CMC’s Federal School Code is 004506.
Colorado Mountain College is committed to equal educational opportunities for all students.
Financial Aid Specialists are available to assist students with financial aid information, application procedures and other related issues. For general questions or to have an outside scholarship sent to CMC, please use the contact information below:
Colorado Mountain College
Office of Financial Aid
802 Grand Avenue
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
(970) 947-8322
Email: finaid@coloradomtn.edu
See CMC’s Financial Aid Policies for more information.
Overview of Financial Aid
Financial aid is money that is given or loaned to enrolled students to help them pay for school expenses including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies and transportation. This money can be in the form of:
- Gift aid such as state or federal grants, private or institutional scholarships.
- Self-help aid such as loans that need to be repaid, or work-study, which is campus employment and must be earned.
Colorado Mountain College offers a variety of financial aid award types including, federal, state and privately-funded grants, over 500 scholarships, work-study opportunities and several loan options.
All communication regarding a student’s financial aid status or award notifications will be sent to the student’s CMC email address. It is critical that students monitor their CMC email account consistently throughout enrollment at Colorado Mountain College.
Financial Aid Application Process
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. The application opens each October 1st. Students must also have a valid CMC admissions application on file to be considered for financial aid.
Students who are eligible for in-state tuition under Colorado ASSET, and for those without lawful immigration status, who are ineligible to submit the FAFSA, may qualify for state financial aid if certain criteria are met. Any student ineligible to complete the FAFSA is encouraged to apply for this aid by submitting the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA).
For FAFSA completion, all students, and at least one parent of dependent students, are required to create an FSA ID with a unique username and password. When completing the FAFSA, students should enter CMC’s Federal School Code 004506 in order to have their results sent to CMC. Students are encouraged to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) within the application to electronically transfer their tax data from the IRS directly into their FAFSA.
For CASFA completion, all students are required to create an account on the Colorado Department of Higher Education website prior to starting the CASFA. For dependent students, at least one parent’s electronic signature is required prior to submission of the State Application (parents do not need to create an account).
NOTE: If a student’s application is selected for verification by the Department of Education, the student and/or parent of a dependent student will need to submit all required documentation before receiving an award package.
Students may submit a Special Circumstances Appeal to the Office of Financial Aid for review if they feel their family’s financial situation is not accurately reflected on the FAFSA or CASFA due to special circumstances such as death, divorce or separation, disability, loss of employment, etc.
Federal Student Aid Eligibility
In order to be eligible for federal student aid, a student must:
- Be a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen.
- Have a high school diploma or HSE.
- Enroll in courses that will be applied to a program eligible for financial aid. Bachelor’s and associate level programs are financial aid eligible, but certificate programs’ eligibility varies; exceptions exist for certain remedial courses.
- Enrollment to CMC requires males to register for the Selective Service.
- Be in good standing with all previous borrowed Federal Student Loans.
- “Undeclared” is not an eligible degree program. Meet with a College Counselor/Advisor at your campus for assistance.
Colorado State Financial Aid Eligibility
In order to be eligible for Colorado State Financial Aid, a student must:
- Enroll in courses that will be applied to a program eligible for financial aid. Bachelor’s and associate level programs are financial aid eligible, but certificate programs’ eligibility varies; exceptions exist for certain remedial courses.
- “Undeclared” is not an eligible degree program. Meet with a College Counselor/Advisor at your campus for assistance.
Be considered a Colorado ASSET student and meet the following requirements:
- Have attended a public or private high school in Colorado for at least three years immediately before graduation or completion of a High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma in Colorado.
- Be admitted to a Colorado college or university within 12 months of graduation from a Colorado high school or completion of a Colorado HSE.
NOTE: Students who graduated from a Colorado High School or completed a Colorado HSE before September 1, 2013, AND were not admitted to a Colorado college or university within 12 months of graduation from a Colorado High School or completing a Colorado HSE, may be requested to submit proof of 18 months continuous physical presence in Colorado.
Disbursement of Financial Aid
Financial aid funds are transmitted and applied directly to CMC student accounts approximately 10 days after the start of each term*. If a student’s total financial aid award is less than the institutional charges, the student is responsible to pay the remaining balance or set up a payment plan through the Student Payment Center on Basecamp. Failure to make such arrangements before the payment deadline may result in the student being dropped from their courses.
Excess funds will be refunded to the student through direct deposit or check.
*Disbursement dates can be affected for a variety of reasons including late-starting classes and a student’s status as a first-time loan borrower. First-time borrowers are subject to a 30-day delay for the disbursement of loan funds. Single term loans are disbursed in two payments: two weeks after the start of the semester and at the semester mid-point.
Award Types
Grant Programs
CMC has a variety of federal, state and private grant funds available to students. Submission of the FAFSA application allows students to be considered for these funds*. Award amounts vary based on financial need, enrollment status and availability of funds. Grant funds are gift aid and do not need to be repaid.
*Students who are ineligible to submit the FAFSA and are eligible for in-state tuition under Colorado ASSET, are encouraged to complete the CASFA and may be eligible for state-funded grants if certain criteria are met. Students should meet with a Financial Aid Specialist for details.
Scholarships
Colorado Mountain College Foundation Scholarships
The Colorado Mountain College Foundation offers over 500 scholarships. To be eligible for these scholarships, students must be enrolled in a CMC degree or certificate program.
Colorado Mountain College President’s Scholarship
The President’s Scholarship is a $1000 tuition scholarship available to recent graduates of qualifying local high schools or HSE completers who are enrolled full-time. Completion of a FAFSA or CASFA is required to be eligible for this scholarship.
Go For 4 Scholarship
The Go For 4 scholarship program offers up to four continuous semesters of funding to current Colorado Mountain College students who have graduated with a CMC associate degree and will remain at CMC to pursue their bachelor’s degree.
Eligible students must meet the following criteria to qualify:
- Be a graduate of a high school within the Colorado Mountain College District or a HSE graduate living within the CMC District.
- Graduating with a two-year degree from CMC (Associate of Arts/Associate of Science/Associate of Applied Science).
- Continuing into a bachelor’s degree program the following semester (spring grads can start in the fall) at CMC.
- Maintained good academic standing during their associate degree.
Work-Study Programs
Work-study programs help students earn financial funding through part-time employment. Work-study funds are limited and are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible students. These funds must be earned by working part-time at an approved position. Interested students should submit the FAFSA for eligibility to be determined.
Students who are ineligible to submit the FAFSA and are eligible for in-state tuition under Colorado ASSET, are encouraged to complete the CASFA and may be eligible for state-funded work-study if certain criteria are met. Students should meet with a Financial Aid Specialist for details.
Loan Programs
Colorado Mountain College participates in the Federal Direct Loan Program, including undergraduate Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and Federal Direct Parent PLUS. Award amounts vary based on financial need, student grade level and student dependency status.
NOTE: All funds disbursed under the Federal Direct Loan Program, plus any applicable interest, must be repaid.
Adjustments to Financial Aid
There are a variety of circumstances that may require an adjustment to a student’s financial aid award. Students should understand how dropping and adding courses, receiving other aid or corrections on their FAFSA or CASFA, will impact their aid. For more information, contact a Financial Aid Specialist.
Demonstrating Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students receiving federal and/or state financial aid funds are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards as defined by the Department of Education. These standards ensure students are making satisfactory progress toward fulfillment of their degree program requirements. In addition to maintaining a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0, students must also maintain a minimum cumulative completion rate of 67%.
In addition to these standards, students are required to complete their degree within a maximum time frame, defined by the Department of Education as 150% of the required credits for degree completion. It is important to note that all periods of enrollment will be included in this calculation. This includes credits attempted for dual enrollment, transfer credits, failed, dropped, or incomplete credits and repeat or remedial credits.
Students failing to meet these established standards may lose financial aid eligibility.
Reestablishing Financial Aid Eligibility
A student placed on financial aid termination may have the option to submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal for Exceeds Maximum Timeframe or Termination form. Speak to a Financial Aid Specialist regarding the appeal process. Financial Aid appeals will be reviewed by the Office of Financial Aid and a determination made regarding reinstatement.
Returning Title IV Funds
When a student withdraws from CMC after beginning attendance, federal regulations require that the school calculate the amount of Title IV aid a student is entitled to receive based on how long the student attended the term. The Title IV programs that are subject to this requirement include Federal Pell Grants, Direct Loans, Direct PLUS Loans and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG). These calculations may result in funds being owed to the Department of Education by the student, the school or both.
Veteran Education Benefits
Colorado Mountain College honors those who served our country in the military. Veterans, active-duty military, their spouses and dependents (under 23 years of age) may be eligible for a tuition discount.
Most certificate and degree programs offered through Colorado Mountain College are approved for Veteran Education Benefits.
All students receiving assistance from the Veterans Administration (VA) and/or state funding agencies must comply with current regulations, including regulations related to satisfactory academic progress, attendance and reporting of previous educational training to the funding agency.
Per VA regulations all education and military transcripts must be provided to receive Veteran Education Benefits.
Send all transcripts from previous higher education institutions and military transcripts to CMC’s Registrar’s Office registrar@coloradomtn.edu for evaluation.
For information on ordering a Joint Services Transcript (JST), please visit the JST website. CMC uses recommendations provided by the American Council on Education (ACE) for the transcript evaluation. These credit recommendations appear on the service member’s JST.
For information on ordering an Airforce Transcript, see Community College of the Air Force or Air University.
NOTE: Because the application and approval process takes an average of 60 to 90 days, be prepared to personally meet all educational and living expenses for at least three months.
The VA approves work experience courses for Veteran Education Benefits only if the course is required of all students earning the specific degree or certificate. Please read the degree/certificate requirements carefully. Visit the CMC Veterans page for further information on Veterans Services. You may also contact the Coordinator of Military Benefits by email at military@coloradomtn.edu or by calling (970) 384-8523.
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