Frequently Asked Financial Aid Questions

Yes. We offer in person and phone appointments at this time. You can schedule either one of those at this link: https://www.grcc.edu/pay-college/financial-aid-scholarships/schedule-financial-aid-appointment.

• Follow this link to our scholarship application: https://www.grcc.edu/pay-college/financial-aid-scholarships/apply-aid/scholarships
• You can also apply by logging into your Online Center and clicking on the Academic Works (Scholarship Application) tile. 

• Does your question regard the Michigan Reconnect Scholarship? Please find more information
• Does your question regard the Futures for Frontliners Scholarship? Please find more information here: https://www.michigan.gov/frontliners
• Does your question regard the GRCC Foundation Scholarships? Please find more information here: https://www.grcc.edu/employers-community/grcc-foundation
  • If you have specific questions about your GRCC Foundation Scholarship, please contact the GRCC Foundation at (616) 234-3939.

When completing the FAFSA, the student must identify which schools that they are interested in attending.  You can list the school by name search, or you can input the federally provided code.  

GRCC's FAFSA school code: 002267

Some items to check:

• Please make sure that you have completed your Master Promissory Note (MPN) and your Loan Entrance Counseling. These can be completed here: https://studentaid.gov/h/complete-aid-process. 
• Please make sure that you are enrolled in at least 6 credits. 
• Please make sure that you accepted the loan on your Online Center. You can do this by logging into your MyGRCC portal > clicking on the Financial Aid tab > click on “Accept/Decline” > accept the loan (click on the pencil icon to edit a decision) > click submit.
• Did you recently accept your loan? It can take a few days to authorize and be applied to your bill. 

Ten days prior to semester start, students with an excess financial aid balance of $75 or more and a completed bookstore authorization on file will have $75 automatically transferred to their RaiderCard for parking, printing, food, and other campus needs. 

Students with additional excess funds will be able to charge a maximum of $825 in books and required supplies in the bookstore against their financial aid. Should students wish to, they can also use their RaiderCard transfer to cover book and supply costs in the GRCC Bookstore.

For more information, please visit https://www.grcc.edu/pay-college/financial-aid-scholarships/how-do-i-use-financial-aid-buy-books-or-transfer-money-my-raider-card.

• To use financial aid funds at the bookstore, you have to have excess funds that would show as a negative balance in your ebill. This can be checked in your Online Center in the MyBill tile.
• Please make sure to complete your Financial Aid Rights and Responsibilities. This can be found in your Online Center in your task list. It is a list of statements that you have to agree to and submit.
• Please make sure your bookstore funds release form is complete. This can be done by logging into your Online Center > clicking on the Financial Aid tab > click on Bookstore Release Funds on the left side of the screen > go through the steps > submit. Once this is completed, it will not have to be done again. You can always log back in to see if you completed it. 

After you complete these items, it will take a day to process before your funds will be readily available at the bookstore.

Students with Promise Zone will also have access to a certain amount of bookstore funds. To verify this information, please call our Promise Zone Office at (616) 234-4321. Any other questions regarding Promise Zone can be also be answered at this number.

• Any remaining amount left over after using it at the bookstore would then be released to the student about 30 days into the semester. Refunds are processed through Bank Mobile. New students will receive a packet in the mail from Bank Mobile, which contains a personal code. The code is used to create your online account with Bank Mobile. From your online account, you select if you want your refund sent directly to your own bank account or put onto a Bank Mobile debit card.
• Any questions regarding Bank Mobile can be directed to the Student Financial Services Office at (616) 234-4020 or you can find additional information here: https://www.grcc.edu/pay-college/student-financial-services/refundsbankmobile-disbursements.

https://www.grcc.edu/pay-college/financial-aid-scholarships/student-loans/how-accept-or-decline-student-loans

You can find our Loan Increase form : https://www.grcc.edu/pay-college/financial-aid-scholarships/forms along with other forms.

Yes. You can find our Loan Adjustment form: https://www.grcc.edu/pay-college/financial-aid-scholarships/forms along with other forms.

To access your bill, you will need to log into your MyGRCC account > click on the My Bill tile > enter the correct term > submit.

• Did you drop or add a class? This can impact your financial aid.
• Are you on financial aid suspension? This can impact your financial aid.

You will receive an email from the Department of Education once they have processed your FAFSA. You will then receive an email from GRCC (to your GRCC student account) once we have received and processed your FAFSA. Please make sure to check this account for any updates.

Please make sure that you have access and are regularly checking your GRCC student email account. This is the only way that GRCC will communicate with you. If you need help accessing your account, please contact our IT Department https://www.grcc.edu/faculty-staff/information-technology/student-it-resources. 

Holds are placed on your student record to provide you with information about possible restrictions to college services.

The following financial aid holds impact awarding of some or all types of Federal or State aid, including:  Pell and other grant funds, student loans, scholarships and work study.  These holds will NOT prevent registration for classes.

• Financial Aid Hold-B   Bachelor Degree Earned. Students who possess a Bachelor Degree are not eligible for Pell grant funds.  Other aid types will be awarded and disbursed.
• Financial Aid Hold-G   Graduate Student.  Graduate students are not eligible for Pell Grant funds. Other aid types will be awarded.
• Financial Aid Hold-D   Default of Student Loan.  Students who are in default of a student loan are not eligible for Federal or State financial aid.
• Financial Aid Hold-S   Financial Aid-Suspension (Completion Rate or GPA Violation).  To maintain eligibility for financial aid, all students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy requirements. The policy is published in the College Catalog and posted on our Financial Aid webpage.
• Financial Aid Hold-M   Financial Aid-Suspension (Maximum Time Frame Violation).  To maintain eligibility for financial aid, all students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy requirements. The policy is published in the College Catalog and posted on our Financial Aid webpage.
• Financial Aid Hold-HS   HS Transcript, GED required.  Financial Aid applicants must have graduated from high school or earned a GED.
• Financial Aid Hold-P   Financial Aid Probation.  A suspension appeal has been approved; certain conditions must be met each semester to continue to receive financial aid.  Probation continues until the appropriate standard has been met or four terms elapse, whichever comes first.
• No High School Diploma/GED  Students must possess a high school diploma, GED or complete a recognized home school program to be considered for financial aid.
• Non Degree/Ineligible Plan  Students must be active in a degree seeking program and be enrolled in an academic plan that is financial aid eligible.  Contact the GRCC Counseling and Career Center to discuss changing your academic program/plan.
• Overpayment of Federal Funds   Students must contact U.S. Department of Education to make arrangements to repay the overpayment before additional aid can be awarded.  Please contact the Financial Aid Office for more information at (616) 234-4030.
• RNC Hold  Your financial aid refund is on hold until class participation is confirmed, by your instructors, for all classes that have started. Go to your My Financial Aid Page in the Online Center to see which classes need confirmation.

The following holds may be placed by the Student Financial Services Office and occasionally by the the Financial Aid Office.  These holds may prevent registration or enrollment in classes and some other services. (i.e., official transcripts)

• Hold Refunds   Financial Aid or Student Financial Services-Holds Refunds.  This hold prevents refunds from being issued to the student.
• Return of Title IV Funds   Financial Aid or Student Financial Services-Return of Funds.  This holds indicates that financial aid funds have been returned to the appropriate agency on the behalf of the student.  This often happens when a student drops or withdraws from all classes in a semester.
• Prior Semester Tuition and Fee   Student Financial Services-Debt owed to the college.  This hold indicates that funds are owed to the college.  This hold prevents registration or enrollment in classes.

My Bill notifications are sent to students three weeks before the semester's tuition due date.

You can also view your My Bill on your Online Center.

Ten days prior to semester start, students with an excess financial aid balance of $75 or more and a completed bookstore authorization on file will have $75 automatically transferred to their RaiderCard for parking, printing, food, and other campus needs. 

Students with additional excess funds will be able to charge a maximum of $825 in books and required supplies in the bookstore against their financial aid. Should students wish to, they can also use their RaiderCard transfer to cover book and supply costs in the GRCC Bookstore.

• Purchases can be made in person at the GRCC Bookstore or via the GRCC Online Bookstore. A picture ID is required to make financial aid purchases in person. This can be a driver’s license, state ID card, or GRCC RaiderCard.
• You may also add your own funds to your RaiderCard at any time using several RaiderCard machines on campus or your MyGRCC Online Center.
• If students have placed personal funds on their RaiderCard, financial aid funds will be used when purchasing books prior to personal funds.
• Financial aid can be used in the Bookstore to charge educational items only. These items include: required textbooks and other necessary educational materials.
• Financial aid cannot be used to purchase non-educational items in the Bookstore. These items include, but are not limited to: clothing, food and beverages, gift cards, and magazines.
• Bookstore dates: Ten days before classes begin through the first two weeks of the start of the semester. Please reference our Important Dates for specific date information.

Unused financial aid funds on the RaiderCard and available through the bookstore will be refunded to students when financial aid is disbursed to student accounts.  Please reference our Important Dates for specific date information.

• To use financial aid funds at the bookstore, you have to have excess funds that would show as a negative balance in your ebill. This can be checked in your Online Center in the MyBill tile.
• Please make sure to complete your Financial Aid Rights and Responsibilities. This can be found in your Online Center in your task list. It is a list of statements that you have to agree to and submit.
• Please make sure your bookstore funds release form is complete. This can be done by logging into your Online Center > clicking on the Financial Aid tab > click on Bookstore Release Funds on the left side of the screen > go through the steps > submit. Once this is completed, it will not have to be done again. You can always log back in to see if you completed it.
• If you complete both the Rights and Responsibilities and the Bookstore Release tasks prior to 6 p.m. you will be able to access your financial aid funds at the bookstore the next day.

Refunds for all types of financial aid will begin 30 days after the start of the semester.

• You will receive loan funds in two disbursements each semester.
• First disbursement will occur approximately 30 days after the beginning of the semester.
• If tuition, fees and bookstore charges are greater than the first disbursement, the student will not receive a refund until the second disbursement of financial aid is received.
• Second disbursement of loans will be made after the mid-point of the semester.
• Because all financial aid funds will not be released until several weeks into the semester, you will need to plan ahead for non-educational expenses such as rent, transportation and child care.
• You must be attending classes and continue to meet all eligibility requirements to receive a disbursement.

Important Note:  Any withdrawals or late starting classes may delay refunds.

See specific refund dates.

You must select your refund preference using the BankMobile Disbursements process. Please refer to the Student Financial Services Refund Process/BankMobile Disbursements webpage.

• Refunds will be deposited to your selected refund preference with BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc.
• Refunds cannot be released to students until financial aid funds are received by the college.
• Some or all of the first payment may be needed to pay remaining charges.

Refund and BankMobile Disbursements questions please contact: Student Financial Services at (616) 234-4020 or visit Refund Process/BankMobile Disbursements for more information.