a. Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is a program designed to provide financial aid to undergraduate students working towards their first degree. The U.S. Department of Education administers the Pell Grant and determines the funding amount available to the student. The purpose of the Pell Grant is to provide funding for educational expenses, based on income. Pell Grants are disbursed to students in one payment within the semester for those students who have completed their file in the financial aid office and have met all requirements. Financial aid disbursements are made after the 7^th week of classes. Federal Pell Grant will pay for only one repeated course; if a student does not pass a course the first semester and repeats the course the second semester it is payable; however, after the second semester, Federal Pell Grant will not pay for the repeated course.

Students are allowed up to two associate of arts (AA), associate of science (AS), or associate of applied science (AAS) degrees at LBHC. After acquiring two degrees at LBHC, students are encouraged to go on to a four-year institution so that they will not exhaust their Federal Pell Grant at LBHC. Pell Grant will provide funding for only 12 semesters of study. Students pursuing a second associate degree at LBHC will be asked to appeal their Federal Pell Grant so they understand they may exhaust their federal funding at LBHC. Federal regulations require that students establish attendance/participation in coursework each term to be eligible for Federal Financial Aid.

The Pell Grant award amount will be based on the courses the students are registered in AND on their attendance. The grant is disbursed based on the number of credits for which attendance has been confirmed. The student will not be eligible for Pell Grant for courses that he/she does not attend and for the full-time Pell amount. Students must be enrolled in a program of study in order to be eligible for Pell Grant. The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds students may receive over their lifetime is limited by federal law to be the equivalent of 6 years or 12 semesters of Pell Grant funding. Since the amount of a scheduled Pell Grant award a student can receive each award year is equal to 100%, the six-year equivalent is 600%.

Verification

All information provided on the student financial aid application is subject to verification. Verification is the term applied to the review process. A percentage of all applicants will be selected for this review process. If selected for verification, the student, spouse, and parent(s), if applicable, must provide documents (such as federal income tax returns for the previous year and verification verifying the number of household members enrolled in post-secondary schools) to prove that the information provided on the application is correct.

If students do not provide accurate information, they are allowed to make corrections on their FAFSA so they can receive funds. With accurate information, LBHC will be able to provide a more precise and equitable distribution of federal funds.

b. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

A Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a grant for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need. Selection and awarding of FSEOG grants is based on the following considerations:

The expected family contribution (EFC) is based on the financial information you provide in your FAFSA. Colleges use your EFC to determine financial aid and award packages. It estimates how much your family can contribute to your college education based on the financial details you disclose.

Students with the lowest EFCs who will also receive Pell Grants for the award year have primary consideration for an FSEOG. If, after giving FSEOG awards to Pell recipients, if LBHC has FSEOG funds remaining, the institution will award those funds to eligible students with the lowest EFCs who are eligible to receive Pell Grant.

LBHC will return to the FSEOG account any funds paid to a student who, before the first day of classes either (a) officially or unofficially withdraws or (b) is expelled or does not begin attendance for the payment period.

c. Work Study

Work opportunities are available to qualified students in the form of work study. There are two types of work study:

1. Federal College Work Study (FCWS) is a federally funded need-based program. Students who answer “yes” to question 28 on the FAFSA form and have need may be awarded FCWS. FCWS is available in various areas on campus and with off-campus community service jobs as reading and math tutors. Although every effort is made to provide students with FCWS jobs, the College cannot guarantee a student will be able to earn the amount of money initially awarded. FCWS will be part of the student’s financial aid package if they are awarded.
2. Institutional Work Study is for students who do not qualify for federal assistance. Students are placed in various job positions on campus. As they work, their student bill is credited. Students can apply for an institutional work study through the financial aid office.

d. Crow Nation Education Department

The Crow Nation Education department provides funding through the Crow Higher Education Grant, Adult Vocational Training Program, and Crow Tribal Grant. Students should contact the Crow Nation Education Department for additional information at (406) 679-1276. The deadline for this grant varies. The Crow Nation advertises this through Face Book and posters, and LBHC advertises it through emails.

a. American Indian College Fund Scholarships

The American Indian College Fund (AICF) invests in Native students and tribal college education to transform lives and communities. The AICF was established in 1989 to provide scholarships to American Indian / Alaska Native students attending tribal colleges, and to fund and create awareness about the community-based accredited tribal colleges and universities that offer students access to knowledge and skills alongside Native culture, language, and values. AICF offers two scholarships: (1) Tribal College and University (TCU) Scholarships and (2) Full Circle Scholarships. The AICF TCU and Full Circle applications are completed online through the AICF website (collegefund.org). This website has many other resources and links to other scholarships. The timeline for submitting the American Indian College Fund application varies every semester. LBHC informs students about the deadlines by email, signs on campus, and CloudRam.

American Indian Higher Education Consortium member colleges determine student eligibility for the scholarships provided through AICF. In some cases, donors may place restrictions on scholarships (e.g., a scholarship may only be available for female nursing students). LBHC has the discretion to place additional restrictions on the scholarships, such as the number of credits taken or grade point average. AICF scholarships are awarded only to students currently enrolled at a tribal college. In addition, Canadian citizens are not eligible to receive AIFC scholarship; however, students with dual US/Canadian citizenship are eligible. Examples of scholarships granted through AICF are the first-time freshman scholarship for those students who have never attended or have less than 6 credits.

b. Other Scholarships

Additional scholarships are posted on a bulletin board by the financial aid office, as they become available.

Tuition scholarships are available to staff and faculty, Board of Trustees, and 55+ students. Forms are available at the financial aid office.

Most scholarship assistance is allocated to students working towards their first AA degree. Some scholarship programs may allow scholarship assistance to students holding an AA degree.

Tuition Refund Policy

A portion of the tuition charges may be refunded to students, who officially withdraw before the census date of instruction, after the 7^th week of classes. To be eligible for a tuition refund, the student must complete the LBHC withdrawal form and return the completed form to the registrar’s office.

Tuition fees, books, and additional fees are refunded altogether, based on attendance.

No refund will made to students who do not officially withdraw or whose misconduct results in suspension or dismissal from the college.

Students who have met 60% attendance do not have to make a repayment.

Grants and scholarships are paid to students by crediting their student billing account in the business office first and then the remaining amount is disbursed to the student once all bills are paid.

Return of Federal Student Aid, Title IV Funds

When a student withdraws before completing 60% of the semester, the college must return to the Department of Education any unearned Federal Financial Aid funds up to the unearned percentage of institutional charges for the portion of the period the student did not complete. If a student leaves without officially withdrawing, the college will attempt to determine the last day of attendance through instructor’s attendance records of a review of the academically related activity. An academically-related activity includes, but is not limited to, an exam, a tutorial, academic counseling and turning in class assignments. The calculation for the Return of the Title IV Funds may result in the student owing a balance to either the college and/or the federal government. The percent of the semester completed and correspondingly the percentage of aid earned, is calculated by taking the calendar days attended by the student, divided by the total number of calendar days in the term. LBHC returns all funds to the Department of Education, then bills the student for the amount returned.

For students who have unearned financial aid, it will be returned in the following order:

1. Federal Pell Grants (Pell)
2. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)

Official Withdrawal: When the student officially withdraws from all courses after the semester begins, the Financial Aid Office will use the date on the Total Withdraw Form to determine the portion of the Federal Title IV aid earned (or could have been earned).

Unofficial Withdrawal: A student is said to have “Unofficially Withdrawn” if they stop attending and receive failing grades in all classes. For a student who has been determined to have unofficially withdrawn, the date of withdrawal for purposes of the Return of Title IV refund calculation is the latest date attended (last date of attendance or LDA) reported by faculty for that term.

Federal regulation requires the college to calculate the Return to Title IV refunds within 30 days of determining an official or unofficial withdrawal date. Federal regulation requires the college to refund the Title IV funds determined to be unearned to the U.S. Department of Education within 45 days of determining an official or unofficial withdrawal date.

Post Withdrawal Disbursement: In some cases, a student may withdraw from all courses before aid has been disbursed. A post withdrawal disbursement is done when a student shows they have withdrawn from all of their classes prior to financial aid disbursement but began attendance in all courses and are qualified for some (earned) aid. For Title IV grant eligibility only, the earned portion of the grant is disbursed to the student account and a letter is sent to student to notify them of their eligibility and right to return funds within 45 days of the date the school determined the student withdrew. The policy must state that if the return to Title IV calculation results in a credit balance on the student’s account, when it will be disbursed.

Credit balance must be disbursed as soon as possible and no later than 14 days after the calculation of the return to Title IV funds.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Students are expected to maintain certain academic standards and make satisfactory progress toward a completion of their declared program of study. The Financial Aid Office determines if applicants are eligible for financial aid assistance based on their prior academic records. Increments are semester to semester.

This requires the student to be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Federal law and regulations dictate that college policies measuring SAP must consider the grades earned by the student, with a minimum of 2.00 GPA (the GPA is based on the accumulative GPA, not the term GPA.) Students must be earning two-thirds (67%) of credits attempted and, in particular, the student must be on track to graduate within the maximum timeframe for their declared degree program within 150% of their total program attempted credits (this may include all approved credits from all other institutions). It is the responsibility of the financial aid office to adhere to the federal regulations governing the administration of federal grant aid, which dictates that no payment of funds be made unless it is determined that the student is maintaining satisfactory academic progress in their chosen course of study and in accordance with all standards set forth by the institution and federal student aid.

Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is defined by the following three criteria:

1. Meeting a minimum cumulative grade point average requirement (GPA).
2. Earning a minimum number of units for credit per semester (Pace of Progression).
3. Completing the degree objective within a maximum number of semesters enrolled and a maximum number of credits attempted (Maximum Time-Frame Allowance).

Students who do not meet one or more of the above criteria will be considered SAP ineligible for financial aid or will be placed in a financial aid SAP warning or suspension, see the financial aid office if you have questions regarding this federal policy.

Satisfactory academic progress is measured in two categories:

1. A minimum GPA of 2.00 must be maintained each semester for Pell Grant and 2.5 for scholarships.

2. A completion of credit load as determined by enrollment status (i.e., full-time, part-time).

1. 1. 1. Full-time students (12 or more credit) must pass 9 credits.
      2. Three-quarter time students (9-11 credits) must pass 6 credits.
      3. Half-time students (6-8 credits) must pass 4 credits.
      4. Less than half-time students (5 or less credits) must pass 100%.

Satisfactory completion of a course is a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or P. Unsatisfactory completion of a course is a letter grade of F, W, or I.

If a student fails to do this, they are placed on financial aid warning. If they fail to improve their completion rate and/or GPA while on warning they become financial aid ineligible. They remain on financial aid ineligible until their completion rate and GPA are the minimum SAP standards.

Students are expected to maintain certain academic standards and make satisfactory progress toward completion of their declared program of study. The Financial Aid Office determines if applicants are eligible for financial aid assistance based on their prior academic records and/or whether they have previously received financial aid. Satisfactory academic progress is measured in two categories:

1. A qualitative academic standard minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 must be maintained each semester for Pell Grant, SEOG, and FWS.
2. A quantitative rate of progression or PACE. Pace is measured in two increments:

Completion of attempted credits: Students must successfully complete two-thirds (67%) of the cumulative credits attempted in the degree each term.

Maximum time frame: The student must be on track to graduate within the maximum timeframe for their declared degree program within 150% of their total program attempted credits. Percentage is calculated for the cumulative pace by dividing the total number of successfully completed credits by the total number of credits attempted. 

Change of major: The credits earned under the new major will be applied in the calculation of attempted, earned, and maximum time-frame.

Students may appeal the 150% period limit and be allowed to complete the degree.

Transfer of college level credits: Students transferring to LBHC from another institution of higher education must inform the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office is required by federal law to make adjustments to prevent or correct over awards. When a student transfers from another college/ university, the student will start out on good academic status at LBHC, regardless of the student’s academic status at the previous college/university. Grades for courses transferred must be A, B, C, or D, and courses transferred must be above 100 level. Transfer credits are not used in calculating GPA.

Financial Aid Probation & Suspension

Probation: A student is placed on probation if he/she does not complete the attempted credits for that particular term and/or does not maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.00. A student placed on probation is still eligible for federal aid funding.

Suspension: Students are placed on suspension if they do not complete attempted credits and/or do not maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.00 for two consecutive terms of enrollment. 

Incomplete Grades

Students placed on probation or suspension because they received an incomplete (I) grade(s) will be removed from such status if the “I” is made up and a passing grade is earned. 

Federal Aid Appeal Process

Every student has the right to appeal if he/she is on suspension, has repeated courses, or has exceeded his/her duration of eligibility. Students may obtain the Financial Aid Appeal Form from the Financial Aid Office. The complete Financial Aid Appeal Form should be submitted with a copy of the student’s transcripts and all other necessary documents to the Financial Aid Office. Students are allowed one appeal. The appeals committee will make the final decision on the appeal; the committee is comprised of the Dean of Students, Dean of Academics, Dean of Administration, Chief Finance Officer, Registrar, President, Department Heads, and Financial Aid Staff. 

Reinstated students will be placed on “academic probation.” The student must make arrangements with the Dean of Academics prior to enrollment and make regular appointments with Student Services Staff. When students achieve a term and cumulative GPA of 2.00 and above, the “academic probation” designation is removed.