Paying for College

There are two primary financial aid refunds within each semester or thereafter.  Refund amounts may differ for each student depending on the number of credit hours a student is enrolled each term.  Amounts are pro-rated per term, based on the credit hours and other factors.  Refunds may be received at different times throughout the semester depending on your student account status.

Fall Semester
Fall 1 (7 weeks)- estimated mid-September
Fall 2 (7 weeks): estimated mid-November

Spring Semester
Spring 1 (7 weeks)- estimated mid-February
Spring 2 (7 weeks): estimated mid-April

Summer Semester
Spring 1 (7 weeks)- estimated mid-June
Spring  2 (7 weeks): estimated mid-July

OCtech offers LIFE, Palmetto Fellows and Foundation scholarships to qualified students. Foundation scholarship guidelines and applications are posted under Announcements on D2L each semester.

OCtech is notified of scholarships offered by outside entities and agencies throughout the year.

Scholarship awards are generally placed on the student’s account.

OCtech’s school code for the FAFSA application is 006815.

Once a year. When you fill out the FAFSA, you are applying for aid for a specific year. In order to receive aid the next year, you’ll need to submit that next year’s FAFSA form. The earliest you can fill out an application is October 1.

The priority deadlines to fill out the FAFSA for each term is:

Fall – July 15
Spring – November 15
Summer – April 15

Some awards have limited funding and, if eligible, early applicants have a better chance of receiving the best package of aid available.

Financial aid may or may not cover the full amount of tuition/fees/books, depending on the student’s eligibility if they are not full time (12 credit hours or more). If the student has enough Financial Aid left over, it may cover the late registration fees. However, Financial Aid will NOT cover the late application fee.

Although you may have entered all of your information correctly on your FAFSA, students are randomly selected by the Department of Education for the verification process- a review of the information entered on the FAFSA.  There are some instances where corrections need to be made or information left out will need to be included.  If you are selected for verification, you will not receive your federal and need-based aid until verification has been completed.

Financial aid is usually awarded for fall and spring semesters. However, students attending summer classes may check with the Financial Aid Office to determine if any financial aid will be available to use in the summer term.

Students are usually allowed to charge in the bookstore with their Student ID card on the Wednesday or Thursday before classes begin. The charge-ending period varies based on semester. Please contact the bookstore for any questions regarding charge dates at 803.535.1252.

Tax return transcripts are transcripts of tax returns provided by the IRS. You may obtain a copy by requesting one online at http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript or by calling the IRS at 800.829.1040.

Students generally receive a 1098-T from OCtech’s Business Office by or after January 31. Students who did not pay out-of-pocket tuition expenses will not receive a 1098-T form. For more information, please contact OCtech at 803.536.0311 and ask for the Business Office.

For more information regarding financial aid warning, danger or suspension, review the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Requirements for Financial Aid.

Your financial aid awards may recalculate when adding, dropping or withdrawing from a class. Changes vary among students. Please contact the Financial Aid Office to see if you will be affected by any schedule changes.

Veteran Affairs students looking to use VA benefits to pay for their educational expenses at OCtech must provide their Certificate of Eligibility documents to the Financial Aid Office VA representative. Further information may be required depending on the VA chapter being used.

In order to apply for a Federal Direct Student Loan at OCtech, students are required to complete a FAFSA. New students must attend a loan information session. Current/returning students may be able to complete a Returning Borrower Loan Request Form if they have already attended a session at OCtech. If you are unsure of your borrower status, please contact Student Services and ask to speak with the Financial Aid Office at 803.535.1224.

Visit our Student Loan page for more information.

A Federal Direct Student Loan is a Federal Student Aid loan that is made available to students who are deemed eligible through their FAFSA and take the necessary steps to receive it. A private education loan is a non-Federal Student Aid loan that is made to a borrower expressly for post-secondary education expenses, regardless of whether the loan is provided through the educational institution that the student attends or directly to the borrower from the private educational lender.

Students must complete a FAFSA to determine if they are eligible to receive Federal Work-Study. If you have completed the FAFSA and financial aid process at OCtech, you may apply for Work-Study. Visit our Work-Study page for more information.