Eligibility
Questions? Contact Us.
Financial Aid
Yakima Campus
Deccio, Building 8
finaid@yvcc.edu
509-574-6855
Grandview Campus
Yakima Campus
Building 56
finaid@yvcc.edu
509-882-7008
Financial Aid Portal
Located within the Student ctcLink Portal.
The Financial Aid Portal will give you access to messages from the Financial Aid office.
Eligibility Requirements
Student Eligibility For Regular Aid
| You are a U.S. Citizen, national, or a permanent resident. (International students are not eligible.) |
You have a high school diploma or the recognized equivalent (GED). Students enrolled prior to July 1, 2012 may have established eligibility through an Ability-to-Benefit provision; however, other students must have the diploma or recognized equivalent (GED) to receive financial aid. |
| For State Need Grant only: You qualify as a non-citizen “dreamer” based on state residency for 3 years prior to high school diploma or passing the GED and through enrolling in post-secondary Education. |
You are making satisfactory academic progress in your studies at YVC whether you received aid previously or not. State Need Grant funds are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. |
| You are in an approved college program that is at least one year in length and leads to a degree or certificate. | You do not owe a repayment of federal or state grant funds received at any college. |
| You are not in default on a student loan received at any college. If you are a grant recipient, have not earned a bachelor’s degree and if pursing an associate’s degree, not having earned an associates degree within the past 5 years (state grants). | You are registered for selective service, if male. |
| You have not been barred from receiving federal benefits by a federal court. | You have not been convicted of a selling or possessing illegal drugs while receiving financial aid. |
Additional Information
Yakima Valley College offers a variety of aid for which needy students may receive support through the financial aid office. However, there are some academic programs that do not qualify for financial assistance. In general, programs that lead to associate’s degrees and certificate programs that are at least one academic year in length are eligible for funding. Adult basic education courses and shorter certificate programs do not qualify. It is important to work with the financial aid office if you are taking adult basic education or certificate classes so that ineligible credits are not counted in your enrollment for financial aid. If your certificate program can be completed in fewer than three quarters, review the Eligible Program of Study document located in the Financial Aid Forms and Resources that identify academic programs of study that are eligible for assistance.
Financial aid is intended only for students pursuing an eligible program. When a student has completed the requirements for a certificate or degree program at YVC, financial aid priority ends until the student enrolls in a new, eligible program. However, State Grant programs are not available for the pursuit of a subsequent associate degree program for five years after completion of any associate’s degree.
Financial aid is available to the student at all enrollments levels, except federal loans that require a minimum enrollment of 6 credits per quarter. The YVC financial aid office awards financial aid to students at the full-time level (12 or more credits per term) so that students know their maximum level of support.
However, aid will only disburse if the student enrolls at the enrollment level for which the aid was processed. Beginning the second week of the quarter, if the student did not enroll in full-time credits, the financial aid office will prorate the grant assistance, authorize the aid to disburse at less than full-time level, and adjust the student’s satisfactory progress requirements. For earlier financial aid availability, part-time students submit an Enrollment Revision form before the first day of the quarter and prior to disbursement of any aid. We recommend that part-time students submit their Enrollment Revision forms as soon as they have enrolled in all their classes so that the financial aid staff can prorate the aid, adjust the disbursement and satisfactory progress requirements and make aid available as early as possible.
The formula used to process the FAFSA information was established by Congress to ensure that all financial aid applicants are treated consistently and that they pay a fair portion of the educational costs. The formula, called Congressional Methodology, is used for all financial aid applicants and considers your family’s income and assets to calculate the Expected Family Contribution. The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is the amount you and your family are expected to contribute toward your education. If your EFC is less than the cost of attendance, you have financial “need”. If you and your family have very few resources and your EFC is below a certain level, you may qualify for a Federal Pell Grant.
For families with children who are not yet college age, the FAFSA4caster, a federal website, can provide guidance on estimating the Expected Family Contribution. A link to the FAFSA4caster site is provided below.