4500 per academic year

Additional loan amounts above the base are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Information by Type of Borrower

Additional Loan Information

• *NEW* Time Limit on Subsidized Student Loans
• Student Loan Program Time to Completion Table

Students awarded a work study position on campus earn at least Colorado minimum wage to perform duties in campus departments and some off-campus sites. LCC has fund allotments for State and Federal Work Study.

Prior to beginning work, you must make sure all paperwork is completed for payroll and be cleared to work by the Financial Aid Office. The documents needed are I-9 forms, copies of original driver’s license and social security card, withholding information, etc. The Business Office will direct students in the completion of the work-study packet.

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Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Process

The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal is only necessary for students on Ineligible status who would like considered for financial aid in a current or future semester.  Before you begin, we recommend you gather the following information/documentation in electronic form and have it available to upload when completing the form:

• Draft a personal statement that includes:
  • Explanation of the circumstances that prevented you from meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards
  • How the situation has been rectified
  • A plan for future success in college.
• Supporting documentation of the circumstances referenced in the personal statement.  If no documentation is available, you may collect a letter from a third party in a position of honesty (ie. pastor, counselor) confirming your extenuating circumstances.  Letter must be authentic; make sure it is signed and dated by the third party and/or sent from a business/organization email address.
• Scanned printout or saved pdf file of your DegreeCheck from LopeAccess.

Once you have gathered all the necessary information, complete the online SAP Appeal Form or complete the printable SAP Appeal Form.