Financial Aid Policy (Clock Hour Programs)

        1. Clock Hour Programs
        2. Federal Program Participation
          1. Policy
            Dixie Tech provides federal student financial aid (FSA) assistance under the guidance and supervision of the US Department of Education’s (USDE) Title IV funding programs as set forth in the applicable federal eligibility regulations 34 CFR Parts 600 and 668.1
          2. Program Participation
            Dixie Tech participates in FSA administration as entered in the special provisions disclosed by the Program Participation Agreement (PPA) provided by the USDE. The signed/countersigned PPA allows the school to award Title IV financial aid. The PPA states the General Terms and Conditions for institutional participation. The PPA also lists the FSA programs in which the institution is eligible to participate. 

            1. By signing the PPA, Dixie Tech agrees to:
              1. Comply with the programs statutes, regulations, and policies governing the FSA programs;
              2. Establish a drug abuse prevention policy accessible to any officer, employee, or student at the institution;
              3. Comply with:
                1. The Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics disclosure requirements of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended2;
                2. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, barring discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin;
                3. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, barring discrimination on the basis of sex;
                4. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, barring discrimination on the basis of physical handicap; and
                5. The Age Discrimination Act of 1975; and agrees to
              4. Acknowledge that the USDE, State, and Accrediting Agencies share responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the FSA programs and that these organizations may share information about the College without limitation; as well as
              5.  Acknowledges that the College must submit any dispute involving the final denial, withdrawal, or termination of accreditation to final arbitration prior to any other legal action. And finally,
              6. In addition to complying with all of the program statutes, regulations, and policies governing the FSA programs, to comply with the references to selected important provisions of the General Provisions Regulations (34 CFR Part 668) contained within the PPA3.
          3. Eligible Program
            Eligibility extends to all eligible programs and locations that were identified on the College’s application for participation. The College’s eligible non-degreed programs and locations are specifically named on the approval notice (Eligibility and Certification Approval Report [ECAR]). Additional locations and programs may be added as they become approved through the respective governing boards 

            1. Ineligible Programs
              Not all programs at an eligible institution must be eligible, but at least one of the programs at the College must meet the eligible program requirements.
        3. Administering Federal Student Financial Aid
          1. Policy
            Dixie Tech administers FSA for educational programs that are approved through the college’s Accrediting Agency (COE) Council on Occupational Education, (SBR) Utah State Board of Regents, and the USDE. Southwest Tech only administers eligible financial aid programs for the educational programs specifically listed on the ECAR.
            Dixie Tech administers the following Title IV programs according to the applicable laws and regulations. 

            1. Federal Pell Grant
            2. Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
            3. Federal Perkins Loan – not applicable
            4. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) – not applicable
            5. Federal Work Study (FWS) – not applicable
            6. Federal Stafford Loan – not applicable
            7. Federal Unsubsidized Loan – not applicable
            8. Federal Parental Plus Loan – not applicable
          2. Electronic Processes
            The USDE requires certain minimum electronic processes to participate in and administer Title IV programs as well as to be considered administratively capable. 

            1. Policy
              Dixie Tech will maintain the required electronic processes and technical specifications as disclosed in GEN-04-08 – Enclosure A: Required Electronic Processes, and GEN-04-08 – Enclosure B: System Requirements.4
        4. Determining Student Award Eligibility
          1. Policy
            Dixie Tech requires Title IV applicants to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to receive an eligibility review for federal financial aid. All required federal data elements must be accessible by the electronic Institutional Student Information Report (ISIR). To ensure receipt of the required data, students must make certain that the Dixie Tech federal school code (041217) is entered on the FAFSA.All Title IV applicants must meet eligibility requirements according to established institutional policy. FSA is available to eligible students who demonstrate financial need. FSA is meant to assist students to successfully complete training and acquire a certificate of completion. Students admitted as non-certificate/degree, seeking or in short term intensive training (STIT) programs are not eligible for FSA. 

            Eligibility for FSA is determined by using the USDE need based formula which assigns the student an index number. The index number is called an “Expected Family Contribution” (EFC). The index number reflects the amount the student’s household is expected to contribute to the established educational cost of the program. 

            Students must enroll in a minimum of 12 clock-hours per week and attend class to be eligible for financial aid. Dixie Tech may prorate, adjust or revise an award in accordance with federal regulations or institutional policy. Students may receive aid at only one institution during the same enrollment period and must be enrolled at least half-time for each period in which they receive aid. International students are not eligible to receive FSA.

          2. Open-Entry/Open-Exit Programs The Academic year will be defined per individual program, and at least 900 clock hours for programs where enrollment traditionally is available 24-30 hours per week for full- time.
          3. Lock-Step Programs (Defined Entry/Defined Exit) The Academic year will be defined per individual program, and at least 900 hours, for programs where enrollment traditionally is available 24-30 hours per week for full-time.
          4. Student can be enrolled once financial aid is secured by an Award Letter. Tuition, Program Fees and Books and Supplies will be issued to the student as needed and will show as due on the student’s account until the first disbursement is received.
        5. Disbursement of Title IV Funds
          1. Policy
            Dixie Tech disburses federal grant funds in increments called payment periods. Students are paid in two equal disbursements of half of the predefined academic year, (“payment period”). Students must be accepted into the program and registered for classes before the first disbursements will be made.
            Subsequent disbursements will be evaluated for payment every subsequent payment period as defined in the Award Letter and will require that the student: 

            1. Completed the attendance hours in the payment period
            2. Completed the weeks in the payment period
            3. Maintained Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in the payment period.
            4. Have passed all courses in the payment period.
          2. Verifying Completion Hours and Satisfactory Progress
            Progress reports are compiled using the Student Information System by SAP tracking period predefined by each eligible program. Satisfactory Academic Progress is verified by payment period using the Student Progress report. The Financial Aid Manager checks the Student Information System and coordinates with program instructors to determine accuracy of the reports. The disbursement requisition is then routed to the Finance Office for a scheduled disbursement.
          3. Credit Balance
            When students are determined to have a Title IV credit balance, credit balances are distributed by check directly to the student at the student services window within 14 days of the College’s receipt of the disbursement. If the student signs the AUTHORIZATION TO HOLD A FEREAL STUDENT AID CREDIT BALANCE form the credit balance will remain in the student’s account until the next payment period. Students requesting distribution through the U.S. Postal Service must do so in writing.
            All students will be required to show valid identification before financial aid credit balance checks will be distributed or mailed. Valid forms of identification include current state driver license, state identification, Job Corp identification, military identification, or legal resident alien card. The College does not consider student ID cards adequate in this case.
        6. Reconciliation of Award Data
          1. Policy
            The Financial Aid Manager evaluates student award amounts during the Payment Evaluation period for confirmation of the student’s eligibility and a determination of ineligible funds that may need to be returned.
        7. Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress
          1. Progress
            Students must maintain a minimum of 67% progress to be considered in good academic standing and to continue receiving Financial Aid. (See Dixie Technical College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.)
          2. Warning Procedures
            Students who do not achieve satisfactory academic progress as defined by this policy are immediately placed on Financial Aid Warning, but are still eligible to receive financial aid for the next payment period. Students under Financial Aid Warning are required to meet with the Vice President of Student Services, the Program Instructor, and the Financial Aid Manager to develop an academic plan. A copy of the signed plan will be electronically filed in the student’s financial aid record.
        8. Cancellations, Withdrawals and Refunds
          1. Return of Title IV Policy
            USDE Return of Title IV (R2T4) Policies require Dixie Tech to administer the return of federal funding back to the USDE, in a precise and accurate manner. The term “Title IV aid” at Dixie Tech, refers to the following Federal financial aid programs: Federal Pell Grants, and Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants (IASG). In Return of Title IV situations, the order in which they are returned to Title IV is first, Federal Pell Grants, then IASG Grants.If a student is withdrawn (officially or unofficially) or drops below the threshold of enrolling in at least 12 hours per week (except when the student has nothing to enroll in due to lack of present availability at the school), a Return of Title IV calculation is completed. If a student has enrolled in and passed more than 61% of the hours in the payment period, then the student will be determined to have earned all of the funds for the disbursement for that payment period and nothing will be due back to Title IV. If the calculation results in 60% or less, then the Return of Title IV calculation will determine how much money will have to be returned to Title IV; funds have to be returned by the school within 45 days. The student is responsible for any overpayments of Title IV funds that have been returned to the Department of Education.
          2. Withdrawal Processes Policy – Official and Unofficial
            For official withdrawals, students must complete an official Withdrawal formonline at dixietech.edu. The Registrar will then notify the Financial Aid offices. The date used for Return of Title IV calculations will be the last date of attendance in an academically related activity.For unofficial withdrawals, if a student is absent fortwo consecutive weeks, an instructor will attempt to contact the student to determine his or her status. If the instructor determines the student is no longer enrolled, he or she will notify the Registrar of an unofficial withdrawal via the Program Exitsform. The date used for Return of Title IV calculations will be the last date of attendance in an academically related activity.
          3.  Post-Withdrawal Disbursement
            If funds are returned to the USDE and there is a credit balance after all institutional charges are paid, a refund will be issued to the student within 45 days of withdrawal.

Revision Dates: May 11, 2023; May 4, 2022; November 8, 2017.

1CFR, Code of Regulations—a compilation of published federal regulations that appeared in the Federal Register. Regulations implementing federal student financial aid programs are found in title 34 CFR.
2The statue that authorizes FSA programs and most of the other federal higher education programs that the USDE administers. The statute’s most current version is the official version of the law.
3Source quoted: 2004-2005 USDE Student Aid Handbook, Vol. 2 – School Eligibility and Operations.
4 At a minimum, the “minimum system configurations” will be maintained. Classes may meet only twice per week which will extend the number of days in the student refund period. Distributed amounts will be rounded by the lending institution and may differ. A student is considered matriculated when the student is officially admitted to the College and has declared a major field of study that will lead to the awarding of a degree or diploma.