Financial Aid
Important
The Financial Aid Office is currently working remotely to assist our students, their families, and our community. With guidance from state and local health officials to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, there are no in-person services available and the campus has been closed. Rest assured, that Westchester Community College professionals are remotely working to continue to give you the level of service you expect and deserve! As you scroll down through this page, you will find the information that you need to be in contact with us. Please read the information carefully and send us an email or a voicemail. We will get back to you soon.
Contact FSA
To access Westchester Community College Student Financial Assistance, Click here to Get Assisted
Office of Student Financial Assistance
If your last name begins with the following letters, please contact:
A & B, U through Z: Jose Abeijon
C through G: Andres Carpio
H through N: Brian Smarsch
O through T: Christopher Thomas
| Student Financial Assistance Counselor | J. Abejion |
Financial Aid Counseling, Loans, and Documentation |
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| Student Financial Assistance Counselor | B. Smarsch |
Financial Aid Counseling, Loans, and Documentation |
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| Student Financial Assistance Counselor | C. Thomas |
Financial Aid Counseling, Loans, and Documentation |
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| Student Financial Assistance Counselor | A. Carpio |
Financial Aid Counseling, Loans, and Documentation |
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| Recorder | E. Ihandle |
Process TAP, APTS and NYS Programs |
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| Student Financial Assistance Clerk | M. Hernandez |
General Information and Questions |
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| Student Financial Assistance Clerk | A. Phillips |
General Information and Questions |
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| Student Financial Assistance Clerk | W. Galloway |
General Information and Questions |
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| Student Financial Assistance Clerk | K. Bagby |
General Information and Questions |
The Office of Student Financial Assistance Mission Statement
The Office of Student Financial Assistance plays a major role in providing access to post-secondary education for students by assisting them in receiving grants, work, loans and scholarships to finance their higher education. The Office of Student Financial Assistance serves as a student advocate while also advancing institutional policy and objectives within the framework of rules and regulations governing State, Federal and Private funding sources of aid to whom it must account for the expenditure of funds.
Excelsior Scholarship – Free for Fall 2020 tuition for eligible students
Important Dates
05/01/2020 Priority deadline for fall 2020 semester
10/31/2019 Priority deadline for spring 2020 semester
FAFSA 2020-2021 application available on line
Ability to Benefit Financial Aid Exam Review Material
Financial Aid Workshop
Financial Aid Workshop Schedule
Important Information
Pell grants for Students in Career Pathways Programs
Alert: To order tax transcript, the online Get Transcript service is currently unavailable. You may still order transcripts using the Get Transcript by Mail service at http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript
- FSA ID replaces Federal PIN for all Federal Student Aid websites. Click the link, Create An FSA ID, at https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm.
- How to Create An FSA ID Step by Step (PDF)
- All federal student and parent loans will be processed under the Federal Direct effective with the Fall 09 semester. For more information, please click on one of the following links: Loan Programs
- Tutorial Guide to complete FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
- How to View Your Financial Aid
Accepting Your Financial Aid Award $
Students are required to accept their Financial Aid award on the MyWCC portal, Student Center page.
- Sign on to your MyWCC
- Go to Student Center Page
- Financial Aid Box
- Go to Accept/Decline
- Clip the “pencil” to edit; drop down to accept
- Click the submit button
What Is Financial Aid and Cost of Attendance?
Financial Aid is assistance in the form of grants, loans, and work. It is provided by federal, state, local or private sources to help meet college expenses. Most financial aid is based on financial need, enrollment status, satisfactory academic progress and attendance, and availability of funds. It is intended to supplement, not to replace, family and student contributions. Loans must be repaid with interest.
The information you supply on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to determine your (or your family’s) contribution to your college education. Financial need is defined as the difference between total college costs (tuition, fees, transportation, books, and personal expenses) and the student’s and/or family’s contribution.
How Cost of Education is Determined To determine how much financial aid you may receive, the Office of Student Financial Assistance first determines your cost of attendance. Below is a sample cost of attendance for an academic year for full time students who are dependent and independent paying resident tuition and for an independent and dependent student required to pay non-resident tuition based on 2017-2018 tuition charges.
Sample Budget Full-Time, 12 or more units
| DEPENDENT IN STATE | DEPENDENT NON-RESIDENT | |
| TUITION | 4,280 | 11,770 |
| FEES | 572 | 572 |
| BOOKS | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| ROOM | 0 | 0 |
| BOARD | 3,100 | 3,100 |
| PERSONAL | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| TRANSPORTATION | 2,200 | 2,200 |
| TOTAL | 13,352 | 20,842 |
| INDEPENDENT IN-STATE | INDEPENDENT NON-RESIDENT | |
| TUITION | 4,280 | 11,770 |
| FEES | 572 | 572 |
| BOOKS | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| ROOM | 6,200 | 6,200 |
| BOARD | 3,100 | 3,100 |
| PERSONAL | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| TRANSPORTATION | 2,200 | 2,200 |
| TOTAL | 19,552 | 27,042 |
Note: Figures are subject to change. How need is Determined
You and your family’s ability to contribute to your education is determined by a formula set by law which analyzes the information submitted on your FAFSA. The result of this process is referred to as your EFC or Effective Family Contribution.
Your need is your total Cost of Education as determined by the institutional budget minus your EFC or Effective Family Contribution.
Since family financial strength and EFC is based on prior prior years’ income and family situation (e.g. 2015 information is used to determine your EFC for 2017-2018) circumstances could have changed such as loss of job, death etc. If you or your family experience dramatic changes in their financial situation form one year to the next, you should collect all appropriate documentation and make an appointment with your financial aid counselor to have your circumstances re-evaluated.
Codes, Government Websites and Telephone Numbers
Codes:
- FAFSA Code: 002881
- TAP Code: 2160
Government Websites:
Federal
- Department of Education: www.ed.gov, 1-800-872-5327
- Federal Student Aid: www.studentaid.ed.gov, 1-800-433-3243/TTY 1-800-730-8913
- FAFSA on the web: www.fafsa.gov, 1-800-433-3243/TTY 1-800-730-8913
- FSA ID: https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm, 1-800-433-3243/TTY 1-800-730-8913
- Direct Loan Entrance Counseling: www.studentloans.gov.
- Direct Loan Master Promissory Note: www.studentloans.gov.
- Direct Loan Exit Interview: http://mappingyourfuture.org/, 1-800-374-4072
- Direct Loan and Pell grant national data system: www.nslds.ed.gov, 1-800-433-3243 TTY 1-800-730-8913
- Loan Ombudsman Group: www.ombudsman.ed.gov, 1-877-557-2575
- Selective Service: www.sss.gov, 1-888-655-1825, 1-847-688-6888
- Tax Transcripts: http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript, 1-800-829-1040
- Veteran's Benefits or status: www.benefits.va.gov, 1-800-827-1000
NY State
- HESC/TAP https://www.hesc.ny.gov : , 1-888-697-4372,
- New York State Department of Taxation: www.tax.ny.gov, 518-457-5181
- The New York State Advocacy Unit, 1-888-215-0196
Financial Hold/Student Loan Exit Counseling
A Financial Hold will prevent your aid from being processed through our system.
It is because you borrowed a Federal Direct Student Loan or a FFELP loan to help finance your college education at Westchester Community College and/or another college. Our records indicate that you fall into one of the following categories:- Not registered in this current semester
- Not registered at Westchester Community College, but are registered at another college
- Enrolled for less than 6 credits
- Scheduled to graduate at the end of this semester
- Indicated on your loan application that you would graduate this semester
- Withdrew or dropped out of school
- Select Complete Online counseling (menu on left)
- Select Exit Counseling
- Select Direct Loan Exit (previously Stafford exit)
- Begin Exit Counseling.
If you have any questions or comments you may reach the Financial Aid Office at (914) 606-6615.
Financial literacy courses are available through SUNY Smart Track Financial Literacy where you can learn about a wide variety of financial matters such as budgeting, smart borrowing, and identify theft. First time users will need to create an account.
