Financial Aid
Thank you for choosing Oconee Fall Line Technical College to further your education! Our office is committed to helping you finance your education in a timely manner through grants, scholarships and Federal Work Study. We understand that the financial aid process can be daunting, but our staff is here to assist you.
You must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year to be considered for federal aid (PELL grant). The Pell grant is a form of financial aid that is not required to be paid back if you complete your courses successfully. Include OFTC’s school code (031555) on the FAFSA, and if possible, use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to reduce errors on your application.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, you must complete a 2024-2025 FAFSA and use your 2022 tax return information. The 2024-2025 FAFSA covers semesters: Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025.
How much does an OFTC education cost?
The estimated cost of attendance includes tuition, mandatory fees, books and supplies, and other miscellaneous expenses that are related to financing your education.
Please view our tuition and fees schedule and the OFTC Bookstore’s price list to get an estimate of your cost of attending OFTC.
You can also use the Net Price Calculator is to get estimated net price information based on what similar students paid in a previous year.
What types of aid are available?
OFTC offers various forms of financial aid, of which most do not require repayment.
Grants and Scholarships
Other Scholarships & Assistance
- Georgia Mining Scholarship
- Scholarships through the OFTC Foundation
- Awards for Early Educators from Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) (formerly called Bright from the Start BFTS Scholarships)
- The Veterans Administration
- Federal Work Study
- WIOA
- OFTC Lending Library
- Scholarship Websites
- Career & Technical Scholarship Program by the Horatio Alger Endowment Fund
How do I apply for Financial Aid?
To get started, fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Be sure to include OFTC’s school code on your application: 031555.
- Application Process
- Important Dates
- Verify My FAFSA
- Net Price Calculator
- Consumer Information on College Navigator for Oconee Fall Line Technical College
Why Don’t I Have Financial Aid?
Verification/Documentation
Verification is a process used to verify that information reported on the FAFSA is accurate. Students may be selected either by the Department of Education or by the school.
Some of the main reasons for being chosen for verification are:
- Application is randomly selected.
- FAFSA has incomplete data.
- Data on the FAFSA appears to contradict itself.
- FAFSA application has estimated information on it.
The Financial Aid Office will review your FAFSA application. Once it is determined what documents and forms are needed, the Financial Aid Office will send an email or text requesting certain documents and forms. Some documents and forms that may be requested are:
- Dependent or Independent Verification Worksheet
- IRS Tax Return Transcript – If you use the IRS Data Retrieval option when completing the FAFSA and make no changes to the tax information, a tax transcript will not be required.
- Marriage License
- Social Security/Disability Benefit Statement
- Child Support Received or Paid Information
- Alien Registration Card
- Final Divorce Decree
- Other forms and documents
The types of documents required will vary from student to student. Not all students selected for verification will have to submit the same documents.
Once all documents are received, the Financial Aid Office will compare the required documents to the FAFSA. If errors are found, corrections will be made. Once the verification process is complete, an award letter will be sent to the student notifying them of the type of financial aid they are eligible to receive. Financial Aid cannot be disbursed until the verification process is complete.
Social Security Card
The Department of Education could not confirm your social security number with your name or date of birth. Submit your card to the Financial Aid Office. If you have lost your card, visit the Social Security Administration website.
For more information about what you need to do to get a replacement card and where to send your completed Application for a Social Security Card (SS-5), see Documents You Need for a Social Security Card.
Once you receive your new or replacement social security card, submit to the Oconee Fall Line Technical College Financial Aid Office as soon as possible.
Selective Service
The Department of Education could not confirm that you registered with selective service.
Register online at the Selective Service web site and/or come into the Financial Aid Office for assistance with the registering process.
If you are not registered and over the age of 25 you must:
- Contact the Selective Service at 847-688-6888 to request a Status Information Letter addressing failure to register.
- Submit written statement explaining the situation & the Status Information Letter to OFTC’s Financial Aid Office. The student should provide a description of his situation: where he was living from the age of 18 – 25 when he should have registered, whether he was incarcerated or institutionalized, and his citizenship status during the period. Those having served in the military under a condition other than dishonorable must submit DD 214 Form, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
The Financial Aid Office will review the documentation. To receive aid, such students must demonstrate that they did not knowingly and willfully fail to register.
Selective Service Exemption RequestProof of Citizenship or Eligible Non-Citizen
The Department of Education could not confirm citizenship status. To qualify for student financial aid, proof of citizenship or eligible non-citizen status is required. According to the federal regulations mandated by the U. S. Department of Education and state regulations mandated by Georgia Student Finance Commission the following documentation is acceptable proof of citizenship or eligible non-citizen for educational purposes.
You must submit one of the following documents to OFTC’s Financial Aid Office for consideration:
- Birth Certificate listing American citizenship
- An Alien Registration Receipt Card, also called an I-151 or an I-551 form
- A conditional permanent Resident Form, also called an I-151C form
- An eligible non-citizen documentation form with an Arrival-Departure Record, such as the I-94 form from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service showing any one of the following designations: a) Refugee, b) Asylum Granted, c) Indefinite Parole and/or Humanitarian Parole, or d) Cuban-Haitian Entrant.
- Students who only have F1 or F2 student visa, J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa or G series visa are not considered eligible non-citizens for financial aid purposes.
Question 23 Drug Worksheet
You listed that you had been convicted of a drug related crime. You need to complete the following worksheet in order for the Financial Aid Office to determine your eligibility.
Default Notice
OFTC’s Financial Aid Office has been notified that the current status of your previous student loan(s) is DEFAULT.
- Default Notice (PDF)
Student Loans
Check the status of your student loans at Federal Student Aid.
OFTC Student Loan Code of Conduct
Oconee Fall Line Technical College (OFTC) participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program which includes the Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Student Loans. To a lesser extent, private loans are also processed for students on an as needed basis. To comply with the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act (enacted August 14, 2008) OFTC adopts the following Student Loan Code of Conduct to serve as the formal guiding principles in insuring the integrity of the student aid process and ethical conduct of OFTC employees in regard to student loan practices.
1. Revenue Sharing
The term “revenue-sharing arrangement” means an arrangement between an institution and a lender which – (i) a lender provides or issues a loan that is made, insured, or guaranteed to students under the Higher Education Act attending the institution or to the families of such students; and (ii) the institution recommends the lender or the loan products of the lender and in exchange, the lender pays a fee or provides other material benefits, including revenue or profit sharing, to the institution, an officer or employee of the instititution. OFTC and its employees will not enter into any type of revenue-sharing arrangement with any lender, guarantor or servicer. OFTC does not provide students a preferred lender list from which to select a lender for a private student loan. All loans are processed without regard to lender or mode of transmission (i.e., electronic or paper). OFTC will neither recommend a private loan lender nor accept material benefits including revenue or profit sharing to the institution, an officer, or an employee of the institution or an agent.
2. Gifts
Employees of the Offices of Student Financial Aid and the Bursar’s Office and Student Accounts are prohibited from soliciting or accepting any gifts from a lender, guarantor, or servicer of education loans.
- Gifts include any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan or other item. This includes a gifts of services, transportation, lodging, or meals, whether provided in kind, by purchase of a ticket, payment in advance, or reimbursement after the expense has incurred.
- Gifts to family members of a OFTC employee are considered to be a gift to the employee if the gift is given with the knowledge and acquiescence of the employee and there is reason to believe the gift was given because of the official position of that employee.
3. Contracting Arrangements
Employees of the Offices of Student Financial Aid and the Bursar’s Office and Student Accounts shall not accept from any lender or affiliate of any lender any fee, payment, or other financial benefit (including opportunity to purchase stock) as compensation for any consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services to a lender or on behalf of a lender relating to education loans.
4. Preferred Lender Status
OFTC participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program which provides student and parent loans through the U.S. Department of Education. Lenders in the private student loan industry will not be given a preferred status. OFTC will not produce a preferred lender list that gives any lender an advantage in securing business from OFTC students.
5. Interaction with Borrowers
OFTC will not assign a borrower’s private student loan to a particular lender; all decisions will be made by the borrower in his/her independent review of borrower benefits and lender services. Further, OFTC will not refuse to certify, or delay certification of, any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.
6. Opportunity Pool Loan
OFTC will not request or accept from any lender any offer of funds to be used for private education loans (defined in section 140 of the Truth in Lending Act) including funds for an opportunity pool loan in exchange for OFTC providing concessions or promises regarding providing the lender with a specified number of loans made, insured or guaranteed; a specified loan volume of such loans; or a preferred lender arrangement for such loans.
7. Staffing Assistance
OFTC will not request or accept from any lender, guarantor, or servicer of student loans any assistance with call center staffing or financial aid office staffing.
8. Advisory Board Compensation
Employees of the Offices of Student Financial Aid and the Bursar’s Office and Student Accounts who serve on an advisory board, commission, or group established by a lender, guarantor, or group of lenders or guarantors, are prohibited from receiving anything of value from the lender, guarantor, or group of lenders or guarantors, except that the employee may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in serving on such advisory board, commission, or group.
Withdrawing and Dropping Classes
Students are required to complete 67% of all attempted classes. If you withdraw or drop any classes, this could affect your financial aid status. If you are considering withdrawing or dropping any classes, please contact the Financial Aid Office to see how it will affect your financial aid status.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale that includes all credit courses appearing on the academic transcript. If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below the minimum, his/her financial aid is subject to Financial Aid suspension. Also, the Department of Education requires that students complete 67% of all attempted classes.
Students will be placed on FA warning the term after failing either criteria. If the student does not meet financial aid standards during the warning term, he/she will be placed on suspension.
Financial Aid Appeal Process
SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) Appeal
Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale that includes all credit courses appearing on the academic transcript. If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below the minimum, his/her financial aid is subject to Financial Aid suspension. Also, the Department of Education requires that students complete 67% of all attempted classes.
Students will be placed on FA warning the term after failing either criteria. If the student does not meet financial aid standards during the warning term, he/she will be placed on suspension.
Students have the right to appeal a finding that they are not making satisfactory progress if they feel that there are extenuating circumstances which have prevented them from meeting the specified requirements. Any student on suspension may file an appeal with the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. Appeals for Satisfactory Academic Progress must be based on specific extenuating circumstances. Documentation supporting the extenuating circumstance must be submitted with the appeal. If the appeal is granted, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Warning and/or given an academic plan to ensure success for the following and subsequent terms. If a student is given an academic plan, it is the student’s responsibility to check on status by contacting the Financial Aid Office after grades are posted each term. The deadline for submitting an appeal is 10 days from the date the student was notified of suspension.
Academic Plan
Students will be given an academic plan IF the committee approves the SAP appeal. A student under an academic plan will agree to the following requirements:
- Must successfully complete all courses
- Must maintain a term GPA of at least 2.3
- Failure to comply with all requirements of the academic plan will result in the student being placed back on suspension.
- A second appeal may be considered if extenuating circumstances have occurred that is different from the first appeal, while on an academic plan. (This is essentially an unanticipated and unavoidable occurrence beyond the student’s control which directly affected his or her ability to be academically successful and which has been resolved or stabilized so he or she is now able to become academically successful. Examples of mitigating circumstances include but not limited to a documented illness, death in the immediate family, or natural disaster.)
- If the length of the SAP Academic Plan has expired and the student is still not making SAP, then the student would not be eligible for another extension of aid. The student would need to submit another SAP Appeal to request their aid be reinstated or students can submit up to 2 SAP Appeal Forms.
Professional Judgement Appeal
Professional judgment is the ability of a financial aid administrator to recalculate the student’s financial aid eligibility due to special or unusual circumstances. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) only requests certain information, which may not show the student’s/parents entire financial situation. The financial aid administrator, under federal law, has the authority to take these special or unusual circumstances into consideration and make changes to the student’s financial aid application.
Special circumstances are situations that may occur that are not addressed in the application process. Some common special circumstances that may occur are:
- Separation from employment due to layoff, termination or disability
- Excessive non-reimbursed medical and/or dental expenses
- Reduction of untaxed income source such as child support, disability benefits, etc.
- Separation or divorce which occurred after applying for financial aid
- Death of parent or spouse which occurred after applying for financial aid
In order to start the Professional Judgment process, a request must come from the student. Once the student has requested that Professional Judgment be performed, the student is given an OFTC Professional Judgment Appeal Form. This form has instructions and a list of documents that must be presented to the Financial Aid Office before the Professional Judgment Appeal can be completed.
The student must complete and submit the FAFSA, the Verification Worksheet, tax transcripts for student and parents (if dependent), Professional Judgment Appeal Form, and documents that support the appeal. On the Professional Judgment Appeal Form, the student must provide income earned from different sources up till then and projected total income for the entire year.
Verification will first be performed on the application. If needed, corrections may be made to the application. Once the correction has come back from the Department of Education, the Financial Aid Administrator will review the supportive documents. The Financial Aid Administrator will make any necessary adjustments to the application using the information provided by the student. All documentation will be taken into consideration.
Once adjustments are made to the application the Financial Aid Administrator will make the final decision. The decision is final and cannot be appealed.
Federal Refund Policy
Students receiving assistance from Title IV programs (Federal PELL Grant or FSEOG) will be awarded aid depending upon the amount of aid earned. If the student completed more than 60 percent of the term, he or she will have earned 100 percent of the aid for that period. If the student completed 60 percent or less of the term, the percentage of the period completed is equal to the percentage of aid earned.
The percentage completed will be calculated by counting the number of days completed up to the point of withdrawal divided by the total number of days in the term. This percentage will be applied to Title IV funds for which the student established eligibility prior to the withdrawal date.
The Title IV aid earned is first used to pay the tuition, fees, and bookstore charges the student has deferred to their Title IV aid account. If any funds remain after deducting these charges, the student will receive the balance due in the form of a refund check prior to the end of the term. If the amount of Title IV aid earned is insufficient to cover these charges and any payments already made to the student, the student is liable for these charges and they must be repaid before the student will be allowed to enroll in another term of study at OFTC. Examples are available in the Office of Financial Aid.
Contact OFTC’s Financial Aid Office
If you have questions that are not addressed here, please call the Financial Aid Office or stop by the campus nearest you.
- North Campus (Sandersville) – Financial Aid Office: 478-553-2090
- South Campus (Dublin) – Financial Aid Office: 478-274-7833 or 478-274-7940
- For VA Information: 478-274-7761
- For Federal Work Study (FWS): 478-240-5162 or 478-274-7836
Additional information on financial aid is available in the online OFTC catalog