Spring Semester

Important Update: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, please email or call us instead of visiting our office in person at (828) 398-7595 or (828) 398-7596. If you reach our voicemail, leave a message with your contact information and we will return your call as soon as possible. Our hours for telephone, email, and in-person service are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please submit your Verification documents to our secure Financial Aid Office Dropbox.

Complete the Correct FAFSA Application

Depending upon when you want to attend A-B Tech, visit our helpful FAFSA reference page to determine which FAFSA to complete.

Important Dates

January 2nd: Priority Deadline Students who have received an Award Letter (Financial Aid Offer) by this date will have their classes held. To increase the likelihood of this occurring, you are urged to submit all requested Verification documents to the Financial Aid Office on or before December 20th for processing.

Financial Aid Disbursement

Grants:

• Occurs February 10th (for classes beginning January 10th), March 10th, and April 10th.
• If the 10th of the month is on a weekend, the scheduled disbursement will occur the prior Friday.
• Review your Self-Service account for anticipated refund details

Loans:

• 50% February 10th*, 25% March 10th*, 25% April 10th*.
• If the 10th of the month is on a weekend, the scheduled disbursement will occur the prior Friday.

* As long as you are currently participating in and/or have completed 6 in-program credits.

Loans

• May 1: Deadline to complete all loan requirements.
• Please see the Financial Aid Disbursement schedule above for anticipated loan disbursement dates.
• If you would like to reduce your loan amounts, or cancel your loans entirely, complete the Direct Loan Adjustment Form and submit it to the Financial Aid Office no later than 4 days before the first disbursement date.

Bookstore Purchases with Financial Aid

Approximately one week before full-term classes begins through the first two weeks of the term.

Please visit the A-B Tech Bookstore page for details on when you can make purchases with financial aid.

Financial Aid Availability

Your financial aid award package for spring can be reviewed in Self-Service. Once you register, please wait 24 hours for the system to refresh and then go to Self-Service Finance to check your spring award.

To receive the "Maximum Award" amount specified in your account for the spring semester, you must have completed, or be actively attending, the requisite number of credit hours for each award during the spring semester:

Remember, late start and minimester credit hours are not factored into your financial aid eligibility until 10 days before they start. If you are registered for these classes, your financial aid disbursement(s) may be delayed.

To receive a loan disbursement, you must be actively attending or have already completed, a minimum of 6 in-program credit hours. Loans are disbursed in multiple payments throughout the semester. Review our "Loans" section on this page for details.

To receive a state grant disbursement, you must be actively attending or have already completed, a minimum of 6 in-program credit hours.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (FASAP)

• To receive financial aid for spring, you must be meeting FASAP.
• Your progress was determined last May 15th. Log in to your Self-Service account to check your status.
• If you are not meeting FASAP, please do not begin your spring classes unless you are paying cash.
• During the timeframe specified below, you may submit a FASAP Appeal Request for spring.

Appeals

Appeals completed by noon on Friday will be reviewed by end of business on Tuesday.

In order to submit an Appeal, you must have a current year FAFSA application on file with the college, and provide any requested Verification documents to the Financial Aid Office before, or at the time of, Appeal submission.

December 2nd - December 18th: During this timeframe, you may submit a FASAP Appeal Request for the spring semester. Appeals will not be accepted after this date. Before doing so, please review our Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (FASAP) policy and our Appeal Process. If your Appeal is Upheld, you must submit a completed Student Support Plan to the Financial Aid Office by 5 p.m., January 6th, or your Appeal will be retroactively denied.

• You must submit FASAP Appeal Requests to the Financial Aid Office in person unless you have made alternate arrangements with a financial aid staff member.
• Students may only submit one FASAP Appeal Request per academic year.
• Students who successfully appeal Maximum Timeframe suspensions must graduate within the academic year of their upheld FASAP Appeal Request.

Income Adjustment Request

Spring Students: November 1st - January 3rd: During this timeframe, you may submit an Income Adjustment Request. Your aid will be adjusted, and you may or may not be eligible for any existing awards that you currently have. Requests will not be accepted after this date. Contact financialaidoffice@abtech.edu to request an Income Adjustment.

• You may request an Income Adjustment if you are not eligible for Pell Grant and your income has changed.
• Requests submitted during this timeframe, if approved, will see any related aid adjustments processed and made active for fall, spring and summer semesters.
• Income Adjustment Requests are not processed for the summer semester.
• Income Adjustment Requests will generally take 1-2 weeks to be reviewed and processed (if approved).

Cost of Attendance (COA)

The cost of attendance for a student is an estimate of that student's educational expenses for the period of enrollment. Your federal aid (grants, loans) cannot exceed this cost. The Financial Aid Office will award you the maximum amount of financial aid for which you are eligible, not to exceed your cost of attendance.