Schools

BCCC: Deadline Extended for First-Time State Grant Applicants

The new deadline for Bucks County Community College students who've never applied for a grant from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency is Aug. 1

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) has extended the deadline for first-time state grant applicants to Monday, Aug. 1.

That means Bucks County Community College students who have never applied for state aid through the agency have extra time.

Applicants must be attending Bucks at least part time and satisfy all eligibility requirements to qualify. According to BCCC officials, PHEAA expects that the new deadline will increase the number of community college state grant recipients by 35 percent to 33,000 students statewide.

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The maximum state grant award for community college students in 2011-12 will be $2,313 -- a 23 percent increase from last academic year.

The grant could substantially aid a student at BCCC, where tuition for a full-time student who lives in Bucks County is about $3,500 a year, said Bucks officials.

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“We would like to see as many students as possible benefit from this opportunity by completing the application process by August 1,” said Donna Wilkoski, BCCC director of financial aid. “Last year, more than 1,200 Bucks students received state grant assistance.”

Wilkoski said students who applied for the first time, as well as non-renewal applicants, and were rejected because they missed the earlier May 1 deadline will be notified with updated eligibility information. She added students should log on to www.PHEAA.org to ensure that their application is complete.

To determine eligibility for a state grant, students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and a State Grant Form (SGF).  Both forms can be accessed at www.PHEAA.org.

For more information, contact BCCC's Financial Aid office at 215-968-8200.


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