Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.studentaid.gov. List Sinclair as the school to receive your information (School Code: 003119).
It is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is used by the federal government, the state, and the school to determine your eligibility for federal financial aid.
Apply once each academic year. The academic year at Sinclair Community College starts with fall term and ends with summer term. The FAFSA is available after October 1 for the next year at www.studentaid.gov. Please Note: In some instances, the FAFSA availabilty date could be delayed.
The financial aid staff provides workshops to help students complete the application online. Th.e workshop dates and locations are available at www.sinclair.edu/enroll/how-to/fafsa-workshops/
Students will be sent an email to their Sinclair.edu email address when their file is complete, and their financial aid offer is available to review on the Financial Aid Portal. They will need to accept the offer before the funds will be available to pay their tuition.
Federal aid (Pell Grant, Federal student loans) does not pay toward tuition or fees until ten (10) days before the term begins. If you are only registered for B term or later-starting classes, federal aid will not pay until ten (10) days before the start of your B term or late starting classes. Accepted scholarships and/or state grants may be applied earlier.
Please note that Federal student loan funds for first-time student loan borrowers will not until the 31st day of the term after the student begins classes.
After the start of the term, any financial aid that remains after tuition, fees and books have been paid for may be eligible for refund. Refund distributions are processed by the Bursar Office through BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc. More information on refunds and BankMobile Disbursements can be found at the refund information and policy webpage.
After tuition and fees are paid, students may use remaining federal financial aid and some scholarships up to a maximum of $1000 per term to purchase books at the Sinclair Bookstore in person or at sinclair.ecampus.com. Book charge dates can be found at sinclair.ecampus.com. More information on Financial Aid for textbooks can be found here.
May 1st is the annual priority date for FAFSA completion established by Sinclair. Apply by this date each year for the best chance of maximizing your financial aid awards for the next academic year. Though May 1st is the priority date, we encourage students to complete the FAFSA as early as possible.
Students are not required to attend full-time, but most financial aid is prorated for students enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours per term. Some financial aid requires students to be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours (loans, some scholarships, work study). Visit the Welcome Center for more information.
There are several reasons a course is not considered in the calculation for federal financial aid (see below). Eligible credit hours impact the amount of Pell Grant a student can receive. Eligible credit hours can also impact a student’s eligibility for Federal student loans and Federal Work Study if the student is enrolled in less than 6 eligible credit hours. If the eligible hours are less than full time (12 credit hours), federal financial aid may be adjusted. As a result, this may affect the student’s refund or result in a balance.
After tuition and fees are paid, students may use remaining federal financial aid and some scholarships up to a maximum of $1000 per term to purchase books at the Sinclair Bookstore in person or at sinclair.ecampus.com. Book charge dates can be found at sinclair.ecampus.com. More information on Financial Aid for textbooks can be found here.
There are several points to consider before dropping classes. These are reviewed on the “Dropping a Class” flyer. Please contact a financial aid representative before dropping a class.
It is possible to use financial aid for all three terms. State grants and federal loans can be used for all three terms if all eligibility is not exhausted in the first 2 terms. The Federal Pell Grant will be awarded over two terms with a possible option for the third term if student meets eligibility requirements for a second scheduled Pell Grant award. The number of terms in which scholarships are awarded will vary based on the criteria of each scholarship.
Students receiving federal financial aid are required to maintain?Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Academic records are reviewed for all students currently receiving federal financial aid or who are being considered for federal financial aid.
View the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
The review of a student's SAP status is based on their entire academic record. The “Fresh Start” program though Academic Advising does not impact a student’s SAP status. The SAP status is evaluated each term after grades are posted. Being eligible to enroll in classes does not mean the student is maintaining SAP eligibility for federal financial aid. In addition to academic requirement, students must also meet certain eligibility criteria to maintain financial aid eligibility.
All students may apply for Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – there is no separate application process. Once your FAFSA is processed, you may be offered student loans. To accept or reject any loans that have been offered, access your Financial Aid Portal. Select “My Awards” and choose to accept, reduce, or reject the offered loan. If accepting loans, you will receive an email at your Sinclair.edu email address to inform you of additional steps. Loan borrowers must complete the Loan Agreement (called a Master Promissory Note or MPN) and Loan Entrance Counseling. You can access these steps by visiting Federal Student Aid.
Your federal student loan amount is based on several factors, including your enrollment level, annual loan limits, cost of attendance, and other financial aid you receive. Beginning with the 2026–2027 award year, federal law may also require loan amounts to be adjusted based on your enrollment level.
Federal student loan repayment generally begins after you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time enrollment. Most borrowers have a six-month grace period before repayment begins.
Your loan servicer will contact you with information about your repayment options, monthly payment amount, and due date. You can view your federal student loans, identify your loan servicer, and explore repayment plans by logging in to your account at StudentAid.gov.
Subsidized: The federal government pays interest while the borrower is in school at least half time or under a qualifying deferment status.
Unsubsidized: Borrower is responsible for interest accrued during life of the loan.
PLUS: available to parents of dependent students. The parent must submit the PLUS application online at studentaid.gov. The parent will also be required to complete a Loan Agreement (MPN).
Scholarship applications are available at www.sinclair.edu/scholarships. Scholarships may also be included in your financial aid package.
Federal student loan amounts are limited to $5,500 for 1st year students and $6,500 for 2nd year students. Eligible students may request additional loan funding by requesting a Change of Award through FA Online Forms.
Sinclair offers students part-time employment opportunities both on and off-campus. Students can look for job postings and apply for positions at College Central. Working as a student not only offers income to help pay for classes, but also provides résumé building experience.
Positions are categorized as Regular Student Employment or Federal Work-Study. Any student can apply for Regular Student Employment positions. Students must have a Federal Work-Study award available to apply for Work-Study Only positions. Students who do not have a Federal Work-Study award may contact the Welcome Center to see if you qualify. Learn more about both types of student employment.