Financial Aid and Scholarships

This federal program provides grants to students to help pay college costs. Federal Pell Grant amounts vary each award year and depend on your enrollment status and Student Aid Index (SAI) determined by what you submit on your FAFSA. You do not pay back a Federal Pell Grant, except under certain circumstances.

Learn more about Federal Pell Grant award amounts and details.

This federal program provides assistance to Pell Grant-eligible students with exceptional financial need as measured by the lowest expected family contribution. SCC will award FSEOG funds from the U.S. Department of Education until the full amount of all funds has been awarded to eligible students. You do not pay back a FSEOG, except under certain circumstances.

The Special Rule for Pell Grants replaces the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG) and the Children of Fallen Heroes (CFH). You may be eligible for the Special Rule for Pell Grants if you are less than 33 years old as of January 1 of the FAFSA award year and whose parent or guardian died in the line of duty while:

• Serving on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001, or
• Actively serving as and performing the duties of a public safety officer.

How do I apply?

You apply by completing a FAFSA. You will indicate “Yes” on the FAFSA question indicating that your parent or guardian died in the line of duty. You will then be asked to provide documentation, which will include a death certificate, along with written confirmation of active duty status at the time of death from the military command or public safety entity.

How much money can I get?

The grant award is equal to the amount of a maximum Federal Pell Grant for the award year but cannot exceed your cost of attendance for that award year. View the amount of the maximum Federal Pell Grant award for the current award year.

What should I do to maintain the grant?

You will have to fill out the FAFSA form every year that you’re in school and indicate on the FAFSA that your parent or guardian died in the line of duty.

Once you have earned a baccalaureate degree or your first professional degree, or have used up all 12 semesters of your eligibility, you are no longer eligible to receive this grant.

This state program provides assistance to eligible students who are Nebraska residents with exceptional financial need as measured by the lowest student aid index. All eligible students with a completed financial aid file by March 1 will be given priority consideration for a NOG award. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education approves these awards.

SCC Scholarships

The SCC Educational Foundation established the scholarship program to make college affordable for SCC students and to recognize outstanding academic achievement.

SCC Institutional scholarships are considered gift aid and do not require repayment.

All of the eligibility requirements for federal financial aid also apply to SCC Scholarships.

Online applications are accepted during the following application periods:

• High School Seniors apply during their senior year for awarding the next academic year.
  • December 1–April 1
• Current and new SCC Students apply during the following periods for awarding in the next semester.
  • May 1–May 31 (Fall semester awards)
  • October 1–October 31 (Spring semester awards)

External Scholarships

External scholarships are awarded by organizations outside of Southeast Community College. SCC is not informed about scholarships that external organizations have provided to you.

Once you are notified by the organization of your award, it is your responsibility to:

• notify the SCC Financial Aid office of the scholarship amount
• provide information about the external scholarship to the SCC Business Office (Student Accounts) to ensure proper handling of the funds, as outlined by the awarding organization.

Once processing is complete the funds will be credited to your account.

Transfer Scholarships

SCC has established agreements with a number of area universities, including Concordia University and Nebraska Wesleyan. Please visit our Transfer Information page for additional details listed with each institution.

If you plan to enroll in summer classes and will need financial aid, you must complete the FAFSA first to determine eligibility for the award year.  Please keep in mind the following:

1. Your Pell Grant is awarded based on full time enrollment, but if you are less than full time, your grant will be prorated based on the actual number of TIV eligible credit hours you are actively enrolled in.  If you have classes that begin after the start of the term, you may not receive your Pell disbursement for those classes until they have started and you are attending them. 
2. You must be registered at least half-time (six or more credits) for student loan eligibility.
3. You must be enrolled in a Title IV eligible program and eligible classes to receive financial aid.  If you are taking summer classes to only transfer them to another institution, you are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Federal Work-Study (FWS) enables students who demonstrate financial need to earn a portion of their educational expenses. (Students must complete the FAFSA® to be considered for FWS funds.) In this program, students earn at least the current hourly minimum wage by working at the school or for nonprofit or private for-profit agencies. Southeast Community College helps eligible students locate jobs; certain restrictions apply.

How to Apply

The first step in qualifying for financial assistance is completing and filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), which serves as an application for all federal – and most state – student aid programs.

The FAFSA® can be filed electronically at studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa; be sure to include the SCC school code (007591). The FAFSA® becomes available every October 1. The FAFSA® should be filed as soon as possible and must be renewed each year. Prompt submission assures consideration for maximum available financial aid. For Federal and State aid specific deadlines, visit studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. The information reported on the FAFSA® is used to determine the student aid index (SAI). Financial aid eligibility is determined by subtracting the SAI from the total estimated educational expenses.

After the FAFSA® has been processed, the student will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS). The student and/or family must review the FSS for accuracy and notify the financial aid office of any necessary corrections.

Assistance packages are developed using information from the FAFSA® and any supplemental documents. The foundation for all assistance packages is contributions from student and family income and assets. SCC provides students with an electronic award letter via their Student Self-Service account indicating the amount of financial aid for which they may be eligible and sources from which the aid may be received.

Reinstated/readmitted students may be considered for financial aid if they meet all eligibility requirements.

Available Federal Work Study positions can be found via SCC’s JobConnect at College Central Network®.

Southeast Community College complies with all applicable state and federal equal credit opportunity laws; however, SCC cannot guarantee financial assistance or credit to any student.

FAFSA® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Education.

Private student loans are offered by banks and other lenders—not the federal government.

Important Things to Know:

• Approval is based on credit (often requires a co-signer)
• Interest rates, fees, and terms vary by lender
• Loan protections are usually not as strong as federal loans

Borrowing Limit:

• Up to the cost of attendance minus other aid

It is recommended that the student explore the use of federal grants and loans before considering private loans.

Federal Direct Loans are loans from the U.S. Department of Education that help students pay for college and must be repaid according to federal rules. If you qualify, loans can be a useful way to cover educational expenses.

To be eligible, you must:

• Meet federal financial aid (Title IV) requirements
• Be enrolled in an eligible program
• Be taking at least 6 credit hours (half-time enrollment)

Federal Student Loan applications are certified by the SCC Financial Aid Office and funded through the U.S. Department of Education. The types of direct loans available are:

• Subsidized Federal Direct Loans – These loans are based on need and the federal government pays interest on the loans while you are attending college at least half-time. This subsidy continues for six months from the date a student graduates, drops below half-time enrollment status or withdraws from school.
• Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans – These loans are not based on need and you are responsible for paying the interest from the date of the first disbursement.

As a borrower, you will be classified into one of these groups:

• Dependent Student – you will report both your parents’ and your own information.
• Independent Student – you will report your own information (and, if you’re married, your spouse’s information).

Depending on your status, you are eligible to borrow up to the following amounts:

• Dependent students in the first year of a program: $5,500
• Dependent students in the second year of a program: $6,500
• Independent student in the first year of a program: $9,500
• Independent student in the second year of a program: $10,500

You will be classified as a first-year for student loan purposes until you have earned 31 credit hours toward an eligible program of study. The maximum amount you may borrow as an undergraduate during your college program is $31,000 for dependent students and $57,500 for independent students.

Loan Proration

Prior to July 1, 2026, Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans were prorated (reduced) only in limited situations.

Starting July 1, Federal Direct Loan amounts will be prorated based on your “enrollment intensity”. If you are enrolled less than full time, your loan amount will be reduced based on a proration schedule set by the Department of Education.

PLUS loans will not be prorated

Students enrolled less than half time continue to be ineligible for Direct Loans.

The Financial Aid Office has the authority to further adjust or reduce a loan amount on a case-by-case basis to support responsible borrowing and ensure compliance with federal regulations. If this happens, you may request a written explanation.

Loan Disbursement

If you are enrolled in a single term, your loan is typically split into two payments:

• First payment: about 3-4 weeks after classes begin
• Second payment: halfway through the term (as long as you remain eligible)

Before you receive your loan funds, you will be required to complete the following on the U.S. Department of Education website using your FAFSA login:

• Entrance Counseling to ensure you understand your obligation to repay the loan

• Sign a Master Promissory Note, your agreement to the terms of the loan- typically, valid for 10 years from the date it is signed

Our Financial Aid Office will inform you of the type of loan you are eligible for (subsidized, unsubsidized or a combination of both). We follow guidelines and regulations from the U.S. Department of Education when certifying loans and/or determining amounts. Federal Student Loan borrower interest rates vary depending on the loan type and the first disbursement date of the loan. Please see the interest rates for Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans.

Repayment begins 6 months after you:

• Graduate
• Withdraw
• Drop below half-time enrollment

Loan Exit Counseling

If you have borrowed a federal loan from SCC and you will be graduating, withdrawing, or dropped below half-time (6 or more credit hours), you must complete exit counseling. The exit counseling is designed to make you aware of your repayment responsibilities, familiarize you with your lender(s), give you examples of repayment schedules, and to answer any questions you may have regarding your loans.

Before you begin repaying your federal loan(s), the federal government requires that you understand the basics of repayment. On-line exit counseling takes just a few minutes and will cover:

• The necessity of repaying your student loan
• Subsidized, Unsubsidized Stafford, PLUS, and Perkins Loans
• Your repayment options
• Estimating your payments
• Deferment and forbearance
• Reasons for loan cancellation
• Your rights and responsibilities
• Keeping in touch with your lender/servicer

https://studentaid.gov/exit-counseling/

You will need your Social Security Number, Date of Birth, your FSA ID, and names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses for 4 references. This will take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete.

SCC is required to provide the additional loan information listed below. The links below are provided for your reference and access only. (FYI)

You can view your federal loan history (Direct, Stafford, Perkins, PLUS, Grad PLUS). https://studentaid.gov/h/manage-loans.  This website will show all your prior loans, as well as the lenders and servicing agencies attached to those loans. You will need your FSA ID to access this web site.

If you experience problems with your loans, you should first attempt to resolve complaints by contacting your lender or loan servicing agency. If you, have made a reasonable effort to resolve the problem through normal processes and have not been successful, you should contact the FSA Ombudsman.

Loan Repayments

Repayment Options

Deferment and Forbearance

A deferment or forbearance allows you to temporarily postpone making your federal student loan payments or to temporarily reduce the amount you pay.

The Department of Education has a website dedicated to deferment and forbearance.

All in-school deferment request should be submitted to registration@southeast.edu for processing.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Information

This federal program loans eligible parents of a dependent student a Direct PLUS loan to help pay for college expenses. Loan applications are certified by the SCC Financial Aid Office and are funded through the U.S. Department of Education.

Your parents are responsible for repayment of this loan with options of when repayment starts after the origination date. The PLUS loan is subject to a fixed interest rate for the life of the loan. Please see the interest rates for the Federal Direct PLUS Loan.

Key Points:

• Credit-based loan (a credit check is required)
• Parent must not have adverse credit history 

• Completion of the FAFSA is required. Remember that the FAFSA is completed in the student’s name

• Student must be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible program
• Both the parent and student must meet Title IV eligibility requirements

Parent PLUS Annual and Aggregate Limits

Prior to July 1, 2026, Parent PLUS loans were limited to the Cost of Attendance minus other financial aid.

Starting July 1, the following limits will be in place:

• $20,000 per dependent student
• $65,000 total (lifetime) per dependent student
• Limits apply across both parents combined (both parents may borrow, but their combined total may not exceed the new limits)

Requirements:

• Parent must complete a PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) at studentaid.gov
• Additional counseling may be required in some cases

Repayment:

• Begins shortly after the loan is fully disbursed
• Parents may request a deferment while the student is enrolled and for 6 months after

 Approval is not guaranteed each year—it must be re-evaluated annually.