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Cheers to a Happy New Year!es or for scholarshipapplications, be sure tomake note of due dates!Tips for Success in2022We have made itthrough another year! Itis a great time to lookback at all the thingsyou have accomplishedand overcome in 2021and to begin planningfor a successful 2022!Here are some tips tohelp prepare you forthe new semester:#1: Check your status.Make sure your finan-Cuyahoga Community Collegecial aid award is finalized and you are ingood SAP standing prior to registration.#2: Register early!This will allow you tohave more courses tochose from and giveyou more time to beprepared.#3: Get organized.Being in control andprepared is a great wayto prevent stress duringthe semester.#4: Pay attention todeadlines. Whetherthey are for your cours-How to contact the Financial Aid Office#5: Don’t forget selfcare. As 2020 hasshown, sometimes wecannot prepare for everything. If you start tofeel overwhelmed, takea deep breath and recenter.Have questions about yourstatus? Use Live Chat.In this issue:COVID-19 Relief2Student Laptop Program 3Summer Financial Aid3FAFSA Renewal4Financial Planning Tools 4Financial aid assistanceis available anytime viaphone.Call us at (216)9876000, option #2.You can use ourFinancial Aid Chat tospeak directly with afinancial aid advisor.Email us atfinancialaid@tri-c.edu.Don’t forget to includeyour student ID number in your email.Budgeting for College5College Work Study6Scholarships7Important FA Dates8

Page 2Student Financial Aid & ScholarshipsCOVID-19 Support: Higher Ed Emergency Relief Fundtuition, child care and more.ble to apply.Eligible students must:Students can chose to receive a refund or have funds applied to tuitionand other college charges. Applications are reviewed regularly andstudents will be notified of decisionsvia their Tri-C student email. Be currently enrolled in a financial aid eligible program for thesemester in which they applyThrough the Higher EducationEmergency Relief Fund (HEERF),Tri-C is able to provide emergencyassistance to students impacted bythe COVID-19 pandemic to continue their education. As funds remainavailable, students may be awardedthrough May 2022. Complete the FAFSA Document emergency circumstances related to COVID-19If you have experienced COVID-19related hardships, you may be ableeligible to apply for up to 2000 infinancial assistance. Students can useemergency funding for expensessuch as food, housing, technology,Students do not need to be eligiblefor financial aid to apply for HEERF,however a completed FAFSA is required. At this time, College CreditPlus and transient students are una-The HEERF fund canaward up to 2000 infinancial assistanceIf your financial situation haschanged due to a change of incomeor loss of employment during theCOVID-19 pandemic, contact thefinancial aid team to help you updateyour FAFSA and determine if youhave additional financial aid eligibility.Want to know more? View ourHEERF Student Emergency FundFAQs.Student Emergency FundExamples of emergencies include, but are not limited to: Technology needs Book and supplies Food assistanceTri-C offers an alternative emergen- cy fund for students who may not be eligible for HEERF. Students may beawarded up to 500 to assist with emergency related expenses.Child-care related emergenciesHealth emergency expenses notcovered by insurancePaying for housing/rent whenunusual circumstances arise Transportation related emergencies (not routine maintenance) Unexpected loss of incomeTo apply for this fund, contact thefinancial aid office using, Live Chat,email, or by phone.What more information? View ourStudent Emergency Fund webpage.

Page 3Student Laptop ProgramTri-C’s Student Laptop Programallows eligible students to purchase alaptop at a special discount. Withthe support of the Cuyahoga Community College foundation, we’reoffering new laptops to eligible students for just 240. That is less thanhalf price! You may also be able touse financial aid to cover your portion of the cost.All laptops are new 14” Dell Inspirion and include intel i5 processor,windows 10 home, 8GB RAM, and256 GB solid state hard drive.Laptops will be available on a firstcome, first-served basis to eligibleinstructions once your payment isprocessed.Eligibility Requirements:students. International, workforce,and CCP students are encouragedto apply as well.To apply, visit the Student LaptopProgram webpage. Applications arereviewed regularly and you’ll benotified within 3-5 business days ifyou qualify. You’ll receive pickup Not eligible to receive HEERFfunding for the current term Enrolled at least half-time (6credits hours) in an academicprogram OR Enrolled in a workforce certificate program Able to pick up laptop at Tri-CCampus (shipping not available)Have questions? View our StudentLaptop Program FAQYou Could Have Summer Financial Aid!Summer is a great time to keepmoving towards graduation and finish up your program sooner. Financial aid is available to eligible Tri-Cstudents who plan to register forSummer course; whether you are anew or continuing student.Pell Grant: If you were eligible forPell Grant in the Fall or Spring youmay be able to receive Summer Pellgrant if: You were full-time in both Falland Spring and are enrolled in atleast 6 credit hours during theSummer semester. You were less than full-time inthe Fall and Spring, you mayhave unused Pell Grant that canbe applied to Summer even ifyou are just taking one course.Student Loans: You can apply forSummer loans if you are at least 6credit hours and have not borrowedyour maximum loan amount for theaward year.Check out our Summer FinancialAid Options webpage for more financial aid programs and information about maximizing your eligibility this summer.

Page 4Student Financial Aid & ScholarshipsIt’s Time to Renew Your FAFSA!To complete your FAFSA:Are you planning on attending college in Fall 2022? If so, it is time toget a head start and renew your FreeApplication for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA).The 2022-2023 FAFSA becameavailable for students on October1st, 2021. Completing the application early allows you to get a headstart on applying for financial aid,scholarships, and finalizing yourawards for a successful school year. Visit www.studentaid.gov/fafsa Log in using your FSA ID Use Tri-C’s FAFSA school code:003040 Have your 2020 tax and incomeinformation on hand for you andyour spouse or parent(s), if applicable.Once we receive your FAFSA, wewill begin to review it to determineyour financial aid eligibility. If weneed additional information beforewe can award you, we will reach outvia your Tri-C email.Need help completing yourFAFSA?The Financial Aid Office is hostinglive webinars weekly to help youcomplete your FAFSA.New this semester, we are offeringin-person FAFSA completion workshops each Tuesday. Contact theFinancial Aid Office to make a reservation for an in-person session.You can also schedule an appointment with a Financial Aid advisorfor FAFSA assistance.You can also check out a helpful video on our Complete Your FAFSAwebpage.Financial Planning ToolsCuyahoga Community College is committed to providing financial education programs that ensure students graduatewith the least amount of debt and a strong financial plan for the future. Be sure to check our Financial Educationwebpage regularly for upcoming workshops and events!Tri-C values college affordability. The Net Price Calculator helps students estimatetheir cost of attendance atTri-C based on the mostrecent year’s costs.Creating a personal budgetis key to financial health.We encourage all studentsto create a personal budgetto help meet their long andshort-term financial goals.What career are you planning to pursue after graduation? When planning financial goals, it is important toknow what your expectedincome may be.Maintaining goo credit isalso key to financial wellness. A good credit scorecan help make purchasedlike a car affordable. Do youknow your credit score?

Page 5Budgeting for Collegefirst to avoid using credit or overextending your finances.Budgeting as a college student is animportant part of making collegeaffordable. Without the right toolsto succeed, students can often findthemselves stressed about their finances and balancing their wants andneeds.Creating a monthly budget worksheet, using a free budgeting app ora free online tool, can help you meetpersonal goals such as buying a caror new computer. It also can helpyou prepare for emergencies andstay out of debt.Keeping track of your spending canseem like a lot of work, but with thefollowing tips, it may be easier thanyour think. Here are some helpfulbudgeting tips from StudentAid.gov:Differentiate between yourwants and needs: Living expenses, such as housing and food, are“needs” and should be a priority.When thinking about other expensescategorized as “wants”, such as anew cell phone, consider saving upOrganize your records: Decidewhat system you are going to use totrack your expenses. Using a freebudgeting app can make it easy foryou record your spending habitsthroughout your day.Record your actual expenses:Don’t forget to include spendingsuch as music downloads or chargesfor cell phone overages. These smallthings can add up and throw awrench in your budgeting plans.Create a routine: Manage yourmoney and record your expenses ona regular basis. Do you have someextra time between classes? Use it asan opportunity to update your budget!Be smart with your financialaid refund: Remember that yourfinancial aid is supposed to help youcover your cost of attendance for thewhole semester, so be sure to makethat refund stretch overtime ratherthan spending it all as soon as youget it.Remember, it is possible to enjoylife while on a budget. If you noticethat your expenses are more thanyour income, look for money-savingalternatives to help you meet yourneeds and still get many of the thingson your “want” list. As a Tri-C Student, you may be able to save money on transportation by taking advantage of the free RTA U-Pass andsave on food expenses by visiting theStudent Food Bank/Pantry on Campus.Looking for ways to increase yourincome? Consider a part-time jobwhile in school. Working off campus or as a college work-study is agreat way to avoid borrowing costlystudent loans, get work experience,and earn extra cash.Looking for more help? Visitthese budgeting resources:Budgeting Tips from Federal Student AidCreating and Managing Your OwnBudgetHandling Finances While You’re inSchool