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Financial Aid Office

Grayslake Campus

Room B114 (Welcome and One Stop Center)

(847) 543-2062

Lakeshore Campus

Room 34-118 (Welcome and One Stop Center)

(847) 543-2183

Federal School Code: 007694

The Financial Aid Office works to provide financial assistance to qualified students through federal and state grant programs, federal loan, campus employment, and scholarships.

Financial Aid at a Glance

Federal student aid comprises of grants and loans that are offered through the US Department of Education and is available to students enrolled in an eligible program. School expenses, such as tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation are taken into consideration by financial aid. Most federal aid is need based. The most common types of aid are grants, loans, and federal work-study. For additional information, see https://www.clcillinois.edu/paying-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid.

 College of Lake County participates in a variety of federal aid programs which includes the following:

  • Department of Defense Tuition Assistance

  • Federal Pell Grant

  • Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

  • Federal Work-Study Program (FWS)

  • William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program

  • Veterans Educational Benefits

  • Military Assistance Program (TA)

  • My Career Advancement Account Scholarship (MyCAA)

 College of Lake County also participates in several State grant programs:

  • State of Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant

  • Grant Programs for Dependents of Police/ Fire/Correctional Officers

  • Minority Teachers of Illinois (MIT) Scholarship Program

  • Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program

  • Illinois Veterans Grant (IVG)

  • Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant

  • MIA/POW Scholarship

Additional information on State programs is located at https://www.isac.org/students/during-college/types-of-financial-aid/.

College of Lake County has numerous scholarship opportunities provided through the College of Lake County Foundation and other local providers. Scholarships may be need-based and/or based on areas of interest. Review and apply for scholarships at Financial Aid - Scholarships.

Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility for most federal student aid programs is based on financial need. The information a student provides on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) determines their eligibility for federal student aid. Basic eligibility requirements indicate that students must:

  • Demonstrate financial need (for most programs)

  • Have a valid Social Security number (SSN) with the exception of students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federal States of Micronesia or the Republic of Palau.

  • Be enrolled and working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program

  • Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.

  • Sign the certification statement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form stating that:

  1. You are not in default on a federal student loan

  2. You do not owe money on a federal student grant and

  3. You will use the federal student aid only for educational purposes

  • Show you’re qualified to obtain a college or career school education by having a high school diploma,

    OR

  • Recognized equivalent such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, completing a high school education in a homeschool setting in an approved under state law (or-if state law does not require a homeschooled student to obtain a completion credential-completing a high school education in a homeschool setting that qualifies as an exemption from compulsory attendance requirements under state low) or enrolling in an eligible career pathway program and meeting one of the “ability- to-benefit alternatives. Some students without a high school diploma or equivalent may be eligible for financial aid through special “ability to benefit programs.

  • Be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible program for Direct Loan Program Funds.

Application Procedures

Apply for Financial Aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) directly with the Department of Education (ED).

1.  Gather all the documents needed to apply. This includes your Social Security number, your parent’s Social Security number, your driver’s license number if you have one, your Alien Registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen, federal income tax returns, W-2 forms, records of your untaxed income and information on cash, savings and checking balances, investments, etc. The full list is located at https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out . You can find your tax transcript through the IRS’s Get Transcript service at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript.

2.  Complete the FAFSA between October 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. There are NO exceptions to the deadline date! Apply as soon as possible to meet school and state aid deadlines. The fastest and easiest way to apply is through FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid. If you used the Internal Revenue Service Data Retrieval Tool (IRS (DRT) when filling out your FAFSA form, you may not have to verify that information.

3.  Check your data. The Department of Education will send you your Student Aid Report (SAR), which will contain your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). This number is used to determine your federal student aid. Information on how and when you will get your SAR is online at https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/review-and-correct/sar-student-aid-report. Your SAR might also contain a note indicating that you’ve been selected for verification. Find out what to do if you’ve been selected for verification. If you have been selected for verification we need more information before we can determine your financial aid eligibility. Verification is the process your school used to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA form is accurate. If you’re selected for verification, your school will request additional documentation that supports the information you reported.

4. Check your “To Do List.” If we need more information from you, we will contact you by mail or email and add items to your “To Do List.” Be sure to keep your address current with the Student Records Office and check your “To Do List” in myStudentCenter often for any updates. Students can access financial aid information, holds and checklists for financial aid processes via myStudentCenter. Failure to address holds and “to do” items by published deadlines can result in delays or ineligibility for aid.

5. Watch for an Award Notification. Award Notification is sent after a review of your SAR outlining your financial aid eligibility. Award notifications are sent when a student’s financial aid file is complete. If you were selected for the verification process and didn’t submit all required documentation, your financial aid file is incomplete and therefore, we cannot determine your eligibility.