Financial Aid

Taking classes at CCC and another college during the same semester? A consortium agreement may allow approved classes at both schools to count when determining your financial aid.

Federal rules say that you can only get federal financial aid at one school at a time. Under a consortium agreement, one school manages and provides your financial aid money. This is your parent school. The other college is your non-parent school. 

Parent school: The college where you are working toward your main degree or certificate and plan to graduate. This school manages your financial aid for the consortium agreement.

Non-parent school: The other college where you take approved classes that count toward your program at the parent school.

If you are earning your degree or certificate at CCC: Follow the CCC as Your Parent School steps below.

If you are earning your degree or certificate somewhere else and taking classes at CCC: Follow the CCC as Your Non-Parent School steps.

CCC may be your parent school if you are earning your degree or certificate at CCC but need to take one or more required classes at another college.

Before You Start

To use a consortium agreement through CCC, you must:

• Be admitted to CCC and working toward a CCC degree or certificate.
• Have a complete financial aid file at CCC.
• Not have already received your financial aid for the term.
• Be admitted to the non-parent school.
• Not receive financial aid from the non-parent school.
• Be enrolled in the classes listed on the consortium agreement.
• Meet with a CCC Academic Advisor.
• Your advisor must confirm that each class you take at the other school is required for your CCC degree or certificate and will transfer back to CCC.

How to Complete a Consortium Agreement

1. Enroll at Both Schools: Enroll at CCC and the non-parent school before you submit the agreement.
2. Meet With a CCC Academic Advisor: Complete the student section of the Consortium Agreement with your advisor. Your advisor will review the classes you plan to take at the other school and confirm that they will transfer to CCC and are required for your CCC degree or certificate. Audit courses cannot be included.
3. Attach Your Class Schedule: Include a copy of your schedule from the non-parent school. The schedule must show the start and end dates for your classes.
4. Send the Agreement to the Other School: Send the agreement to the Financial Aid Office at the non-parent school. That school must complete its section and return the agreement to CCC Financial Aid through CCC Secure Upload.
5. Meet the Deadline: Your completed consortium agreement must be submitted and approved no later than one week before the CCC Payment Deadline. Start the process early. The form requires information from you, your CCC Academic Advisor, and the other school. Schools often get busy before the beginning of semesters. Don’t wait until it is too late. View CCC’s Imporant Dates and Deadlines.
6. Pay the Other School by Its Deadline: You are responsible for paying the non-parent school by its payment deadline. Their deadline is likely different than CCC’s deadline.

CCC cannot hold your classes at another college while you wait for your financial aid.

Your financial aid will be disbursed through CCC using CCC’s disbursement schedule. CCC’s disbursement date may be different from the payment deadline at the other school. Learn more about getting your fianancial aid.

After Your Agreement Is Approved

Once your agreement is approved:

• Stay enrolled in the approved classes at both schools.
• Continue to meet CCC’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements.
• Contact the Financial Aid offices at both schools before dropping or changing a class.
• Do not make enrollment changes after the Pell Recalculation Date. This is always the second Tuesday of the semester.
• Complete a new Consortium Agreement if you change a course at the non-parent school.
• Request an official transcript from the non-parent school after the semester ends and grades are available.

The classes you complete at the non-parent school must transfer into your CCC degree or certificate program.

If you are earning your degree or certificate at another college and taking classes at CCC, your other college is your parent school.

Start by contacting the Financial Aid Office at your parent school. That school determines whether you can use a consortium agreement and manages your financial aid.

What You Need to Do

1. Complete Your Parent School’s Agreement: Follow your parent school’s process for requesting a consortium agreement. Submit the signed and completed agreement from your parent school to the CCC Financial Aid Office at the Lone Tree Campus.
2. Watch Your Payment Deadline: CCC will hold your classes only until the 100% Refund Date listed on the Academic Calendar. Your financial aid will come from your parent school. You are responsible for paying your CCC balance after you receive that aid.
   If CCC does not receive your payment by the 100% Refund Date, you will be dropped from your CCC classes and CCC will notify your parent school.
3. Send Your Transcript After the Semester: After your CCC classes end and grades are available, request an official CCC transcript and have it sent to your parent school. 
   

Contact your parent school’s Financial Aid Office if you have questions about its consortium agreement process, your financial aid amount, or when your aid will be disbursed.

A consortium agreement can help your parent school count approved classes from another college when determining your financial aid. It does not mean that one college will automatically pay your bill at the other college.

Keep these points in mind:

• Only approved classes that apply to your degree or certificate at the parent school can be included.
• You are responsible for meeting the payment deadlines at both schools.
• Financial aid follows the disbursement schedule of your parent school.
• Changing or dropping a class may affect your agreement and your financial aid.
• You must send an official transcript to your parent school after the semester ends.

Contact both Financial Aid offices before making changes to classes listed on your agreement.