Applying for Financial Aid


Financial aid is funding that will help you and your family meet college expenses such as tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc. The basic sources of aid are grants, scholarships and employment.

You and your parents (if you are dependent) are still considered the primary source of funding for these costs. Financial aid is intended to fill the gaps where you and your parents might fall short in paying for your education.

Follow these three steps to apply for financial aid at ACC:

1. Submit the FAFSA.

  • All students who wish to be considered for federal and state financial aid, need-based scholarships and private loans must complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). We strongly encourage you to apply online at studentaid.gov. The FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA should be completed at studentaid.gov as soon as possible after October 1 for the upcoming academic year. ACC’s priority filing date for the federal processing center to receive your FAFSA is MARCH 15th. For more information on how to complete the FAFSA on your phone, please watch this video.
  • Students whose FAFSAs are received by the priority filing date are given first consideration for some federal and state financial aid programs that have limited funds.

  • ACC’s school code for the FAFSA is 005463.

  • Priority Date to file the FAFSA: March 15th

  • Retain the printout of your confirmation page after submitting your FAFSA online. This is your proof that you applied. Remember to mail your signature page immediately after submitting your FAFSA online (if you don’t have a PIN). Save to your computer a copy of the FAFSA submitted online or retain a copy of the paper FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA for your file.

2. Watch your email.

  • Within approximately two weeks after submitting your FAFSA online you should receive a SAR (Student Aid Report) indicating that your FAFSA has been processed and sent to the institutions you designated. Check the SAR for accuracy, and make sure that ACC is listed as one of the schools you plan to attend. If ACC is listed as a recipient of your data, that information will be transmitted electronically to ACC for review.

3. Submit all requested documents.

  • Upon receipt of your electronic FAFSA data from the federal processing center, we will mail you a letter requesting documents needed to complete your file. SUBMIT all requested documentation promptly. You may be asked to submit copies of tax transcripts or other documentation to complete your financial aid application. Respond promptly to these requests (and any follow-up requests) to assure timely processing of your application. The first letter is the ONLY paper letter you will receive from Financial Aid, please check your e-mail often to see if there is any other correspondence from the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office uses the PRIMARY e-mail address registered with Admissions.
  • To stay compliant with federal regulations, the financial aid office must determine if your high school credential is valid.  This does not affect the admission to Alamance Community College.  Alamance Community College does except all High School diploma’s including unaccredited institutions for admissions into the college.  Please see page 20 of the student catalog and or visit https://www.alamancecc.edu/admissions/. Please provide a copy of your high school credential to admissions and notify the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@alamancecc.edu when it is received.  To see the full policy please click here.
  • Once documentation is received by the financial aid office, it takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process.  Please plan accordingly.  Deadlines are posted HERE each semester.

 The ACC Financial Aid office staff are available to assist students with the application process. You may make an appointment for individual assistance by calling to reserve a spot to attend one of our FAFSA application workshops. To reserve your spot please click HERE or call 336-506-4340. Our office is located in the Student Success Building (S Building) on the top floor.

Students who provide all documentation to the Financial Aid office by the guarantee deadline will be awarded before Alamance Community College’s first payment deadline. If documentation is provided after the deadline, students may not have their award in place before tuition is due. Students should make other arrangements to cover outstanding tuition until aid is awarded. You may click HERE for more information on tuition payment plans.

Foundation Scholarships: Alamance Community College has generous Foundation donors who help hundreds of Alamance Community College students go to school every year. Students must demonstrate academic promise with a 2.5 GPA and at least a 75% completion rate. To be considered for a Foundation Scholarship, students must fill out a FAFSA application and submit it to ACC.

To fill out the scholarship application, click HERE.

Award Notifications: Financial aid award packages are e-mailed to those students whose files are complete by the priority date (June 1) as soon after June 1 as possible. By meeting the priority deadline, you are assured that your request for aid will be processed before the tuition payment deadline for the upcoming semester.

Award conditions and responsibilities: Be sure to read the materials accompanying your award letter for conditions attached to your award. All of the attachments are available under the Documents and Forms on the left hand menu.

Financial aid disbursement: Financial aid is awarded by the Financial Aid Office, but is disbursed by the ACC Business Office. If you have financial aid in excess of your tuition/fees, a check for the balance will be mailed to you approximately six weeks after the start of the semester. Financial Aid awards made for the academic year are usually disbursed in two installments; one each semester, assuming you are registered for the number of hours on which your financial aid award was based.

Summer School and Financial Aid: You will have some Pell funds remaining if you attended less than full time during the fall or spring semester. You can expect to receive an email notification of remaining funds by April. In the event you have used all of your funds but still have need for the summer semester, keep in mind Summer Pell is back!  You may click HERE for Summer Pell Policy or you may apply for a part-time scholarship. These are awarded as funds are available.  To fill out the scholarship application, please click HERE.  You must reapply for scholarships for summer, even if you received a scholarship in Fall and/or Spring.

The ACC Financial Aid Office is located in the Student Success Building (S) on the top floor.

If you have any questions, please stop by, call at 336-506-4340 or e-mail us at financialaid@alamancecc.edu