Student Financial Aid and Scholarships

Cuyahoga Community College maintains a full-service Student Financial Aid and Scholarships office on each campus. This office is dedicated to helping students navigate financial aid options for paying for their college expenses. Students can meet with a Student Financial Aid Advisor to obtain information about various financial aid options, which includes grants, scholarships, student loans, and public benefits. Learn more about various financial resources available at Cuyahoga Community College.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your Financial Aid, our office may be contacted by any of the following methods:

• Tri-C FA Chat
• Call us at 216-987-6000, Option #2
• Email us at financialaid@tri-c.edu
• In-person during campus service hours
• Virtual Financial Aid appointments are now available.

Understanding Your Award

Your financial aid award letter is based upon the information you submitted on your FAFSA and includes all the financial aid you are eligible for based upon this information. Your award letter assumes you will be enrolled as a full-time student (12+ credit hours/semester) and indicates the semesters for which aid has been awarded. The types of aid offered to you may include a combination of grants, scholarships, loans or work-study.

There are two types of financial aid:

1. Gift Aid – includes grants and scholarships, which are sources of financial aid that do not have to be repaid or earned;
2. Self-Help Aid – includes student loans and work-study, which are sources of financial aid that must be repaid or earned through employment.

More information about the specific types of financial aid can be found online at ‘Sources of Financial Aid.'

The College Financing Plan, also known as the Federal Shopping Sheet, is a standardized consumer tool that is used to notify students about their estimated financial aid package. This tool will be available on your financial aid dashboard after you have been awarded.

If federal student loans are a part of your financial aid award and you would like to use this source of financial aid, you will need to accept your loan by submitting a Loan Request Form. Detailed information can be found on our website ‘Student Loans’.

The Student Financial Aid & Scholarships Office recognizes that the FAFSA may not accurately reflect a family’s situation or their circumstance may change after submitting the FAFSA.  If you have had a change to your financial circumstance since submitting the FAFSA (loss of job, reduction in hours, divorce, etc.) you should contact the Student Financial Aid & Scholarships Office to discuss whether these changes could impact your financial aid eligibility.

If you feel you need additional resources to attend Tri-C or you plan to enroll in the summer, contact the Student Financial Aid & Scholarships Office for more information.

Financial Aid Workshops and Events

The Student Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will be hosting virtual and in-person workshops throughout the academic year that are geared towards assisting students with completing the FAFSA application, learning about financial aid policies and applying for scholarships opportunities at Tri-C.  Come and join us to learn more!