Financial Aid

Apply for Financial Aid

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The time for filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now! File your FAFSA now!

The 2025-2026 application deadline has passed as of June 30, 2026. The 2026-2027 FAFSA application is available.

FAFSA ID/SCHOOL CODE: 003231 FOR ALL CCAC CAMPUSES AND CENTERS.

 

The Community College of Allegheny County offers several financial aid options to help ease the cost of tuition and fees. Financial Aid staff members seek to help you acquire aid as simply as possible. CCAC administers various federal and state financial aid funds. Grants, which do not require repayment, as well as loans and student employment programs, are available through the Office of Financial Aid. Financial aid may only be used for educational purposes and to pay costs associated with attending CCAC.

If you are expecting to receive financial aid, you can review your pending financial aid at MyCCAC. Log into your account using your NetID and Password. Click on Self-Service then click “Financial Aid."

It is your responsibility to compare your financial aid offer with your tuition and fee costs. If the financial aid is less than the total cost of tuition and fees, the balance is due by the tuition due date.

If you are applying for a student loan, you must also complete a Direct Loan Master Promissory Note and Student Loan Entrance Counseling in order for your loan to be processed.

View Financial Aid Policies

Federal regulations allow financial aid only for courses that apply toward your eligible CCAC degree or certificate program. Courses that fulfill elective credits or other remaining program requirements may still qualify for financial aid. Before making schedule changes, you are encouraged to check with your Academic Advisor and the Financial Aid Office if you are unsure whether a course applies toward your program requirements.

 

• FAFSA, Aid, & Federal Student Loan Updates
• Federal Direct Student Loan Program
• Net Price Calculator
• Repayment of Debt
• Satisfactory Academic Progress
• Disbursement Dates
• Verification Process
• Financial Aid Freeze Date
• Entrance Counseling
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Hours of Operation
• Contact Financial Aid

 

 

 

Repayment of Debt

CCAC offers the Federal Direct Student Loan program. This program provides low-interest loans for students and parents directly from the Department of Education instead of private banks or other financial institutions. If you want to supplement your financial aid award with loans you can find out more about this direct lending program, or contact the appropriate campus financial aid office.

When it comes to repaying your federal student loan, there's a lot to consider. Understanding the details of repayment can save you time and money. Find out when repayment starts, how to make your payment, repayment plan options, what to do if you have trouble making payments.​

• Federal Direct Student Loan Program
• How to make your payment
• Repayment plan options
• Trouble making payments
• Net price calculator
• Loan repayment

 

 

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is used to define successful completion of coursework to maintain eligibility for student financial aid. Federal regulations require the College to establish, publish and apply standards to monitor your progress toward completion of your degree program. If you fail to meet these standards, you will be placed on financial aid warning, probation or suspension. Please be reminded that your Financial Aid Progress and your Academic Progress may differ. Please see the guidelines for FA SAP below.

SAP Policy

 

 

Disbursement Dates

Financial Aid Grants will be credited on the 30th calendar day of the semester. If the 30th calendar day falls on a weekend, aid will be applied to the account on the previous business day. If a student has a credit balance because of the financial aid credit to the account, the policy of the college is to refund the credit to the student according to federal regulations. Credit balances caused by financial aid are refunded only after a careful review of the students' account and eligibility for aid. If a credit balance refund is due to the student, the refund is made to the student within 14 days after the financial aid is posted, as mandated by federal law. A refund will be issued only if the student's balance is paid in full. All students are encouraged to enroll in direct deposit for their refunds and can do so via the Online Student Account Center.

Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loan credits will be applied to student's accounts in one (1) installment per semester. Each credit represents 100% of the student's approved loan funds for the semester minus the federally appropriated loan origination fee of 1.057%. Refunds will be issued within 14 days after the date that financial aid credits to the student's account.

 

Financial Aid Grants and Loan Credit Dates

Grant Dates 2026–2027

 

Loan Dates 2026–2027

NOTE: Bookstore charging will being on the Monday before classes begin for each term.

 

 

Verification Process

The United States Department of Education (USDE) and Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) reserve the right to select your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for a review process referred to as "verification." If your application is selected, you are required to submit to the Financial Aid Department certain information: IRS Tax Return Transcripts, Wage Statements, Proof of Non-filing Statements and documentation of untaxed income and benefits; and a completed federal Verification Worksheet.

If your application is selected for verification, you will be notified by the Financial Aid Department either via a Document Tracking Letter or online through your CCAC Central account and under "missing documents", of the required documents necessary to complete the process. CCAC is required to complete this process prior to certifying student loans or disbursing aid funds to a student's account.

Failure to complete the verification process within fourteen days of the initial request may result in the cancellation of aid and the termination of enrollment. If corrections are necessary, we will make them electronically on the student's FAFSA once we have completed the verification process. The student will then receive a revision from the federal processor. If any further action is needed, we will notify the student of the steps necessary to complete the process.

• Verification Process
• Financial Aid Forms

 

 

Financial Aid Freeze Date

The Financial Aid Freeze Date is the point at which the student's enrollment is locked for financial aid purposes. On this date, Federal Pell and Federal SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant) for the term is locked. For example, if the student received aid at the beginning of the term based on full-time enrollment and then dropped credits, aid is then revised to match their eligibility based on the number of credits enrolled in as of the Freeze Date. If a student withdraws from all courses or is reported for non-attendance after the financial aid freeze date, further aid adjustments will be required. Aid may be affected if you are taking courses that begin after the financial aid freeze date. For example, if you are registered and taking a class that starts after the census date, the Federal Pell Grant will credit the student's account based on the registration, however, if the student fails to begin attendance in all classes, the Pell grant will be reduced accordingly. Loans will credit at the point that the student reaches half-time attendance. Loans are not affected by the Freeze date.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If a student decreases enrollment after the first class day but on or before the freeze date, their financial aid will be decreased to match their enrollment (as already explained).

Additionally, since Pell eligibility begins on the first day of classes and is calculated day to day, a student who withdraws from all of their classes prior to the FA freeze date will be considered a Total Withdrawal. A calculation will be performed to determine how much aid the student earned while in attendance and how much will need to be returned to the federal government. Once the college returns the funds, the student becomes responsible for any outstanding balance on their account.

If a student increases their enrollment level after the financial aid freeze date, their aid will not be increased, except in the case of loans if additional eligibility exists. This means, for example, that a student who is enrolled in 10 credits as of the freeze date, and who later adds a 2 credit class, will not have his/her grant aid adjusted upward to the full-time level. Rather, the Pell Grant will remain at the 3/4-time level.

If a student decreases their enrollment level after the census date, their grant aid will not be reduced. This means, for example, that a student who is enrolled in 15 credits as of the census date, and who later withdrawals from a 5 credit class, will not have his/her Pell grant reduced to the 3/4-time level. Rather, the aid will remain at the full-time level and for Satisfactory Academic Progress purposes, the student will be held accountable for completing a full-time course load. If a student has loans, however, and drops below 6 credits, any future disbursements will be canceled per federal regulations.

 

 

Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note

Need Federal Student Loans?

If you are requesting a Federal Direct Student Loan and have not received a Direct Subsidized Loan or a Direct Unsubsidized Loan before, you will need to do two additional things. You need to complete both the Loan Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note. It is recommended you complete Loan Entrance Counseling first. You will need a working FSA ID to complete both.

How to Access Entrance Counseling/Mater Promissory Note:

1. Log in to www.studentaid.gov using your FSA ID.
2. Scroll over the "Loans and Grants" option at the top of the webpage.
3. From the "Get a Loan" menu select the "Loan Entrance Counseling/Master Promissory Note (MPN)" option.
4. Select the "I am an Undergraduate Student" option and click the "Start" button.

Note: Parents borrowing a Direct PLUS Loan to pay for their child's education are not required to complete entrance counseling but must complete the PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

The Help Center contains information that addresses frequently asked questions, such as considerations for financial aid, help applying and completing the forms, tax return documents, eligibility for financial aid, default on student loans, work-study applications, withdrawing or dropping a class, and information on receiving money.

 

• Requesting a Federal Direct Student Loan Through the CCAC Website
• Requesting a Direct Parent Plus Loan
• Assistance With Filling Out Financial Aid Forms
• Charging Your Books Using Financial Aid
• Work-Study and How to Apply
• Financial Aid SAP

Hours of Operation

 

Contact Financial Aid

financialaid@ccac.edu

Schedule a Virtual Financial Aid Appointment

 

 

 

 

West Hills Center

• 412.237.CCAC, press 2
• 412.237.3171
• 1000 McKee Road
  Oakdale, PA 15071