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Understanding Your Financial Aid Offer

Once you have completed and submitted all required paperwork, the Office of Financial Aid will determine what types of aid you can receive and how much you can get.

  • You will receive a financial aid notification email via your MyDSCC email account.  It is important to check your email account on a regular basis to ensure you remain informed about your financial aid.
  • Offered financial aid will also be visible under your MyDSCC account. 
  • Carefully read your financial aid notification, as it provides information regarding financial aid eligibility and the procedures for receiving financial aid and/or applying for certain financial programs, such as Federal Direct Student Loans.

Financial Aid Adjustments
The classes you are enrolled in on the census date (the second business day after classes begin) will determine the amount of federal financial aid (Federal Pell Grant and Federal SEOG Grant) for which you are eligible.  On this date, your federal financial aid will be adjusted upward or downward based on your enrollment.

  • To be considered full-time, you must be enrolled in at least 12 hours.
  • To be considered three-quarter time, you must be enrolled in at least 9 hours.
  • To be considered half-time, you must be enrolled in at least 6 hours.

If you add a class after the census date, your federal financial aid will not be adjusted.  Downward adjustments may be made as needed if attendance requirements are not met.  Remember you must attend your classes to receive your financial aid!

The HOPE scholarship, GAMS scholarship, and ACCESS scholarship will be paid according to what you are enrolled in on the 14th calendar day of the semester, or the end of the 75% refund period, whichever comes first. On this date, your state financial aid will be adjusted upward or downward based on enrollment.

The Office of Financial Aid will verify enrollment and attendance for the TN Reconnect and TN Promise scholarships for each semester and part-of-term sessions. 

If you add a class after the census date, your state financial aid may adjust to the hours you are enrolled in, as long as all other requirements are met.

Receiving Your Financial Aid

  • DSCC may apply any Federal Title IV, state, or institutional financial aid toward the payment of tuition, fees, textbooks, or any other charges billed by the college. Registration fees will be deducted from the financial aid and the balance refunded to the student, provided there is no change in enrollment status or eligibility. If any sources of aid do not pay, it will be the student’s responsibility to pay. Learn more about Payment Options.
  • Students with a credit balance due to excess financial aid will not receive a refund until attendance has been verified for all classes. Recipients will be notified via email to their MyDSCC inbox when any disbursements are made and a refund is processed.
  • A "snapshot" of a student's schedule will be made on the night of the second day of class. Federal financial aid will be calculated based on enrollment as of this date. Adjustments may result in repayment of funds received.
  • Federal Grant payments are made in one payment per semester, at the beginning of the semester, or after financial aid is processed and eligibility is determined. Student workers are paid by check on the last day of the month. Federal Direct Student Loans are disbursed in two equal disbursements per loan period. First-time, first-year borrowers will receive Federal Direct Student Loan funds no earlier than 30 days after classes begin.
  • All students should be prepared to purchase their textbooks by the first day of class. Students with a credit balance due to excess financial aid will not receive a refund until attendance has been verified for all classes. Recipients will be notified via email to their MyDSCC inbox when any disbursements are made and a refund is processed. Rather than wait until your financial aid credit balance refund is processed, you may be eligible to obtain required course books, manuals, or supplies from a bookstore located on any DSCC campus by applying for a DSCC book voucher.  

Special Circumstances
If your family has unusual circumstances such as loss of employment, divorce, separation, or death of a parent or spouse, that significantly reduces income; you may request a review of your eligibility. The Special Circumstances Form is available online and should be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid.