Financial Aid & Scholarships

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New Mexico Junior College participates in a variety of financial aid programs to assist students who cannot meet the cost of a college education. Financial aid is available in the form of grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans from federal, state, institutional, and private sources. The College also supports programs such as the Workforce Investment Act, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Veterans Administration programs. Each program may carry specific requirements for eligibility, such as financial need or academic requirements. To determine eligibility for federal financial aid programs, the student must be:

  • enrolled in an eligible program at an eligible institution;
  • a citizen of the U.S. or an eligible non-citizen;
  • hold a high-school diploma, high school equivalency (GED or HiSET), or have completed a high school education in a homeschool setting approved under state law;
  • have a valid Social Security number;
  • maintain satisfactory academic progress standards as determined by the institution; and
  • sign certification statements of educational purpose, refunds and defaults, and updated information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Financial need is determined through the submission of a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the federal processing system. Some state programs cannot be awarded until financial need is determined through the FAFSA process. For more information regarding financial aid, visit the Financial Aid Office, which is housed in the Ben Alexander Student Learning Center, or call (575) 392-5172.

Aid Offers

All financial aid offers are based on information provided by the student, availability of funds, and general eligibility requirements. Any award may be revised based on changes in enrollment, cost of attendance, family contribution, availability of funds, or failure to meet satisfactory academic progress. Withdrawals or changes in enrollment may affect an award or any future awards.

Enrollment Requirements for Financial Aid

To receive financial aid, students must be enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program. Scholarships generally require full-time enrollment. Previously passed repeat courses and courses taken as audit are not included toward financial aid enrollment requirements. Award amounts are prorated according to enrollment status.

Full-time

12+ credit hours

Three-quarter time

9 -11 credit hours

Half-time

6 - 8 credit hours

Less than ½ time

less than 6 credit hours

The student is responsible for meeting minimum enrollment requirements. Students knowingly receiving aid to which they are not entitled may be in violation of college policy and state or federal laws. Questions should be addressed to the Financial Aid Office.

Verification Policy

Each year the U.S. Department of Education selects various financial aid applicants at New Mexico Junior College for a process called “Verification.” The Financial Aid Office is required to check the accuracy of information submitted on the financial aid applications (FAFSA) with the information contained in official documentation such as IRS tax transcripts, Social Security statements, statements regarding untaxed income, and other necessary documents. In addition to those students selected by the U.S. Department of Education, the NMJC Financial Aid Office reserves the right to select additional students for the process of verification at its discretion.

This discretionary selection may be generated randomly, due to conflicting information or due to concerns that data may not be accurate or complete. The following policies and procedures for verifying information contained in a student aid application are implemented in accordance with federal regulations: 34 CFR 668.53 General Provisions, Federal Register “Policies and Procedures,” and the Application and Verification Guide for Title IV Financial Aid Programs.

Notification and Communication

Students selected for verification must submit documentation for the process of verification in order for official financial aid eligibility to be determined. When a student is selected for verification, the student will be notified as follows:

  • The U.S. Department of Education will notify the student on their FAFSA Submission Summary.
  • NMJC will provide notification to the student identifying the documents required for the verification process. This notification will be emailed to the student by the Financial Aid Office no later than three weeks from the time the Financial Aid Office receives official notification from the U.S. Department of Education that the student was selected.
  • NMJC also provides secure 24-hour access to information showing verification document requests for each student through the T-Bird Web Portal at https://sso.nmjc.edu
  • As a courtesy, NMJC’s Financial Aid Office may contact students using emails and letters to give updates on requested verification documents. However, NMJC will not send more than 12 emails /letters over a 12-week period.
  • As a courtesy, NMJC’s Financial Aid Office may contact students by phone to encourage them to submit documents to complete the verification process.

Deadlines—The time period within which a student shall provide documents

Verification documentation should be submitted no later than 60 days prior to the planned term of enrollment. Submitting the required documents by the due date mentioned facilitates the college’s ability to verify all information in a timely manner, ensures that financial aid packages and reconciliation of funds are accurate, and ensures that financial aid is posted to the student’s account in a timely manner. Failure to submit the required documentation (or submit it in a timely manner) may delay or eliminate the disbursement of federal, state, and institutional financial aid funds.

Loss of Aid Eligibility

No Federal financial aid will be disbursed to a student’s account if the student is selected for verification and the verification process is not complete. If financial aid has already been disbursed and the student is subsequently selected for verification, further disbursements are stopped until which time the process is complete. Failure to submit the required documentation (or submit it in a timely manner) may eliminate the eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid funds.

Conflicting Information Policy

The NMJC Financial Aid Office exercises its right to seek additional information whenever there is conflicting information in a student file. Conflicting information must be resolved before financial aid funds may be fully processed and/or disbursed. Failure to reach resolution within the enrollment period (which requires written documentation for the student’s financial aid file) eliminates aid eligibility. In some cases, resolution of conflicting information within 30 days of the end of the enrollment period may not provide sufficient time to process financial aid for that enrollment period. Therefore, aid eligibility could be eliminated.

The Financial Aid Office will notify the student if there is a need for further documentation to satisfy verification requirements. This notification will occur within two weeks of the initial review of submitted documentation by the Financial Aid Office. The student and/or parent(s) must respond within two weeks of the date of the notification. For information on the consequences of failing to provide the additional requested documentation, please refer to the Verification Policy section entitled “Loss of Aid Eligibility.”

Overpayments of federal and state aid, if they occur, are resolved when NMJC makes subsequent adjustments to the student’s account. If, in the event that an adjustment cannot be made by NMJC to the student’s account, NMJC will refer the overpayment to the proper federal and/or state agency.

Correction of Information

NMJC will submit the verified corrections to the U.S. Department of Education electronically. This will ensure that corrections are made known to all parties and that the needs analysis will be updated accurately and according to federal standards.

Additionally, the student is required to update any subsequent or related applications such as state grant information, private scholarship forms, and other related institutional applications.

Misuse of Financial Aid and Referral Process

The NMJC Financial Aid Office will report any suspected fraud or falsified information (on the part of the student, the parent, preparer of financial aid applications, or related parties) to the U.S. Department of Education and all other related parties for immediate action. This information will be forwarded to authorized agencies in addition to the U.S. Department of Education for investigation such as the Office of Inspector General. Anyone who suspects fraud or abuse may make a confidential report by contacting the Office of Inspector General at 1-800-MIS-USED (1-800-647-8733) or by email at oig.hotline@ed.gov.

Award Change Notification

If, as a result of verification, the student’s student aid index changes, the student will be notified of any corrections by receiving a new FAFSA Submission Summary from the U.S. Department of Education.

Federal Title IV Programs

NMJC participates in several federal student financial aid programs. Eligibility for these programs is determined by financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submitted to the federal government. In addition, students must meet the following requirements:

  • enrolled in an eligible program at an eligible institution;
  • a citizen of the U.S. or an eligible non-citizen;
  • hold a high-school diploma, high school equivalency (GED or HiSET), or have completed a high school education in a homeschool setting approved under state law;
  • have a valid Social Security number;
  • maintain satisfactory academic progress standards as determined by the institution;
  • sign certification statements of educational purpose, refunds and defaults, faults, and updated information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and
    • If required, financial need for the campus-based programs (FSEOG, FWS, and Federal Direct Loans) is calculated by determining the student’s cost of attendance and subtracting the student aid index (SAI). For a complete list of eligibility requirements visit https://studentaid.gov/

All students are encouraged to apply for federal financial aid programs.

Grants

Any kind of grant is a gift and does not have to be repaid unless a student stops attending or participating in all classes, or withdraws from school prior to the 60% completion point of the semester in which the grant was awarded, or the student is found to be ineligible for the grant aid. Any repayment due would be calculated in accordance with appropriate regulations governing the particular grant program.

  • Federal Pell Grant is available to eligible undergraduates who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree who demonstrate financial need. The Federal Pell Grant provides a ‘foundation’ for a student’s financial aid. Award amounts are based on the cost of attendance, the student’s SAI, and enrollment status.
  • Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is given to undergraduates with exceptional financial need (the lowest SAI) who are also Pell Grant recipients.
  • New Mexico Student Incentive Grant (NMSIG) is designed for New Mexico residents who demonstrate substantial financial need. A student must be an undergraduate, be enrolled at least half-time, and their financial need must be greater than one-half of their cost of education.

Loans

Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct Loans, Nursing Student Loans for Service, and Federal PLUS loans all require separate applications. Before applying for a loan, a student must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students receiving a loan must be enrolled for at least six (6) credit hours. Congress also establishes loan limits that may be prorated depending on a student’s classification. All first-time borrowers must complete loan entrance counseling and sign a Master Promissory Note before loans are processed. Loans are awards that must be repaid.

  • Allied Health Student Loan for Service—available to New Mexico residents who are enrolled or accepted in an accredited program for allied health professions in the state of New Mexico. For more information please visit NM HED’s Allied Health Loan-For-Service Program.
  • Federal Direct Loan—a variable interest loan made to students who are attending college at least half-time. The subsidized Federal Direct Loan amount is based on unmet financial need. The Federal Direct Loan amount is based on the student’s cost of attendance less other aid received. This loan must be repaid.
  • Federal Plus Loan—enables parents to borrow money for a dependent student to help meet educational costs. Under this program, the student does not have to demonstrate need, but the borrower must undergo credit analysis for certification. The loan amount is based on the student’s cost of attendance less other aid received. Repayment of this loan begins within 60 days after the final loan disbursement unless a deferment is applicable. Deferments do not apply to interest.

Scholarships

NMJC offers a wide variety of state and institutional scholarships. Scholarships are awards that do not require repayment. Recipient selection criteria could include academic achievement, financial need, chosen major, or participation in athletics and extra-curricular activities. Scholarship donors may include the college itself, the NMJC Foundation, the state, corporations, non-profit organizations, and professional organizations. Award amounts vary with each individual scholarship. For more information concerning specific scholarships, contact the Financial Aid Office.

  • NMJC Foundation offers a variety of scholarships. The application and complete listing is available on the main website www.nmjc.edu.
  • New Mexico Legislative Lottery Scholarship is available to New Mexico resident students who enroll full-time in an eligible state-funded institution within 16 months following their high school graduation or certificate date of their high school equivalency (GED or HiSET). Students must meet eligibility requirements during their qualifying first semester. The scholarship will be awarded in the second semester and following semesters, for a total of three semesters at New Mexico Junior College. Eligibility requirements must be maintained to receive the scholarship. Students who maintain their eligibility for this scholarship and transfer to a four-year eligible institution may receive the scholarship for another four semesters.
  • New Mexico 3% Scholarship Program (also referred to as the NMJC Honors/Bridge Scholarship) is available to incoming freshman students who are New Mexico residents. It may provide a tuition waiver for eligible students during their qualifying semester for NM Legislative Lottery Scholarship.
  • Opportunity Scholarship is available to students who are NM residents who meet the eligibility requirements. Funds when combined with other state grants/scholarships cannot exceed tuition and fees.
  • Teacher Preparation Affordability Scholarship is available to students who are NM residents enrolled in a teacher preparation program that leads to an educational credential to be licensed as a teacher by the public education department. Student must demonstrate need.
  • Athletic scholarships are offered through the athletic program.

Student Work-Study Programs

Work-study awards at New Mexico Junior College are based upon eligibility as determined by program criteria. Because the criteria may include a component based on need, all students wishing to apply for work-study must first complete a federal application (FAFSA). An additional work-study application must be completed once their federal file is complete. With the exception of the America Reads tutors, work-study jobs are located on our campus. Work schedules are designed to complement the student’s academic schedule and will not normally exceed twenty hours per week. Students are paid the current minimum wage for hours worked. For information on the hiring process, requirements, and responsibilities, please visit the Financial Aid Office located in the Ben Alexander Student Learning Center.

  • Federal College Work-Study provides jobs for students in need of financial aid. The award amount is based on the student’s unmet need and must be earned through employment.
  • New Mexico Work-Study Program is designed for New Mexico residents.
  • Institutional Work-Study Program provides opportunities for part-time employment for students on campus.
  • Edith Search Work-Study is funded by the New Mexico Junior College Foundation. The student must be a graduate of a NMJC district high school.