Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for financial aid you must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen.

  • Have a valid Social Security Number.

  • Have a high school diploma, General Education Development Certificate (GED), or completed homeschooling at the secondary level.

  • Be in compliance with Selective Service registration, if male.

  • Be enrolled in a financial aid eligible certificate or a degree program at HCC.*

  • Be making satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward completion of a degree or certificate.

  • Not be in default on a Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Stafford Loan or Federal Direct PLUS Loan.

  • Not be in an overpayment status for any Federal aid program at any post-secondary institution or have exceeded the aggregate loan limits.

*Students enrolled in programs not leading to a degree or certificate awarded by Howard Community College are not eligible for financial aid at HCC. Note that not all programs at HCC are financial aid eligible–check the Schedule of Classes for eligibility.