Receiving Financial Aid

Once you are determined to be eligible for financial aid, your award amounts are calculated based on both your eligibility and enrollment status.

If you receive aid from multiple sources, an aid package will be created that ensures your total aid fits within your cost of attendance.

• If your total aid is less than your charges, payment options are available to cover the remaining balance.
• If your aid exceeds your charges, you may be eligible for a refund of the excess funds.

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Financial aid timeline

Disbursement schedule

• Federal aid and scholarships are applied to your MCC balance beginning two weeks before the first day of classes. This process is called disbursement.
• Student loans and the Missouri A+ program begin disbursement one week before the start of the term.

Delays in disbursement

Your aid may be delayed if:

• There are missing items on your Student Requirements list.
• You have changes to enrollment.
• None of your classes begin during the first week of the term.

If delayed, aid will disburse on the next business day after all requirements are completed.

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Pell Grant adjustments

MCC adjusts Pell Grant authorizations during the Pell Recalculation Period, which aligns with MCC’s 100% refund period for regular sessions.

During this period:

• Pell amounts may be increased or decreased based on enrollment changes.

After this period:

• Pell awards will not be increased.
• Mandatory decreases may occur if you:
  • Never attended a class
  • Dropped a class before it started
  • Require a Return to Title IV calculation

These rules may also apply to other aid programs that require a specific number of credit hours.

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Bookstore credit

After aid has disbursed, you may be able to use excess aid in the bookstore through an electronic bookstore credit.

Important notes:

• Not all types of aid are eligible for bookstore use.
• You are not required to use your excess aid in the bookstore.
• Eligible bookstore credit remains available through the end of the first week of classes.
• Unused bookstore credit may be refunded to you unless the funds are designated as non‑refundable.
• Non‑refundable unused aid is returned to the original funding source.

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Refunds

Excess financial aid

• Refunds of refundable excess aid are sent directly to students.
• Refunds can be received via:
  • Direct deposit
  • Mailed check (sent to the mailing address on file)

Refunds are processed once per week after the first 14 days of the term.

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Late-start classes

If you have classes that begin after the term’s official start date:

• Pell Grant funds will apply only after you begin attendance in those classes.
• As additional classes begin, more Pell Grant funds may be disbursed.
• Refund amounts reflect only the credits you are actively attending at the time the refund is generated.
• Additional refunds may occur throughout the semester as new classes begin.

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Loan refund requirements

Students must meet the following conditions before loan refunds are released:

• Must be actively attending at least 6 credit hours during the term.
• First-time borrowers experience an additional 30-day delay during their first term before loan funds are released.