Frequently Asked Questions

Refunds will be processed once we determine your award eligiblity.  Once we are ready to process a refund for you, you will receive an email from our office usually on the Tuesday prior to your refund date. Visit the Refund page for dates. 

Yosemite Community College District delivers your refund with BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc. Visit disbursements for more information. 

View our third-party servicer contract for refund management.

Financial aid is money from federal, state, and private institutions used to pay college costs. There are two general types of aid: gift aid and self-help aid.

Gift aid: The two types of gift aid are grants and scholarships. Grants and scholarships are similar- aid given to a student for which the student does not have to work or have an obligation to repay.
Self-help aid: There are also two kinds of self-help aid, employment and loans. Employment- part time campus or off campus job. Loans-money used to pay current expenses with an obligation for repayment at some future time, usually with interest.
How do I apply for financial aid?

You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Cal Dream Act Application (CADAA).

FAFSA filers:  Apply online.  You will need an FSA ID so you can electronically sign the FAFSA.  An FSA ID can be obtained at Federal Student Aid website.  If you are a dependent student, also get an FSA ID for your parent. Alternatively, you can complete a PDF FAFSA (Note: PDF FAFSA's must be mailed for processing) or request a paper FAFSA by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). If you are hearing impaired, please contact the TTY line at 1-800-730-8913. You will then need to mail the completed application in the envelope provided.  Whether you apply online or with a paper application, use the appropriate FAFSA School Code for all of the schools you are considering. MJC's federal school code is 001240.

Dream Act filers:  You may apply online.  You will need a User ID and Password so you can electronically sign the Cal Dream application.   If you are a dependent student, also get a PIN number for your parent.   MJC's school code for the Cal Dream application is 00124000.

In addition to the FAFSA or Cal Dream Act application, a separate form may be required to apply for a Cal Grant, called the GPA Verification Form. A GPA Verification Form may be completed and mailed to the California Student Aid Commission. The form is available by accessing the Cal Grant website.  The MJC Student Financial Services Office submits GPA's electronically for students who have completed a minimum of 16 degree-applicable units and have attended MJC within the last five years.  You may log on to Pirates Net to verify your GPA has been submitted.

College costs vary widely. Most of the difference is in tuition and fees, which are lower at public institutions. Other costs are much the same at public or private institutions. Costs that are generally considered are: tuition, fees, books and supplies, room, meals, personal expenses and transportation.

Yes, many families mistakenly think they don't qualify for aid and prevent themselves from receiving financial aid by failing to apply for it. The financial aid application is free. There is no good excuse for not applying.

Yes, you should apply for financial aid every year beginning October 1st for the following academic year. If your financial circumstances change, you may get more or less aid. Note that your eligibility for financial aid may change significantly, especially if you have a different number of family members in college. Renewal of your financial aid package also depends on your making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree, such as earning a minimum number of credits and achieving a minimum GPA.

Answer all questions in this step to determine if you will need to provide parental information for the 2024/2025 FAFSA or CADAA application.

• Were you born before January 1, 1999?
• As of today, are you married? (Also answer "Yes" if you are separated but not divorced.)
• At the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, will you be working on a master's or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, graduate certificate, etc.)?
  
• Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training?
  
• Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?
  
• Do you now have or will you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025?
  
• Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2025?
  
• At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court?
  
• As determined by a court in your state of legal residence, are you or were you an emancipated minor?
  
• Does someone other than your parent or stepparent have legal guardianship of you, as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?
  
• At any time on or after July 1, 2023, did your high school or school district homeless liaison determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?
  
• At any time on or after July 1, 2023, did the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S.
• Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?
  
• At any time on or after July 1, 2023, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?
  

If you (the student) answered "No" to every question you are considered dependent and must provide parent information.

If you answered "Yes" to any question you are considered independent and do not have to provide parent information.

You must meet the following criteria:

Federal funds

• Be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Demonstrate financial need as determined by an analysis of your FAFSA information
• Be enrolled in a degree, certificate or transfer program at Modesto Junior College
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent, or pass an "ability to benefit" (ATB) test prior to receipt of Federal funds

State funds

• Demonstrate financial need as determined by an analysis of your FAFSA or Cal Dream Act application information
• Be enrolled in a degree, certificate or transfer program at Modesto Junior College
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent, or pass an "ability to benefit" (ATB) test prior to receipt of State funds

A student is eligible for Financial Aid if he/she satisfies the following criteria:

• Have a high school diploma, GED (or equivalency), or have passed an independently administered “Ability to Benefit” test approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Be enrolled in an eligible program leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer to a university.
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen. (FAFSA filers only) Eligible non-citizens: U.S. Permanent Residents with an Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-551) or Conditional Permanent Residents (I-551C) or those with an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) showing the designations of Refugee, Asylum Granted, Parole or Cuban-Haitian Entrant.
• Submit all required forms and documents requested by the Financial Aid Office.
• Meet and maintain satisfactory academic progress requirements for financial aid.
• Have financial need, as demonstrated by a financial aid office review of your completed financial aid application.
• Do not owe a refund or a repayment on a federal grant.
• Not be in default on a federal educational loan.
• Have a valid Social Security Number (FAFSA filers only).

Dependent students must also provide parents’ Social Security numbers if applicable.

There is no income threshold for student aid eligibility. All of the questions on the financial aid application are used to determine the Student Aid Index (SAI) which results in the financial aid award put together by the school. A family may have too much income to be awarded a Pell Grant, but this does not mean that they will not be eligible for other types of financial aid.

It is recommended that you submit your FAFSA online at the FAFSA Website.

Alternatively, you can complete a PDF FAFSA (Note: PDF FAFSAs must be mailed for processing) or request a paper FAFSA by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). If you are hearing impaired, please contact the TTY line at 1-800-730-8913.You will then need to mail the completed application in the envelope provided.

Yes, electronic filing is faster than filing a paper form. In fact, it may be as many as 14 days faster if you sign your application with your FSA ID as soon as you complete it.

TIP: FAFSA on the Web also edits your application before you submit it. This helps ensure that the data you submit is ready to be processed.

Submit the FAFSA/CADAA as soon as possible after October 1. Do not wait until your taxes are done. Although it is better to do your taxes early, it is o.k. to use estimates of your income, so long as they aren't very far off from the actual values. You will have an opportunity to correct any errors later. If you wait too long, you might miss the deadline for state aid. Most states require the FAFSA to be submitted by March 1, and some even as early as mid-February.

If you haven't received a Student Aid Report (SAR), you can go to www.fafsa.gov and print a copy of your Student Aid Report. If you have trouble accessing your SAR, you may call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (toll free) or 1-319-337-5665. You must provide them with your Social Security number and date of birth as verification.

Online Request:

• Go to Get Transcripts under the IRS website. 
• Choose to "Get Transcript ONLINE" (immediately),OR "Get Transcript by MAIL" (5 to 10 days) 
• Follow steps on the IRS website to complete the request
• Select Return Transcript for the appropriate year

Contact IRS by Phone: 

• Available from the IRS by calling 1-800-908-9946
• Follow prompts to enter your Social Security number and the numbers in your address
• Select Option 2 to request an IRS Tax Return Transcript and then enter appropriate year

Paper Request: 

• Form 4506-T, to access form click on 4506-T
• You can MAIL or FAX form. Instructions on 2nd page of 4506-T form

IRS Federal Tax Return:

• Submit a SIGNED copy of your Federal Tax Return Filed with the IRS
• Include all schedules and forms (ie: IRS Schedule 1, 2, and/or 3)

The money you earn from Federal Work-Study is generally subject to federal and state income tax, but exempt from FICA taxes (provided you are enrolled full time and work less than half-time).

Federal Work-Study earnings during the calendar year should be included in the totals for Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). The student should also be careful to report amounts based on the calendar year, not the school year. You should receive W-2s at the end of January.

Yes. If the information you entered on your FAFSA was incorrect as of the day you signed the FAFSA, you can use Corrections on the Web to correct your answers.

You cannot change:

• Your Social Security Number (SSN). If your SSN is incorrect, you must complete a new application with the correct SSN.
• Your financial information, unless it was incorrect as of the day the FAFSA was submitted.
• Your marital status, unless it was incorrect as of the day the FAFSA was submitted.

If you feel you have unusual circumstances that should be considered after your FAFSA is processed, you should contact your school's financial aid office to find out how you might be able to correct your application

If your SSN is incorrect, you must fill out a new FAFSA with your correct SSN. The application you already submitted cannot be deleted from the database. Contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or 1-800-730-8913 (if hearing impaired). Also, tell your school's financial aid office that the database may contain two applications under your name or SSN and let the school know which application is correct.

• If you have an FSA ID you can electronically sign your application by selecting "Sign Electronically With Your FSA ID" under the "Filling Out a FAFSA" section of the home page.
• Select "Check Status of a Submitted FAFSA" or "Print Signature Page" under the FAFSA Follow-Up section of the home page to print a signature page, then sign it and mail it in.
• If you have a paper Student Aid Report (SAR), sign and mail it in.
• Check with the Student Financial Services Office to see if they are able to apply your signatures electronically.