Before the Financial Aid Office can determine your financial aid package you need to:

-	Be accepted into a degree, diploma, or certificate program at Cabarrus College. (Note: You are encouraged to apply for Financial Aid at the same time that you apply to a program. However, a financial aid package will not be provided to you until you have been accepted into a particular program.)
-	Complete a current FAFSA form and list Cabarrus College under the school selection.
-	Provide any documents requested by the Financial Aid Office.
-	Be a United States citizen or eligible non-citizen.
-	Have a valid social security number.
-	Be registered with the selective service, if required.
-	Certify that you are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant.
-	Certify that you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes.
-	Maintain satisfactory academic progress.

Apply for financial aid between January 1st and March 15th to be able to receive the maximum financial aid. FAFSAs submitted after this date will be considered only as funds are available. Students starting a program in the Spring semester should complete a FASFA form as soon as possible to allow the Financial Aid Office to determine eligibility.

The U.S. Department of Education or Cabarrus College may select your application for a process called "verification." As part of verification, you will need to provide certain documents and information to the Financial Aid Office to verify that the information reported on your FAFSA is correct.

The verification process begins after the results from your FAFSA are received by the Financial Aid Office. At that time, you will receive a letter from the Financial Aid Office asking you to provide a signed copy of your federal income tax return, or your parent's return (or your spouse's return, if you are married and your spouse filed a separate return) and a copy of all related W-2 forms. You must also provide a completed verification form.

2011-12 Dependent Verification Form
2011-12 Independent Verification Form

You should be prepared to provide any required verification documentation as soon as possible to prevent delays in your financial aid. Failure to provide requested documentation means you will not be awarded financial aid.

To complete the verification process, the documentation you provide will be reviewed, and any necessary corrections to your FAFSA data will be made.

Any person who intentionally makes false statements or misrepresentations on a federal aid application is violating the law and is subject to a fine, imprisonment or both.

Once you have submitted your FAFSA, required documents, and have been admitted to Cabarrus College, the Financial Aid Office will determine your need and, if you are eligible, develop a customized package including funds from those programs for which you qualify. As a result, your financial aid package from Cabarrus College may include one or a combination of scholarships, federal or state grants, federally subsidized or unsubsidized loans, and/or on-campus student employment.

The basic types of financial aid available are:

-	Federal and State Grants: Funds awarded to the student under these categories do not have to be repaid. Sources of grant funds are the Federal Government and the state of North Carolina. Grants are usually awarded to students who demonstrate the greatest financial need.
-	Scholarships: Funds awarded to the student under these categories do not have to be repaid. Scholarships are monies that are made available to students from various local community groups, state funds and corporate donors.
-	Student Loans: Loans are funds that you must repay. The type of loan you are eligible for depends on financial need, however even a student without Financial need can qualify for loans. Types of loans include Federal Direct Loans for the student and Federal Direct Plus loans for Parents of Undergraduate Students (PLUS).
-	Work Study: Federal Work Study is a federally funded program that provides employment opportunities to students with the highest financial need. Placement is limited.

In addition, tax credits and veterans benefits are available.