splitting financial aid to two different colleges?

Question

So I was wondering if it was possible for me to attend one college as a full time student for only FALL semster and receive full financial aid for only that one FALL semester in that one college and then when SPRING semester rolls around be a full time student at another college and receive full financial aid for only that one SPRING semester.I know i'm not allowed to split financial aid in the same semester for two different colleges since I am only allowed to be a full time student in the college I choose for that semester. just wanted to know if it was possible splitting financial aid between semesters to one college for one semester and then to another college another semester.

Answer 1

Yes. This is a fairly common --I worked on financial aid packages for about 50 students this week who are in the same situation. You won't receive full aid at both, though--it will be split between the two. Your total annual award will remain the same, so the second school will only be able to disburse what is left after the first school takes their share for the fall.



Make sure that you formally withdraw from the first school, because the second one can't disburse your aid until you do.

Answer 2

this is going to depend on how well you can get this coordinated

it also depends on your getting admitted to both schools & the school where you want to go to in Spring accepting a Spring admission (many Universities will not allow this)



and this is going to require speedy handling of fin aid by each of the schools



you are going to have to start with applying for fin aid at both schools before their respective deadlines & when you get your fin aid award for each school sit down with fin aid advisor at the school you plan to go to in Fall & explain you only want the award for the Fall semester & you need their help to make sure your aid will be available for the second school in Spring



then sit down with Fin Aid advisor at the school for Spring & explain that you do want Fin Aid but not for Fall & find out all that you must do in order to get in place by Spring



consider that it is possible that the second school will tell you they won't process fin aid under those conditions



and it is possible that even if everything is done exactly correctly by each of the schools & by you that aid will not be available for Spring at either school because of holds getting mixed up (I know a person this happened to)





the final obstacle you could run into is that you will be a transfer student at the second school & some schools require you complete 24-36 credit hours before being eligible for transfer admission

Answer 3

Depends on whether you're referring to Community College or University. You shouldn't attend a University for less than a degree if you can avoid it. If Community College, which is probably what you were talking about, then call both schools' financial department about this, but I wouldn't keep my hopes up.