Apply for Aid

About

Applying for and receiving your financial aid could be the most important step to reach your goals at TCC. Below is important information about applying for financial aid.

Remember, your file is not considered complete until we have received all required documents and all discrepancies have been resolved.

Important Dates

Students must apply for aid every year. At TCC, the school year begins fall quarter and ends summer quarter.

What Quarter Do You Want to Start?

Below you will find new quarter start dates and file completion deadlines.

Quarter You Want To Start	Financial Aid File Completion Date (deadline date)	Class Open Enrollment Begins	Tuition is Due	Quarter Begins
2023-2024 School Year
Spring 2024	January 25, 2024	February 20, 2024	March 14, 2024	April 1, 2024
Summer 2024	April 4, 2024	May 20, 2024	June 6, 2024	June 24, 2024
2024-2025 School Year
Fall 2024	TBD	May 20, 2024	September 5, 2024	September 23, 2024

OTHER ACADEMIC DEADLINES

Steps to pay for college

You'll receive access to the TCC student portal and your student email, where you will receive important information regarding your financial aid application. Note: If you are a returning student who has not attended classes for more than two quarters, please call 253-566-5325 to update your general information. View our Admissions Process page.
Within two weeks of submitting your FAFSA, you should receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). Read it carefully and respond to any items that must be resolved; be sure the information on the SAR is accurate.

If you do not receive your SAR, call the Department of Education at 1-800-4FEDAID to check your status.
If your SAR says "Your FAFSA has been selected for a review process called verification," this means you must also:

Do not submit tax returns, tax return transcripts and/or verification worksheet unless the TCC Financial Aid office specifically requests them.
- complete the correct verification worksheet (see the 'Financial Aid Forms' page of your TCC student portal)
- submit your IRS signed tax return or IRS tax return transcript (and spouse's, if applicable),
- submit your parent IRS signed tax return or IRS tax transcript (if parent information was required on your FAFSA)
- other documentation may be required
- Students/parents who were not required to file a tax return must submit a Verification of Non-filing Letter for the correct year. This is obtained from the IRS website
Tax return transcripts must be requested from the IRS website. Note: If you (or your parent) are eligible to use the IRS data retrieval tool on your FAFSA and have done so successfully, you will not need to submit a tax transcript.

We will then compare the information from this documentation with your FAFSA and make any needed corrections.
- Check the Student Center on your ctcLink portal to see if you have any missing documentation.
- Click here to watch a video on how to view your Financial Aid in ctcLink.
- Enroll in your classes. We are not able to award students until they are enrolled, so check with advising to make sure you get enrolled as soon as you are able.

Final Checklist

You have completed your financial aid application at TCC when...

You have applied for admission to TCC
Your FAFSA information has been received by our office and it contains accurate information and all comments and requests for additional information have been resolved

What Happens Next?

When your file is complete, we will review your application materials. We will contact you via email if we need additional information or if we find discrepancies that must be resolved.
Please check your TCC email regularly and respond to us promptly.
You will receive an emailed award notification listing your financial aid awards.
TCC partners with BankMobile to deliver your remaining financial aid funds after your tuition has been paid. Please make sure TCC has your correct mailing address. Once you complete your financial aid application, instructions on how to select your refund preference with BankMobile will be mailed to you. For more information about BankMobile, visit this link: bankmobiledisbursements.com/how-it-works/

Read Me! Important Information

If you miss the file completion date for the quarter you want to start school, you can still attend, but you should be prepared to pay for your own tuition and books, as any financial aid you may be eligible to receive would not be ready until sometime after the start of the quarter.
Students must apply for aid each year, not every quarter.
Classes fill up quickly. Do not wait to enroll!
Given the volume of applications, completed applications of students enrolled in classes will be reviewed first.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Waiting too long to begin the process!
You should start the application process well before the deadline date for the quarter you want to start.
Not reviewing your Student Aid Report (SAR).
You are responsible for ensuring the information on it is complete and accurate. Respond promptly to any comments.
Not reading and following directions carefully.
Take the time to do this - it will save you time in the long run.