Financial Aid

Overview

What is financial aid?

Financial aid is monetary assistance intended to help you finance your education when personal and family resources are not adequate to meet the total educational costs. 

Many students and families rely on student financial aid to help pay for the overall cost of attending college. Financial aid can come from COTC, federal and state government, and private sources, and includes grants and scholarships (which do not need to be repaid), student loans (which do need to be repaid), and Federal Work Study (wages for part-time employment on campus).

LEARN ABOUT TYPES OF AID

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Important Financial Aid Processing Update for 2024-2025

Due to the major overhaul of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the office of Federal Student Aid experienced many challenges causing unexpected processing delays. Barring any further delays from Federal Student Aid, we anticipate importing processed FAFSA applications the week of April 15. If we need additional information, you will be notified by COTC email as soon as possible after importing your FAFSA.

Students with a file complete status should begin to receive financial aid notifications the week of April 22. Completing the FAFSA is a crucial step in securing financial assistance for your education. If you have not submitted the 2024-2025 FAFSA yet, there is still time! Visit the official FAFSA website.

We are committed to helping you access the resources you need to succeed academically and will provide financial aid notifications as quickly as possible.

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Apply for Financial Aid

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

COTC uses the FAFSA form to determine how much financial aid you’re eligible to receive, which could include grants, scholarships, work-study and loans. We encourage all students to complete the FAFSA. In most cases, you are eligible for some type of federal financial aid regardless of income. You must complete a FAFSA each academic you plan to enroll in classes.

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Verification

Students who apply for Federal Financial Aid may be selected for a process called verification and must submit documents to confirm the information reported on the FAFSA is accurate.

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Financial Aid Forms

Find forms required for verification, appeals and other situations related to paying for college.