Financial Information

Tuition and Fees

To confirm current tuition and fee rates, contact the Business Office. Tuition is subject to change by the State Board for Community Colleges and/or legislative action. Information is also available at http://tncc.edu/students/financial-information/tuition-and-fees/

Payment

Tuition and fees may be paid by cash, check, money order, or credit card (VISA, American Express, MasterCard, or debit card). The College’s MyTNCC (http://tncc.edu/mytncc/) registration system may be used to pay tuition and fees during registration periods via MasterCard, Visa or American Express. Checks and money orders must be for the exact amount made payable to Thomas Nelson Community College. Tuition and fees are not considered paid until check, money order or credit card payment is honored by the paying agent.

The College participates in FACTS/Nel/Net Tuition Management to offer a tuition payment plan. This allows students, for a fee, to periodically pay their tuition and fees to FACTS/Nel/Net Management. The funds are transferred during that semester to the college. For more information, visit http://tncc.edu/students/financial-information/facts-tuition-payment-plan/.

Payment of tuition and fees also enables the student to use the library, computer laboratory, and other facilities of the College. There are no special laboratory or library fees, but students are expected to pay charges for any school property (such as laboratory or shop equipment, supplies, library books, and materials) they damage or lose.

All students’ accounts (with the Business Office, bookstore, or library) must be paid in full before students can register for classes or receive degrees, certificates, or transcripts.

Sponsored Students

Sponsored students are required to have their sponsorships verified in writing. It is the student’s responsibility to have a sponsor’s authorization provided to the Business Office no later than the date of registration.

Senior Citizens

Senior citizens may apply for free tuition and fees provided by the Senior Citizens Higher Education Act of 1974. Students at least sixty years of age who have been domiciled in Virginia for one year are eligible to enroll in non-credit courses or to audit credit courses for free. Additionally, if their federally taxable income did not exceed $23,850 for the year preceding enrollment, senior citizens may take courses for credit without cost. Taxable income documentation must be submitted to the Admissions Office. Senior citizens must complete the application for admission, Domicile Determination application, the Senior Citizens Student Tuition Agreement, and provide documentation to the Admissions Office, located in Griffin Hall, Room 208 in Hampton or to the Office of Student Services, 4601 Opportunity Way, Room 117 in Williamsburg. Tuition-paying students are accommodated first. Students who are approved for this waiver must register the day before the beginning of the semester.

Waived Tuition

Free tuition to state-supported institutions of higher learning is granted to eligible children (ages 16-29) of permanently disabled or deceased veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Eligibility requires that, for the children to be eligible, the disabled or deceased veteran must have been a resident of Virginia at the time of entry into the armed forces. Also, the veteran must have been a resident of Virginia for at least five years prior to the student’s date of application.

The amended section provides that free tuition and required fees be made available “from such funds as are appropriated for this purpose” for any child between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five whose parent has been killed in the line of duty while employed or serving as a law enforcement officer or firefighter or rescue squad member in Virginia. Certain conditions pertain to both entitlements, and students may contact the Veterans Affairs Office for further information.

Tuition Refunds Policy

Students enrolled in classes that are canceled, who officially withdraw from the college, or drop individual classes by the “drop with a refund” date using the process set forth in this college catalog, will receive a full refund, within six to eight weeks after the “drop with refund date”. Please refer to the academic calendar for the specific dates for each session.

• Thomas Nelson does not issue partial or pro-rated refunds.
• If a class was paid at the cashier’s window by cash, check, or credit card, a refund check will be mailed to the student, from the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of the Treasury to the address on file in Thomas Nelson’s Student Information System (SIS).
• If a class was paid online using the WEB, the refund will be batch processed back to the credit card used.
• Students may also bring the same credit card to the cashier’s window to receive the refund to their credit card.
• Enrollment cancellation does not guarantee students will be dropped from class for non-payment of tuition.

Bookstore

Tel: 757/825-2864

The College contracts with Follett Higher Education Group to provide bookstore services to students, faculty, and staff. Textbooks, school supplies, college apparel, giftware, and other course-related materials are available. The bookstore’s operating hours are listed in the college schedule of classes, the bookstore’s web page, and on the voice mail system.

Books and Supplies

Students are expected to obtain their own books, supplies, and consumable materials needed in their studies.

Bookstore Refund Policy

Students have five days from the start of each semester or within two days of the date purchased to receive a full refund on textbooks purchased at the bookstore. All textbooks must be in original condition and/or shrink-wrap. All computer and electronic products must be returned unopened. All purchases made with a check must wait ten days for a cash refund. A valid receipt is required for any refund. In addition, upon proof of drop/add, the bookstore will accept course material returns (textbooks) from students who have dropped a course up to the end of the official drop/add period. No exceptions to this policy will be made.

Due to recent changes in Federal law governing credit usage, Thomas Nelson Community College bookstore institutes the following credit card policy: All credit card purchases must be accompanied by card and card owner (name on credit card) at the time of purchase OR the cardholder must provide written permission detailing allowable charges and photocopies of front and back of card if card owner is not present. A photo ID must be provided at the time of sale. If you have any questions on this policy, please contact the bookstore at 757/825-2864.

Parking Services

Tel: 757/825-2766

To provide for the security and safety of our students, all vehicles parked on campus must be registered and display a yearly parking permit. Students must abide by the rules and regulations as stated in the Thomas Nelson Parking Rules, Regulations and Fines brochure or risk being ticketed, booted, or towed. Fines for violations of parking policies are paid at the Cashier’s Window. A hold will be placed on accounts for unpaid parking fines preventing students from registering for classes and receiving transcripts, as well as delaying refund checks. For additional information, visit www.tncc.edu.

Food Services

Tel: 757/826-8066

Subway, located in Griffin Hall, provides hot and cold entrees. Food vending machines are available in Griffin Hall, Diggs Hall, Moore Hall, Hastings Hall, Hampton III, and at the Historic Triangle Campus.

Bad Checks and Past-Due Obligations

Continued attendance at the College is dependent upon proper settlement of all debts owed the institution. A check not honored by the bank on which it is drawn is considered to be a bad check, regardless of the reason initially provided by the bank. In the event that the bad check results from a bank error, the bank must acknowledge this fact in writing before the student can be relieved of the obligation. A $35 processing fee will be imposed for each returned check submitted to the Cashier’s Window for tuition, bookstore, parking, library, and club fee charges. If the payment is for an account that has been submitted to collections, the processing fee is $50.00. Future payments must be made either by cash, money order, or credit card.

A student who has a financial obligation to the College, for any reason, beyond the due date, or who has books or materials outstanding from the Learning Resource Center beyond the due date will be denied all services, including the issuance of transcripts and permission to register. If the student’s obligation involves an unpaid bad check for tuition, the student will be deleted from all classes. For all other outstanding obligations, it is established college policy to pursue the collection through the debt set-off program involving a student’s state tax refund and the use of a collection agency. If an obligation is sent to a collection agency, the student must pay the collection fee.

Paychecks of students in the College work-study program or employed by the College may be withheld until the obligation is paid or some other arrangement is established to satisfy the obligation.

Financial Aid Services

Tel: 757/825-2848

Thomas Nelson Community College is committed to the belief that all eligible residents in its service area should have the opportunity to obtain a post-secondary education, regardless of their financial status. As a result, the College offers a variety of financial aid programs for students who qualify. Such aid is funded through federal and state agencies, local organizations, businesses, and the college itself. There is an aid program for every income level.

Financial aid is any grant, scholarship, loan, or paid employment offered to students for the purpose of helping them meet education-related expenses. Grants and scholarships are regarded as “gift” aid and need not be repaid, although they may carry certain provisions to which a student must adhere. Loans and employment (jobs) are referred to as self-help aid and require the student to fulfill an obligation in return (repay the loan or perform a job skill).

Most financial aid programs are based on the philosophy that the primary responsibility of paying college expenses rests with the student and his/her family. Therefore, most financial aid resources serve to supplement, rather than replace, the resources of the family. The College subscribes to this philosophy in administering its programs.

To qualify for federal and state financial aid and maintain your eligibility, you must:

• Be accepted for admission to the College on a degree-seeking basis in a curriculum at least 16 credits in length
• Be enrolled in good standing in at least one credit course and maintain satisfactory academic progress
• Be a United States citizen, permanent resident of the United States or its trust territories, or an eligible non-citizen
• Not be in default on any student loan (Stafford, PLUS, SLS, or Perkins Loan)
• Not owe a refund or overpayment on financial aid received at any institution of higher learning
• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Not exceed 1.5 times the number of credits required to graduate from your selected curriculum
• Not have a drug conviction while receiving aid
• If male between ages 18-25, must be registered with the Selective Service

To Apply for Financial Aid

Students interested in applying for federal, state, and institutional financial assistance must adhere to the following steps:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.gov. The Federal Title IV School code for Thomas Nelson Community College is 006871.
• Return any requested information and/or verification forms to the Financial Aid office. This might include you and your parent’s federal income tax transcript, verification of citizenship status, verification of household size, and number in college, Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), and other documents to confirm the information provided on your FAFSA application.

Priority deadlines by which the FAFSA must be completed for financial aid to be processed by the tuition deadlines are:

May 1 for Fall Semester

November 1 for Spring Semester

May 1 for Summer Semester

These dates are established for equitable distribution of limited funds and to establish application dates by which students can expect that they will be awarded financial aid for which they are eligible in time to meet tuition deadlines.

Students who apply for financial aid and register for classes but decide not to attend must officially withdraw from college to avoid personal liability for any funds later awarded and charged for tuition, other institutional costs, and any funds received. Funds awarded are contingent on remaining fund balances. On occasion, due to funding reduction and other changes, an award is made to a student for which funds are no longer available. Awards for which there are no remaining funds will be cancelled.

Summer Aid

To receive consideration for summer aid, students must complete the Summer Aid Application, which is available when summer registration begins. The application can be found on the Financial Aid Services homepage under Forms, http://tncc.edu/students/financialinformation/financial-aid/

Return of Title IV Funds When a Student Withdraws

Students receiving financial aid who withdraw or stop attending will, in most cases, be required to return a portion of the financial aid received. The Higher Education Act, as reauthorized and signed into law on October 7, 1998, established the Return of Title IV Funds Policy.

The concept behind the policy is that the college and the student are allowed to retain only the amount of Title IV (federal) aid and state aid that is earned. If a student withdraws or stops attending classes, a portion of the aid received is considered to be unearned and must be returned to the Title IV programs from which it was received. For Title IV purposes, the last date of attendance is one of the following: the date the formal withdrawal process begins, the date the student otherwise gives official notice of intent to withdraw (i.e., letter, phone call, email, in-person), the mid-point of the term, or the last documented date of attendance in an academically-related activity (i.e., documented attendance in a class or lab or submission of an assignment in a video course). If a student attends through 60% of the term, all Title IV aid is considered earned.

The Title IV programs that are covered by this policy are Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans, Subsidized Federal Direct Loans, Federal Plus Loans, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grants (SEOG), Commonwealth Grants, VGAP Grants, and in some cases, other state aid grants, GEAR UP Grants and SSS Grants to students.

When a financial aid recipient of federal and/or state aid withdraws or stops attending classes during an enrollment period, the amount of financial aid earned is determined by a specific formula that uses the first day of class through the last day of exams and the student’s reported last day of attendance. If a student received less assistance than the amount earned, the excess funds must be returned by the College as determined by the calculation. The amount of assistance earned is determined on a pro rata basis.

For example, if a student completed 30% of the enrollment period, the student will have earned 30% of the aid he/she was originally scheduled to receive. Once a student completes more than 60% of the enrollment period, the student has earned all of the aid that he/she was scheduled to receive for that time period. If a student does not receive all of the aid that was earned, the student may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement. The College may automatically apply all or a portion of the student’s post-withdrawal disbursement to outstanding charges for tuition and fees.

Once the College determines the dollar amounts and which individual aid programs must be repaid, the student will be notified of any amounts he/she owes. Any amount of unearned grant funds that a student must return is called an overpayment. Students must make arrangements to return the unearned grant funds. Funds that must be returned by the student to the loan programs can be paid in full in accordance with normal loan repayment terms. Unpaid balances will be turned over to the Commonwealth for collection. Until overpayments are repaid or satisfactory arrangements to repay have been made, the student will be ineligible for further Title IV aid at any institution.

Before withdrawing or stopping attendance in classes, the student should be aware of the proper procedure for withdrawing from classes and the consequences of either withdrawing or stopping attendance. Official withdrawal is always the responsibility of the student and questions regarding withdrawal should be addressed to the student’s advisor or the Registrar’s Office.

Requirements for Title IV program funds are separate from the College refund policy.

How to Use Financial Aid

Students may charge tuition and fees to most financial aid accounts. Students are sent an email to their VCCS address regarding book charge instruction each term. All funds not used for tuition, fees, and books are refunded to students. Financial Aid award letters are emailed to students and you may also view this information by logging into your account at MyTNCC (http://tncc.myvccs.edu). The Financial Aid Office uses the VCCS email address given to students.

Financial Aid Programs at Thomas Nelson

Federal Pell Grant Program

The Pell Grant Program, the largest grant program available, is a federal need-based grant. Eligibility is determined by the results of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The amount of the grant is based on Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and number of credit hours enrolled. All students who do not have a bachelor’s degree are automatically considered for this grant. Awards are made throughout the year. For 2013-2014, the maximum award is $5,645. The Department of Education may adjust this figure yearly.

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant

A Student who is not eligible for a Pell Grant, but whose parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and dies as a result of service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001 may be eligible to receive the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. Eligible students must be under 24 years of age or enrolled in college at least half-time at the time of the parent’s or guardian’s death. The grant is equal to the amount of a maximum Pell Grant for the award year – not to exceed the cost of attendance for that award year.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

The FSEOG program provides federal funds to the College for making awards to students with exceptional need. Students attending at least half-time are eligible for FSEOG. FSEOG awards are made on a rolling basis. The amounts of FSEOG awards vary depending on the need, other aid offered, and the amount of funds appropriated. FSEOG is awarded until funds are exhausted.

College Scholarship Assistance Program (CSAP)

The CSAP is administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. The College is allocated funds to award to needy students who are Virginia residents and enrolled at least half-time. CSAP is usually given to the students with the greatest need. Awards are made on a rolling basis. The amounts of the awards vary depending on the need, other aid offered, and the amount of funds appropriated. CSAP is awarded until funds are exhausted.

Commonwealth Award (COMA) and Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program (VGAP)

The COMA and the VGAP awards are administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. The College is allocated funds to award in-state students who have remaining need. COMA awards are made to students who are enrolled in at least 6 credit hours. (COMA awards cover tuition and fees.) VGAP awards are made to dependent full-time students who graduated from a Virginia high school with a minimum 2.5 GPA, who have no prior college, and maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA while attending the College. (VGAP awards cover tuition, fees, and assist with the cost of books.) Awards are made on a rolling basis. COMA and VGAP are awarded until funds are exhausted.

Part-time Tuition Assistance Program (PTAP)

The PTAP is a Virginia Community College System grant offered to Virginia state residents who register for at least one credit. The grant will pay for tuition and fees. It does not include books. PTAP is awarded until all funds are exhausted.

Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Supplemental Grant

The VCCS Grant is a Virginia Community College System grant offered to students who are Virginia state residents who have remaining need and are registered for six (6) or more credits. The grant will pay tuition and fees. VCCS Grant is awarded until funds are exhausted.

Tuition Grant Program (TGP)

The TGP provides tuition and fees and is available to foster youth, former foster youth and special needs adoptees who have a high school diploma or GED. Students must be enrolled in at least six (6) credits to be eligible, meet satisfactory academic progress standards and demonstrate financial need.

Federal Work-Study Program (FWS)

Under the FWS program, the College receives federal funds to provide on-campus and off-campus employment opportunities to a limited number of students with demonstrated need who are enrolled in at least 6 credits and are in good academic standing. Although it is not always possible to do so, every attempt is made to place students in jobs that match their academic majors, skills or past experiences, and/or desired area of employment. Students may not work more than 20 hours per week while classes are in session and 29 hours per week when classes are not in session, students may never exceed 8 hours per day. Students work at $8.00 per hour and payment is made by the Human Resources office of the College on a biweekly basis. Students are hired on a rolling basis. FWS is awarded until funds are exhausted.

Federal Direct Loan Program (FDLP)

The FDLP provides eligible students with loans for the freshman and sophomore year. Loans made under the Federal Stafford Student Loan Program are low-interest, long-term loans. A student must be enrolled in at least 6 credits.

Students with financial need can obtain a subsidized Stafford Loan. This means the U.S. Department of Education will pay the interest charges to your lender on your behalf as long as you remain enrolled in at least a half-time basis (6 or more credits) and during a six-month period following enrollment (grace period). At the end of the grace period, repayment of the loan must begin and interest begins to accrue to the student borrower. Repayment may extend up to ten (10) years but borrowers must make payments of at least $50 per month. Students who do not qualify for the subsidized need-based Stafford Loan can obtain an unsubsidized non-need-based loan. Unlike the subsidized loan, the student is responsible for the interest obligation while enrolled. The student, while enrolled on at least a half-time basis (6 or more credits), may pay interest only or have the interest capitalized (added to the principal).

Federal law states that first-time loan borrowers must complete an Entrance Loan Counseling session. As part of our Debt Management Program, Thomas Nelson Community College requires all borrowers to complete online counseling sessions for each academic year. Repayment begins six months after a student leaves school because of graduation, other reasons, or drops below half-time level. Loan Request Forms are available in the Financial Aid Office. All loan applicants must have completed a FAFSA and may not have defaulted on prior loans or have excessive existing student loan debt. Students may not borrow more than the cost of their education minus expected family contribution (EFC) and other financial aid awarded. The Financial Aid office must approve all federal loans and reserves the right to refuse loan applications due to academic deficiency or evidence that a student may have difficulty managing loan debt.

Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)

The Federal Direct PLUS Loan program is a non-need-based source of loan funds to the parent(s) of dependent students. Federal Direct PLUS loans may be used in conjunction with the Federal Direct Stafford Loans. Each year, parents of dependent students may borrow an amount equal to the cost of attendance less any financial aid including any federal loans. Repayment begins immediately unless the parent borrower is enrolled in college on at least a half-time basis. The interest rate is variable. Applications are available by visiting www.tncc.edu/finaid/ and then click on Forms. The PLUS loan is only available to parents. Guardians are ineligible.

Other Financial Aid Programs

Scholarship Opportunities at Thomas Nelson

The Thomas Nelson Community College Educational Foundation offers a number of scholarships to the College’s students. These scholarships recognize outstanding performance and assist students in receiving a quality education. The availability of the scholarships is dependent upon the continued participation by the private donors/agencies and the earnings of the endowed scholarship fund investments. Scholarships are designed to meet the needs of graduating high school seniors, entering freshmen, and returning students. They are available for either part- or full-time students. All scholarship funds will be used to pay tuition, fees, and books at the College only. Any monies remaining at the end of the semester(s) will be returned to the Thomas Nelson Community College Educational Foundation.

Thomas Nelson Community College Educational Foundation scholarship opportunities and the application can be found at http://tncc.edu/students/financial-information/scholarships/. An original completed application, essay, and any required supplemental material as stated by the specific scholarship (such as letters of recommendation), must be received in the Financial Aid Office by April 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester to be considered for scholarship opportunities. Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed case by case and are contingent on the availability of scholarship funds. Students who receive financial aid grants or loans must report all public and private scholarship aid to the Financial Aid Office.

Standards of Academic Progress for Financial Aid Programs

The Standards of Academic Progress for financial aid recipients was designed to promote student retention for all students at the College who receive financial aid and to comply with federal and/or state regulations regarding financial aid eligibility in relation to qualitative and quantitative measures of academic achievement. All students applying for financial assistance must meet the standards of academic progress listed in this policy.

Monitoring Academic Progress

Students who participate in state and/or federal financial aid programs are expected to attend all classes in which they are enrolled, as scheduled, and to put forth their best effort toward academic achievement in all coursework. Additionally, all students who participate in financial aid programs must be enrolled in an eligible curriculum (16 credits in length or longer) and cannot have attempted more than 150% of the number of credits at the College (including transfer credits which apply toward the declared degree). Developmental courses are excluded from this calculation. For the average 65 credit, 2-year degree, students become ineligible for additional aid after attempting 97 credits. The number of allowable credits is less for shorter programs. Students should plan academic programs and schedules carefully. Financial aid eligibility for developmental courses is limited to 30 credits of course attempts. Academic records of all degree and certificate seeking financial aid recipients are reviewed at the end of each semester.

In all cases, students must demonstrate positive movement toward graduation from an approved curriculum as measured both qualitatively (grades) and quantitatively (percentage of courses completed successfully). No financial aid benefits can be given for course audits at registration.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The following minimum GPA standards must be achieved to maintain financial aid eligibility:

• Students who have attempted at least 13 credit hours must maintain at least a 1.5 cumulative GPA.
• Students who have attempted at least 25 credit hours must maintain at least a 1.75 cumulative GPA.
• Students who have attempted at least 48 credit hours must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0.

Students must have earned a 2.0 overall GPA by the time they have attempted 75% of their program. Developmental courses are not included in this calculation. Repeated courses are included in this calculation in accordance with the College’s academic standards of progress.

Unsuccessful Course Attempts and Academic Progression

Grades of F, I, W, X and U are considered unsuccessful course attempts. Excessive unsuccessful course attempts will result in loss of financial aid eligibility. Excessive unsuccessful course attempts are defined as failure to complete a minimum of 67% of all courses attempted. All courses attempted are included in this calculation. Student course completion rates are reviewed once a student has attempted 50% of the coursework for their program of study or 24 credit hours (whichever comes first).

Loss of Eligibility

The Financial Aid Office will attempt to notify students who have not maintained satisfactory academic progress through their VCCS email. However, students are responsible for keeping track of their academic progress after each term. Failure to receive notice is not a valid reason to have financial aid reinstated or to have the appeal deadline extended. Students may appeal their financial aid suspension prior to the beginning of each term.

Academic records of returning students for any academic term who are applying for financial aid are reviewed to determine whether they meet eligibility requirements for financial aid. Financial aid suspension should not be confused with academic suspension which is suspension from the College. Students on financial aid suspension may still attend the College but will no longer receive financial aid.

Students who are placed on financial aid suspension are not reinstated until they meet minimum GPA and course completion rate standards for the number of credits attempted. It is the responsibility of the student to request that the financial aid staff review their academic progress.

Appeal of Loss of Eligibility

If students have mitigating circumstances, (i.e., death in family or personal illness) they may appeal suspension of financial aid. Students who appeal suspension should submit the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form, present a documented letter indicating reasons for not maintaining satisfactory academic progress and submit documentation that support circumstances. Reinstated students must meet specific conditions to maintain eligibility for financial aid assistance.

The Financial Aid Standards of Progress are subject to change. Please visit www.tncc.edu//finaid/ and click on Reasonable Academic Progress for the most up-to-date information.