Federal Financial Aid:
To apply for federal financial aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at: studentaid.gov/fafsa. The FAFSA will determine your eligibility for all Title IV Aid (Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG Grant, Federal Direct Student Loans, and Federal Work Study). Not all aid is based on need. Accordingly, everyone can be eligible for some type of loan.
Complete the federal aid application at studentaid.gov beginning October 1st for the next school year.
Who Must Fill Out A FAFSA
Student
The student must always complete the Student section.
Student Spouse
If the student’s current marital status is married or remarried, the student’s spouse must complete the Student Spouse section. The spouse must also complete the Student Spouse Tax Return Information.
PRO TIP: If you are planning on getting married in the current school year fill out your FAFSA first.
Dependency Status
Your dependency status determines whose information you must report when you fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form.
A dependent student is assumed to have the support of parents, so the parents’ information must be assessed along with the student’s information to get a full picture of the family’s financial resources. If you’re a dependent student, it doesn’t mean your parents are required to pay anything toward your education; this information is simply used to determine your maximum eligibility for federal student aid.
Your answers to questions on the FAFSA® form determine whether you are considered a dependent or independent student.
Parent
Here are the questions that determine your dependency status for the 2025–26 school year.
| Were you born before Jan. 1, 2002? | Yes | No |
| As of today, are you married? (Answer “No” if you are separated or divorced.) | Yes | No |
| At the beginning of the 2025–26 school year, will you be working on a master’s or doctorate program (such as an M.A., MBA, M.D., J.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., graduate certificate, etc.)? | Yes | No |
| Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces for purposes other than training? (If you are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee, are you on active duty for other than state or training purposes?) | Yes | No |
| Are you a veteran of the U.S. armed forces?* | Yes | No |
| Do you have children or other people (excluding your spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you now and between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026? | Yes | No |
| At any time since you turned age 13, were you an orphan (no living biological or adoptive parent)? | Yes | No |
| At any time since you turned age 13, were you a ward of the court? | Yes | No |
| At any time since you turned age 13, were you in foster care? | Yes | No |
| Are you or were you a legally emancipated minor, as determined by a court in your state of residence? | Yes | No |
| Are you or were you in a legal guardianship with someone other than your parent or stepparent, as determined by a court in your state of residence? | Yes | No |
| At any time on or after July 1, 2024, were you unaccompanied and either (1) homeless or (2) self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?** | Yes | No |
Answered “Yes” to One or More of the Questions Above
If so, then for federal student aid purposes, you’re considered to be an independent student and will not be required to provide information about your parents on the FAFSA form.
Answered “No” to Every Question
If so, then for federal student aid purposes, you’re considered a dependent student, and you must provide information about your parents when you fill out the FAFSA form.
Not living with parents or not being claimed by them on tax forms does not make you an independent student for purposes of applying for federal student aid.Which Parent’s Information to Report
If your legal parents (biological or adoptive parents) are married to each other, or are not married to each other and live together, you should report information about both of them on your FAFSA form. However, we recognize that many situations are a little more complicated, so we’ve provided information on how to figure out which parent(s) should provide information on the FAFSA form as a contributor.
A contributor refers to anyone (you, your spouse, your biological or adoptive parent, or your parent’s spouse) who’s required to provide information on your FAFSA form.
You still must answer the questions about your parents if you’re considered a dependent student.
You can’t be considered independent of your parents just because they refuse to help you with this process. If you do not provide their information on the FAFSA form, the application will be considered “rejected,” and you may not be able to receive any federal student aid. The most you would be able to get (depending on what the financial aid office at your college or career/trade school decides) would be an unsubsidized Direct Loan. The FAFSA instructions will tell you what to do if you are in this situation.
Learn more about how to fill out the FAFSA form when your parents aren’t supporting you and won’t provide their information.
If you have no contact with your parents and don’t know where they live, or you’ve left home due to an abusive situation, select “Yes” to the “Do unusual circumstances prevent the student from contacting their parents or would contacting their parents pose a risk to the student?” question on the FAFSA form. You’ll be considered provisionally independent. To complete your application, you should contact the financial aid office at the college or career/trade school you plan to attend to find out what supporting documentation you’ll need to submit directly to the school.
Learn more about how to fill out the FAFSA form if you have unusual circumstances that prevent you from providing parent information.
If your personal circumstances change after you submit your FAFSA form, contact your college’s or career school’s financial aid office to ask what the requirements are to update your dependency status. The financial aid staff will tell you what to do.
The federal aid application can be completed at studentaid.gov. Apply as soon after October 1st as possible for the next school year.
Using a formula established by Congress, the federal government will determine how much you, or you and your spouse or parents are expected to provide toward the cost of your education. The amount is called your Student Aid Index (SAI). Your SAI is based on the income and asset information you provide on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The same formula is used at every college so your SAI will be the same no matter which college you attend.
The cost of attendance used for determining your eligibility for financial aid is an estimate. It will include: a typical amount for tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, personal expenses and transportation for a student in your program.
When awarding financial aid, the SAI is subtracted from the cost of education. The remainder is the amount of need-based financial aid you may receive.
The central processor selects certain federal aid applicants for a process called verification. If selected for verification, the financial aid office will request additional information to verify the income and household information listed on the federal aid application. Applicants will be notified by email of documents required after submitting the federal aid application.
Financial aid awards are not automatically renewed. Students must complete a new FAFSA for each award year. Apply as soon after October 1st as possible for the next school year at studentaid.gov. At FHTC, the summer semester begins a new award year.
Financial aid award letters are emailed to the student email address after enrollment and completion of financial aid requirements. Estimates are available for students who have not completed the enrollment process.
Awards are based on full-time enrollment, which is a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester. Enrollment is verified each semester prior to disbursement of all funds. For students enrolled less than full-time, Pell Grant awards will be prorated and other awards may have to be adjusted. Students must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours or more) to receive student loans. Most institutional scholarships are based on full-time (12 hours or more) enrollment.
A financial aid award letter identifies the aid available to each student based on program eligibility requirements, including grants, loans, and scholarships. Private or outside scholarships are estimated and contingent upon actual receipt of funds from the appropriate agencies. Award letters must be signed and returned to the financial aid office to complete the award process. All students with eligibility are offered loans. Loans can be declined or amounts changed on the award letter.
A financial aid award may be reduced or canceled. The most common reasons for an award adjustment include changes in enrollment and over-awards due to the receipt of aid from other sources. An award may also be adjusted due to changes or inaccuracies in the information on which the award was based.
Funds are generally credited to a student’s account on the 30th day from the start of the semester, provided all required documents have been submitted and processed. Tuition and all other allowable charges will be deducted from financial aid. Following the initial disbursement, funds are disbursed weekly. Students may authorize direct disbursement to their checking or savings account, or receive a paper check. Students must ensure their address is correct to avoid delays in receiving disbursements.
To receive Federal Direct Student Loans, students will need to complete and return the Award Letter. Students may request a lower amount than is indicated on the Award Letter but not a greater amount.
If accepting a loan for the first time, an Entrance Loan Counseling and Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) must be completed. These can be completed at studentaid.gov. Parents of dependent students may complete a PLUS MPN (Complete PLUS Request Process) at the site indicated above if they wish to apply and receive a Parent PLUS loan.
At the time of disbursement, a student must be enrolled and attending at least half-time (6 credit hours) to receive a student or PLUS loan. If enrollment has dropped to less than half-time before the disbursement of loan proceeds, the funds will be returned to the government and any future disbursements will be canceled. The student will still be responsible for all college charges that have not been paid as calculated by the business office.
Students must complete Exit Loan Counseling when enrollment falls below 6 hours, a student graduates or withdraws. Exit Loan Counseling can be completed at studentaid.gov.
Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Borrower
New and returning students can apply for institutional scholarships on our website at fhtc.edu/scholarhips by March 1st for the upcoming year. Applicants will be considered for all institutional and endowed scholarships based on GPA, program and other criteria listed on the application. New students must submit a current high school or college transcript to Student Services for GPA determination. You must apply each year, scholarships are not automatically renewed.
The Kansas Promise Scholarship Act provides service scholarships for students to attend an eligible postsecondary educational institution in specified programs. Select Flint Hills Technical College programs are available to eligible students beginning Fall 2021. The scholarship covers the cost of tuition, fees, book rental, and required course materials not covered by other scholarships and grants.
Qualifying FHTC programs are:
For more information regarding the Kansas Promise Scholarship, email our Financial Aid Department at financialaid@fhtc.edu. Requirements and application information can be found at on this Kansas Board of Regents page.
Students with completed financial aid totaling more than tuition and fees will be able to use their excess financial aid to purchase books through fhtc.ecampus.com. To purchase books with future financial aid, a book voucher will be sent to the student via student email. Book vouchers will not be issued until all financial aid requirements are completed. To purchase uniforms, tools and supplies with future financial aid, the business office will issue vouchers as needed.
Work-study awards may be made to students with remaining unmet need after all scholarships and grants have been considered. Late outside scholarships and monetary awards will reduce loan eligibility before affecting work-study. Students should contact the Financial Aid Office if they are interested in applying for a work-study position. Applications are available through Human Resources. Work-study earnings are paid to the student on the 1st and 15th of each month.
Veterans Benefits are certified by Lisa Kirmer, lkirmer@fhtc.edu, 620-341-1325. Visit the Veterans Educational Services page for additional information.
Looking for more borrowing options? Research private student loan options and apply through FastChoice.
Students are required to notify the Financial Aid Office of any additional financial resources (loans, scholarships, grants, waivers, vocational rehabilitation, etc.) received which are not listed on the Award Letter. These resources may cause adjustments and/or a reduction of the financial aid originally offered.
The Jones Foundation assists residents of Coffey, Osage and Lyon counties with educational costs. Visit jonesfdn.org for more information and application.
Kansas Works has educational assistance available for qualified applicants. Visit kansasworks.com for more information.
The Kansas Career Technical Workforce Grant is available for certain technical programs at FHTC. Visit kansasregents.org for more information and application. Application deadline is May 1st.
Additional scholarship information will be emailed to current students as opportunities are received by the financial aid office.
High School Seniors should check with high school counselors for additional local scholarship opportunities.
You should keep your account statements, receipts, financial records, award letters and enclosures until you graduate. These records constitute proof of payment and aid received. Student loan promissory notes and disclosure statements should be kept in a safe place until all loans are paid in full.
It is critical that you have your correct permanent and local address on file with the FHTC Student Services Office. It is very important that FHTC has an accurate phone number as well. An incorrect address or phone number may cause delays and missed deadlines.
Financial aid recipients who withdraw or cease attending all of their classes prior to 60% of the term being completed are subject to the federal rules for the Return of Title IV Funds for any federal aid not earned. The percentage of unearned aid is equal to the total number of calendar days remaining in the term divided by the total number of calendar days in the term. The repayment amount is considered unearned aid that a student was not eligible to receive due to not completing the term, necessitating the repayment of funds. The college may have an obligation to repay funds that were paid directly to the student. If the college returns funds that were applied to the student’s account, a balance due to the college by the student will result. Financial aid may not cover all unpaid institutional charges due to the college upon withdrawal. Failure to repay will prevent future enrollment at the college and release of transcripts.
Students must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward a degree or certificate to receive financial aid. To meet the minimum standards of the FHTC Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, students must meet all three of the following criteria:
Transcripts from all schools where a student received federal financial aid must be submitted to the financial aid office for evaluation.
The Financial Aid Office will evaluate satisfactory academic progress at the end of each semester.
If a student fails to meet the requirements of Satisfactory Academic Progress, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Warning for one semester. If the student fails to come into compliance at the end of that semester; the student is then placed on Financial Aid Ineligibility for the following semester.
Students failing to meet SAP may complete a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form and submit it to the Financial Aid Office explaining mitigating circumstances that impacted their academic performance with supporting documentation as well as changes that will permit the student to be successful in future semesters.
Warning — Students will be placed on warning if:
Ineligibility — Students will be placed on ineligibility if:
Students placed on financial aid ineligibility for the first time will be ineligible for one academic term. Students on ineligibility for the second or subsequent time will be ineligible for one academic year. After being placed on financial aid ineligibility for a second or subsequent time the student will need to complete the equivalent of two full-time semesters or 24 credits hours at their own expense in order to regain eligibility.
Students who wish to appeal ineligibility must provide a written appeal to the Appeals Committee within ten business days of the date of the notice of ineligibility. The written appeal should be supported by documentation including explanation of the situation(s) that may warrant an appeal (i.e. family member’s death, student’s illness or injury or other special circumstance). The student must explain why they failed to make satisfactory academic progress and what has changed in the student’s situation that would allow the student to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress during the next enrollment period. The Appeals Committee consists of the Financial Aid Officers and the Vice President of Student Services. Within ten business days of receiving the appeal, the committee will make a decision regarding the appeal and notify the student in writing of the decision. The committee’s decision shall be final. An approved appeal places a student on financial aid probation for the next period of enrollment.
If a student’s appeal is granted the student will be placed on financial aid probation for the next period of enrollment. The student must maintain satisfactory academic progress during the period of enrollment by successfully completing at least 66.66% of the courses in which the student is enrolled and maintaining a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. The student may be required to adhere to an academic plan throughout the period of enrollment and during the probationary period. The academic plan will be developed by the Vice President of Student Services in conjunction with the student. If the student is able to maintain satisfactory academic progress during the probationary period the student will be in good standing for financial aid. If the student is not able to maintain satisfactory academic progress during the probationary period the student will become ineligible for financial aid.