Qualified students may be eligible for additional summer financial aid
Most students at Southwest Texas Junior College take advantage of some type of financial aid to be able to enroll.
One of those being the Pell Grant, which is money the government provides for students who need it to pay for college. Grants, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid.
Last year U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced Year-Round Pell grants would be available to students beginning July 1, 2017. This policy change will ensure hundreds of thousands of college students have the resources needed to finish their coursework in a timeframe that meets their individual needs.
This change in the Federal Pell Grant Program will allow an eligible student to receive up to 150 percent of the student's Federal Pell Grant Scheduled Award beginning with the 2017–2018 award year.
“In the past, a student attending full time in the fall and spring would use up 100% of the Pell Grant, which resulted in having no more money for summer classes,” said Yvette Hernandez, financial aid director for SWTJC. “Now, with the new Year-Round Pell grants, students have the 100 percent for the fall and spring semesters, and an additional 50 percent they can use in summer if they attend a minimum of six scheduled hours.
Students still have time to register for financial aid at SWTJC and to register for summer classes. Classes for the first summer session begin June 4.