Funding Sources - Paying for College

PAYING for COLLEGE - FINANCIAL AID

Building I-218, Robert C. Roberts Campus Center

rtc.edu/financial-aid

financialaid@rtc.edu

(425) 235-5841

Financial Aid Statement of Commitments

Our Financial Aid department’s primary objective is to bridge the gap between a student’s available funds and the Cost of Attendance (COA) to support students with their needs and success at Renton Technical College (RTC). Our team works diligently to provide individualized service and is available to walk our students and their families through every step of the financial aid process. We maintain sustainable partnerships with the federal, state, tribal and other agencies. We strive to strengthen our relationship with local organizations, businesses, and diverse communities at large by providing equitable, accessible, and inclusive wrap-around services, support, and resources. The Financial Aid Office increases opportunities for both access and success by helping students seek, obtain, and make the best use of all financial resources.

Enrollment determination for Financial Aid eligibility

Students must be pursuing a financial aid eligible program at Renton Technical College and enrolled only in classes required for that program. A consortium agreement may also allow students to receive funding for courses that are required for RTC degree program (home school), being taken at a different participating college (host school). Financial aid may be prorated based on students’ enrollment level as indicated in the chart below. 

Types of Financial Aid Available

Financial aid includes grants, scholarships, work study, and student loans. Funds are offered according to the student’s eligibility, need and fund availability. The financial aid programs available to students at RTC include:

• Federal Pell Grant: are available to eligible students and prorated based on the student’s enrollment level. Eligibility is limited to a Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). Students who have obtained a bachelor’s degree (this includes degrees earned outside the United States) are not eligible for Pell grants.
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG): are available to eligible students based on the availability of FSEOG funding.
• Washington College Grant (WCG): offered to eligible Washington residents (including undocumented students). The grant is prorated based on the student’s enrollment level and students must be in a minimum of three (3) credits.
• College Bound Scholarship (CBS): offered in combination with WCG to assist the students with education costs. CBS is available to students who apply in middle school, meet the pledge requirements, and attend college within one year of high school graduation. The grant is prorated based on the student’s enrollment level and students must be in a minimum of three (3) credits.
• Passport to Careers (PTC): The Passport to Careers program helps former foster youth and unaccompanied homeless youth prepare for and succeed in college, apprenticeships, or pre-apprenticeship programs.
• Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS): supports low- and middle-income Washington students pursuing degrees, certificates or apprenticeships in high-demand trade, health care or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields and helps launch careers. Please visit https://www.waopportunityscholarship.org/students/applicants/ to learn more about the program.
• Student Emergency Assistance Grant (SEAG): program provides funding for colleges to assist students experiencing unforeseen emergencies or situations that affect the student’s ability to attend classes.
• Life Essentials Grant (LEG): financial assistance for students who are currently enrolled and taking classes. Grants are provided to support current students with emergency assistance for life needs.
• Institutional Aid (RTC) grant: Renton Technical College reserves a percentage of tuition revenue and offers these funds to Washington State resident eligible students in the form of institutional grants.
• Federal Work-Study (FWS) and State Work-Study (SWS): provide student employment opportunity on and off campus based on students’ financial aid eligibility and fund allocation. Students must be enrolled/attending at least ½ time, six (6) or more credits, per quarter to participated in FWS and SWS.
• Direct Federal Student Loans: are low-interest loans for students and parents to assist paying for the cost of students’ education after high school. The lender is the US Department of Education rather than a bank or other financial institution. Repayment begins six months after completion or withdrawal from school. Students must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and must be enrolled/attending at least ½ time, six (6) or more credits, per quarter to be eligible. There are three types of loans available under direct student loan programs:
  • Subsidized Loans are need-based. A student’s eligibility to borrow is based on financial need as determined by the federal government which pays interest on the loan while the student is in school.
  • Unsubsidized Loans do not require a student to show financial need; however, the cost of the student’s education must exceed any other financial aid offered. The student, not the federal government, is responsible to pay all the interest that accrues on this loan.
  • Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) are loans parents borrow to pay for their child’s educational expenses.
• Alternative (private) loans: RTC does not recommend preferred lender or affiliated with any private lender. Students should contact their selected lender and their lender should work with our financial aid office directly.

Financial Aid Application Process

• Students must apply for one of the two appropriate applications listed below for the applicable academic year as early as October 1st each year.
• • Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): is for students who are U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizen or citizen of the Freely Associated States, such as Federated States of Micronesia and the Republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands. Students must apply at www.fafsa.gov and add RTC’s Federal school code: 014001 for the school to receive the FAFSA from Federal Student Aid.
  • Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA): is for students who may not qualify for federal financial aid, particularly undocumented students, because of their immigration status. Students must apply via www.readysetgrad.org/WASFA and should indicate the school they plan to attend on their WAFSA for the school to receive their application. Eligible WA residents can access state aid regardless of the status of citizenship, tax filing, prior financial aid debt and/or student loan default.
• Admissions & Eligible Program Declaration: students must have current/active admission and be pursuing a Financial Aid (Title IV) Approved Program at RTC for their financial aid file to be reviewed.
• Verification Process: students may be selected by the Department of Education and/or the school to provide additional documentation confirming that the data reported is accurate or to resolve conflicting information. In such cases, the school may request additional or supporting documentation. Please note that this process is not intended to accuse wrongdoing or falsification of information.
• Communication: the financial aid office will communicate to students about their application status via students’ preferred email and/or ctcLink student portal under “To Do List.” It is students’ responsibility to update their preferred contact information and/or access their students’ portal.
• Completed File: Students submit a FAFSA/WASFA and all required documents to have their financial aid eligibility reviewed before/after the quarter begins within the academic year. Completed files are reviewed by priority date as indicated on the financial aid website and are processed on a first-come-first-serve basis.
• Incomplete File: Students do not have valid a FAFSA/WASFA and/or did not submit all required documents to determine their financial aid eligibility. The file will be considered incomplete and will not be processed until all required documents are received.

Professional Judgment: Financial Aid Professional Judgment (PJ) is a process that allows financial aid administrators to adjust the information provided on the FAFSA/WASFA based on special circumstances faced by students and/or their contributors (spouse, biological or adoptive parents/stepparents). The goal of Professional Judgment is to consider factors that may not be reflected accurately in the original financial aid application.

• Unusual Circumstances: FAFSA/WASFA applicants who indicate that they have unusual circumstances will be granted “provisional independent” status and be able to complete the form without providing parental information. They will receive an estimate of their eligibility which will be subject to final determination by RTC. Students experiencing extenuating circumstances (e.g., human trafficking, refugee or asylee status, parental abuse or abandonment, incarceration) may submit a Dependency Override (DO) appeal with applicable/supporting documentation. Dependency Override (DO) appeal form is available on the RTC financial aid homepage. Upon submission, our institution will review the appeal for a determination of independence within six weeks, but no later than 60 days after the student enrolls. The outcome of the appeal will be communicated to students via preferred email on record.

• Special Circumstances: if students/contributors experienced significant income loss compared to what was reported on the FAFSA, students may request a change of circumstance (COC) evaluation. Upon review, student’s financial aid eligibility and/or Cost of Attendance (COA) budget may or may not change. Change of Circumstance (COC) Evaluation form is available on the RTC financial aid homepage.

Financial Aid Service Indicator:

A Tuition Deferred Service Indicator is a temporary courtesy hold placed for students, with pending or active grants and loans, to protect courses from being dropped for non-payment until eligible is determined. This service indicator does not guarantee funding. Students are responsible to pay balance owed if their aid is insufficient/cancelled. Failure to do so may result in classes being dropped for non-payment.

Financial Aid Offers and Disbursements:

Financial aid funding is scheduled to be disbursed regularly, as early as the first week of each quarter. To ensure accurate & timely refund disbursements, it is highly recommended that students finalize their enrollment at least a week prior to quarter start. Less than full-time enrolment, change in enrollment level, not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), change in program/enrollment level and other factors may delay disbursements or eligibility.

• Financial Aid Offers: : financial aid files are reviewed on a first-come-first-served basis to determine student eligibility. Students are notified of their eligibility with an offer notice sent to the student’s preferred email account. Financial aid offers are tentative based on students’ enrollment status, verification of individual eligibility and the availability of the federal, state, institutional and agency’s allocations.
• Tuition Payments: RTC is authorized to apply funding to students’ accounts to pay tuition/fees.
• Student Financial Aid Electronic Refund: (BankMobile): only refundable aid is refunded to student directly. RTC is partnered with BankMobile to disburse financial aid refunds electronically. RTC no longer issues paper-checks to students as refunds. Students must set up their BankMobile account indicating their refund preference method. Failure to set up a BankMobile account in a timely manner may cause a delay in financial aid refunds. Renton Technical College delivers financial aid refunds with BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc.  https://bankmobiledisbursements.com/how-it-works/
• Financial Aid Adjustment: typically, financial aid grants are offered based on full-time (12 credits or more) enrollment and prorated down if/when enrollment level is less than full-time. Funding is subject to adjustment during the census (10^th calendar day of each quarter) if enrollment status/program changes. If enrollment changes result in increasing aid eligibility, disbursement of additional aid will be scheduled.
• Financial Aid Overpayment and Debt: when students’ enrollment and/or program changes resulted in decreasing aid eligibility, students may have debt that must be repaid to the school or agencies, as applicable. If students receive funding at two schools concurrently, they may be subject to overpayment and/or their aid at RTC may be reduced or cancelled. Unresolved/unpaid debt may impact students from enrolling in future quarters and obtaining record/credentials from RTC.
• Return to Title IV (R2T4) Repayment: Federal student aid funds are offered to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which you received funding. When a student withdraws from all courses, for any reason, they may no longer be eligible to receive the full amount of federal student aid originally received. Return of Title IV (R2T4) funds refers to a mandatory calculation when a federal student aid recipient officially or unofficially withdraws from RTC during a quarter of enrollment.
  • Last day of Attendance (LDA): an official and unofficial withdrawal is defined by Enrollment Services withdrawal procedures and students’ courses attendance/activity date reported by instructors. The Financial Aid Office is required to determine the amount of aid earned for the quarter using the LDA reported in the system for all financial aid eligible classes.
  • Calculating the Earned & Return of Unearned Funds: the amount of federal grants/loans earned is calculated by dividing the number of days attended by the number of days in the quarter. The portion of aid considered unearned is returned to the Department of Education.
  • Repayment and Debt: if all courses are dropped/withdrawn before completing more than 60% of the quarter, students may owe the unearned portion of federal grants/loans. The Financial Aid Office will notify students of the amount of aid earned for the quarter and update student accounts to reflect the return of the unearned portion to the appropriate federal aid program. This action may result in outstanding charges owed to the college based on the school refund policy. Students should monitor their ctcLink student account to resolve any owed balance. Unresolved repayment/overpayment to institution and/or collection agencies may prevent future financial aid eligibility.
  • Post-Withdrawal Disbursements: if the student did not receive all the funds earned prior to withdrawing, a post-withdrawal disbursement may be due. If the post-withdrawal disbursement includes loan funds, the student must give permission before the funds can be disbursed by responding to the financial aid office request.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): Students must meet SAP Policy requirements to be eligible for federal, state, and institutional financial aid. All quarters of attendance, including those in which financial aid was not received, are used in determining SAP status prior to offering financial aid. Students are notified via preferred email if SAP conditions are not met.

There are three standards to the SAP Policy that are evaluated at the end of each quarter:

1. Pace of Progression: Qualitative (completion-based) assessments

• Students must maintain a minimum pace of progression of 67% (complete at least 2/3 of their attempted cumulative credits) to be eligible to receive financial aid.
• Students must successfully complete the enrollment level/credits standard each quarter indicated in the Quarterly Pace of Progress Assignments table:

1. Grade Point Average (GPA) - (performance-based)
   • Students will be on warning status if their quarterly GPA is under 2.0. No points calculated grades (N, NC, I, U, V) are equivalent to F (fail) for financial aid purposes
   • Student will be on suspension if they have two consecutive quarters with their GPA below 2.0
   • Students may be placed on a warning or suspension status if their cumulative GPA is at risk of not reaching 2.0 or better throughout their program.

1. Maximum-Time frame: Quantitative (time-based) assessments:
   • Financial aid eligibility cannot exceed 150% of the maximum length of the students’ degree or certificate program.
   • Only credits that apply toward a student’s current program are considered. This includes all transferred credits, pre-requisites, and remedial courses exceeding 45 credits.
   • Basic studies, transitional courses, English Language Acquisition (ELA), and up to 45 credits of remedial coursework will be excluded from the maximum timeframe calculation.
   • For SAP purposes, attempted credits include letter grades: C-Credit, NC-No Credit, F-Failed, I-Incomplete, N-Audit, R-Repeat, U-Unsatisfactory, V-Vanished (Unofficial Withdrawal), W-Withdrawal, Y-In Progress grades

Financial Aid Warning: students who do not satisfy the Quarterly Pace of Progress requirement will be placed on a warning status (refer to the Quarterly Pace of Progress Assignments table above). Students are eligible to receive aid for their next attended quarter while on warning status. However, they are at risk of losing their financial aid eligibility if they do not complete the quarter in good-standing. Two consecutive quarters (back-to-back) of warnings will result in financial aid suspension status.

Financial Aid Suspension: students who do not meet all three of the quarterly SAP standards requirements will be placed on suspension status (refer to the SAP standards listed above). Students may be subject to suspension if they are mathematically and reasonably unable to complete their program. Students on suspension are not eligible to receive financial aid funding unless their status changes through the appeal process or self-reinstatement.

Financial Aid Probation: students will be placed on probation status for the next quarter they attend after their appeal is approved and their aid reinstated. Students who are on probation status and did not satisfy their approval conditions and/or didn’t complete their quarter in good standing will be placed on suspension status. Students may be on probation status if they have an unsuccessful academic history even if they did not receive financial aid in the past.

Regain Eligibility for Financial Aid: students who are suspended from financial aid have two (2) options to regain their eligibility:

1. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal: students have the right to appeal their financial aid suspension. Appeals must describe the hardship which resulted in losing financial aid eligibility, included but not limited to illness, injury, a death in the family or other extenuating circumstance. The SAP Appeal form is available on the RTC financial aid homepage.
2. Self-Reinstatement: if students choose not to appeal, or if their appeal is not approved, they may request a self-reinstatement evaluation after completing five (5) or more required credits in good standing using a non-financial aid source. During that quarter, students must complete all attempted credits while meeting all three (3) SAP standards listed above. The self-reinstatement evaluation must be requested by selecting the option on the SAP Appeal form available on the RTC financial aid homepage.

Students will be notified of appeal decisions via preferred student email. Appeal review timelines may vary depending on the volume of appeals received. If a student’s appeal is approved, they will be placed on probationary status and/or specific Academic Educational Plan.

Changing Program of Study: students who change their program of study multiple times without completing their prior program(s) may be subject to SAP. Students will be at risk of not completing their new program within the maximum time frame and may exhaust their lifetime funding eligibility when changing programs. Students may not receive aid if they are mathematically or reasonably unable to complete their program in a timely manner.

Repeat Coursework: per state and institution policy, students may repeat a course twice - this is defined as two repeats in addition to the original enrollment (for a total of 3 attempts). Repeated courses are counted as attempted credits, however, only passed courses may apply towards program completion. Students may receive financial aid for repeated failed courses if they are within the maximum time frame for their program and have not reached their lifetime eligibility for funding. For SAP purposes, a failed course is defined as any grade below 1.0 or non-passing letter grade. Previously passed courses earned 3.5 or below GPA may be repeated only once.

PAYING FOR COLLEGE - VETERANS SERVICES &

AGENCY FUNDING

Building I, Student Success Center

 (425) 235-6570

Veterans Services

veterans@RTC.edu

Veterans Services

Most of the training programs at Renton Technical College which offer a Certificate of Completion, an Associate of Applied Science degree, or a Bachelor of Applied Science are approved for benefits under the following Veterans Administration regulations:

• Chapter 31 -Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
• Chapter 30 -Montgomery GI Bill (Active Duty)
• Chapter 32 - Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
• Chapter 35 -Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance
• Chapter 1606 - Reserve GI Bill
• Chapter 33 -Post- 9/11 GI Bill
• Tuition Assistance (TA)

Eligible veterans and dependents must request certification each quarter for approved degree and certificate programs. Only courses required for the program will be funded. Audited courses are not eligible. Students are required to make satisfactory academic progress as defined by RTC and are required to notify Veterans Services of any schedule changes. Veterans who have attended prior college(s) must submit an official transcript for evaluation of credits.

GI Bill® and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment students who have submitted, or are in the process of submitting, their certificate of eligibility to the School Certifying Official will not have a penalty imposed. This includes late fees, or being denied access to school facilities, or being required to borrow additional funds, because of delayed payments from the VA.  

How to apply: Application for VA Education Benefits can be found online at https://www.va.gov/education/apply-for-education-benefits/application/1990/introduction

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government - Veterans Affairs GI Bill® website.

Agency Funded Programs:

studentfinancials@rtc.edu

The Financial Aid office serves as a liaison between students and various governmental and community agencies that have authorized funding to pay for tuition, books, and supplies.  The various public and private agencies who offer funding include:

• Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)
• Department of Labor and Industries (L&I)
• Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
• Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)
• Employment Security Department
• Private Insurance
• Employers providing tuition payment vouchers

Academic Standards of Progress policy: students receiving GI Bill® benefits (VA Educational Benefits) and/or Agency Funded Programs are subjected to RTC Academic Standards of Progress and/or other criteria that are required by specific fund sources. Students must refer to their specific agencies and/or RTC Academic Standards of Progress policy.

PAYING for COLLEGE - WORKFORCE EDUCATION (WFE)

rtc.edu/workforce-education-funding

Learn if one of these Tuition Assistance Programs can help you.

Worker Retraining (WRT) Program: WRT may help pay for tuition and expenses for those who have lost their jobs currently receiving Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits, or used up their (UI) benefits in the last 48-months, or determined to be a “Dislocated Worker”, or discharged from the US armed services within the past 48-months, or a “Displaced Homemaker” (worked primarily in the home over the past two years providing unsalaried household services for family members on a full-time basis, or a person working in a job in decline needing career training with no more than 45 college credits completed. Please visit rtc.edu/worker-retraining to learn more about the WRT grant and the application process.

Academic Satisfactory Policy: Students receiving Workforce Education benefits are subject to RTC Academic Satisfactory Policy (SAP) and other criteria required by specific fund sources. Students must refer to their specific agencies of their fund sources.

Basic Food, Employment Training (BFET): Basic Food, Employment and Training (BFET) provides access and services to persons receiving Federal food stamps in Washington state. Services include tuition, textbooks, and support services to Basic Food recipients not participating in the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Please visit rtc.edu/BFET to learn more about BFET and the application process.

Opportunity Grant: The Opportunity Grant program helps low-income students complete up to one year of college and a certificate in a high-wage, high-demand career. Please visit  rtc.edu/opportunity-grant to learn more about the Opportunity grant and the application process.

WorkFirst Program: WorkFirst helps pay for tuition, textbooks, supplies, childcare, and transportation for families receiving the DSHS monthly cash and medical help through the DSHS Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. You may request a job on campus through the WorkFirst Program. Learn more about these wonderful opportunities for families seeking careers and the WorkFirst application process here:  rtc.edu/workfirst

Academic Standards of Progress policy: students receiving Workforce Education programs are subjected to RTC Academic Standard of Progress and/or other criteria that are required by specific fund sources. Students must refer to their specific programs and/or RTC Academic Standard of Progress policy.

PAYING for COLLEGE - FOUNDATION

Building C, Room 112

foundation.rtc.edu

(425) 235-7867

Foundation Scholarships: students may be eligible for RTC Foundation scholarships. Students can visit the scholarship webpage of RTC Foundation Scholarships to learn and apply for scholarship opportunities available. Students fill out applications via the application software of Award Spring: https://rtc.awardspring.com/.  

McCarthy Bridge Grant: a one-time grant for College & Career Pathway (CCP) students who plan to continue their college degree or certification training at Renton Technical College (RTC) and are transitioning or graduating from CCP courses.

Academic Standards of Progress policy: students receiving Foundation Scholarships, McCarthy Bridge Grant and other external scholarships are subjected to RTC Academic Standards of Progress and/or other criteria that are required by specific donors and third-party agencies. Students must refer to their specific donors, third-party agencies and/or RTC Academic Standards of Progress policy. 

PAYING FOR COLLEGE - OTHER RESOURCES

Collegiate Recovery Scholarship: the Wellbriety Center is the hub for RTC’s collegiate recovery community. Our team works to reduce barriers for students experiencing substance abuse.  We also serve RTC students who are homeless or need housing and food. Please visit the Wellbriety Center at rtc.edu/wellbriety to learn more about the Collegiate Recovery Scholarship.

Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness (SSEH): grant which assists students experiencing homelessness, housing, and food insecurity.

RTC’s King County Promise Equity Grant: this is available to Opportunity Youth pursuing an associate degree and participating in transitional/support services. 

The Learning Resource and Career Center at RTC (LRCC):  Free resources include the Food Pantry, computer repair (CHIPS), Handshake job board, resume and mock interview help, free tutoring, free computer lab, and connection to the United Way Benefits Hub for rent assistance, utility assistance, internet help, moving assistance, the Equity Grant. This is also a WorkSource Connection site for the public seeking employment.  LRCC: https://rtc.edu/LRCC

Notice: Renton Technical College does not and will not provide any commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on success in securing enrollment or financial aid to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting or admissions activities or in making decisions regarding the award of student financial assistance.