Financial Aid Process
1) Apply for Admissions
In addition to completing a FAFSA, a student must be admitted to CCS to be considered for financial aid. For most forms of financial aid, students must be enrolled at least half time in a degree granting curriculum.
International students are not required to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and will receive their Scholarship letter with their acceptance letter.
U.S. Citizens
2) Complete the FAFSA
The financial aid process begins with the completion of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA is the only application that CCS uses to determine eligibility for federal, state and institutional awards such as loans, grants and work-study. All U.S. citizens and permanent residents with proper documentation are eligible to complete a FAFSA. The CCS school code is 006771.
3) What Happens Next
Once a student is admitted, has completed the FAFSA and has submitted any required verification documents, the Financial Aid Office will prepare and mail an award letter to the student. The award letter will contain your estimated out-of-pocket costs (tuition and fees only, minus your total financial aid award) along with the amount and type(s) of aid offered. In most cases, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Don’t forget to include housing and a meal plan in your budget if you plan to live on campus, as these are NOT included in your award letter estimates. The student must accept or decline each award that is offered and return a signed copy to the Financial Aid Office. Grants and scholarships are offered and accepted automatically.
If you require additional funds to cover your cost of attendance, parents of dependent students may consider applying for the Federal Parent PLUS loan. Students may also consider applying for an alternative/private loan.
The Financial Aid Office will continue to work with you during your time at CCS to ensure that you receive any aid that you are eligible for based on federal requirements.
4) Completing Requirements
After a student has accepted his or her aid offer there are additional requirements for some loans, such as promissory notes and entrance counseling that may need to be completed. If you are unsure about the status of your additional requirements please contact your financial aid counselor.
