In ctcLink there could be many different reasons you are seeing a hold on your account. The most common financial aid hold is actually a good one!

If you see the “Tuition Deferred-Possible FA” or “Financial Aid Award Pending” hold on your account, that means you may have financial aid that will soon be applied to your account. We add this hold, also known as a “positive service indicator” to your account in order to avoid being dropped from your classes due to non-payment. This hold will typically be applied before tuition and fees are due for the quarter and will remain on your account until financial aid has been applied.

A few important notes:

• This hold does not guarantee you have pending financial aid. Please review your ‘Tasks’ in your ctcLink Student Home Page to ensure you have no outstanding requirements with the Financial Aid office. You will be able to ensure your awards are active for the upcoming quarter via the ‘Financial Aid’ section in your ctcLink account.
• This hold does not impact your ability to adjust your schedule, make payment, or review your transcript. 

• If a balance is due after funding is applied, it is your responsibility to pay. 
• If you are no longer eligible to receive these funds, you must immediately pay your tuition/fees. 

If you have a different financial aid hold on your account and have questions, we would be happy to investigate. Please contact us during our service hours.

If your financial aid is in order, you are enrolled for eligible classes and there are no other issues, the first refund of each quarter is processed on the afternoon of the first day of the quarter.

Skagit Valley College disburses financial aid funds twice a week, usually Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please allow additional time to receive the funding in your BankMobile accounts or mailed paper checks. 

Please ensure your mailing address is up to date in ctcLink. For more information, visit “Resources for Students” on our ctcLink homepage, www.skagit.edu/ctcLink. 

Note: if you are enrolled in less than 12 financial aid eligible credits, please make sure to complete an Enrollment Revision form to avoid a delay in your refund. More information is available on our Financial Aid Refunds website. 

Financial aid is money to help you pay your education expenses at a college, career school, or university. Funding can be through federal, state and school resources. There are three categories of financial aid:

1. Grants – are awarded to students that have a demonstrated financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Sometimes referred to as “gift” aid as you are not required to pay back funds you receive.
2. Work-study – money earned through a job on campus while attending school
3. Loans – Borrowed money that must be repaid with interest.

• Be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Be registered with the Selective Service (if required)
• Be enrolled in an eligible program of study and are enrolled in eligible classes that lead to a degree or certificate offered by SVC that is at least one year in length.
• Have a high school diploma or GED certificate.
• Demonstrate financial need
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress
• Not be in default on any student loan or owe a repayment on any grant received at any institute of higher education.

You can’t get financial aid if you don’t apply.  Applying for financial aid is a multi-step process, but it all begins with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) for Dreamers and DACA students.  Visit our Apply for Financial Aid site and start with the 1^st Step – Complete Your Application.

You will also want to be sure that you have applied for admission to Skagit Valley College at this time.  If you are a new student to Skagit Valley College and have not applied for admission, please note that your financial aid file will not be reviewed or processed until you have received confirmation of admission.  To apply to SVC, please visit Getting Started and you are on your way.  If you were enrolled previously at SVC, but have been away from the college for more than two years, you will also need to re-apply to SVC at Getting Started.

Yes, if when you are filling out the FAFSA application you have answered “no” to all dependency status questions in step 3, by federal law you are required to include your parent information. If your parents do not provide their information on your application, you cannot be considered for aid.

If you have special circumstances and can provide documentation of what occurred that severed the relationship with your parent(s), and you can provide documentation that you have no contact with your parent(s), contact the Financial Aid Office.

Being considered an independent student is not merely a matter of being responsible for your own educational expenses. You must be able to answer YES to at least one of the following questions to be declared an independent student for the purposes of the FAFSA:

• Will you be 24 years of age or older by December 31 of the award year?
• Are you married as of the date you fill out the FAFSA?
• Will you be working on a master’s or doctorate program (MA, MBA, DVM, PhD, EdD, etc) during the award year?
• Are you currently serving on active duty in the US Armed Forces for purposes other than training?
• Are you a veteran of the US Armed Forces?
• Do you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you during the award year?
• Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through the award year?
• At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care, or were you a dependent or ward of the court?
• Are you or were you an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?
• Are you or were you in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?
• At any time on or after July 1, 2022, did your high school or school district homeless liaison determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
• At any time on or after July 1, 2022, did the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
• At any time on or after July 1, 2022, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless.

If you are new to Skagit Valley College, you must be formally admitted to SVC before you can be awarded.

You will also want to be sure that you have applied for admission to Skagit Valley College at this time.  If you are a new student to Skagit Valley College and have not applied for admission, please note that your financial aid file will not be reviewed or processed until you have received confirmation of admission.  To apply to SVC, please visit Getting Started and you are on your way.  If you were enrolled previously at SVC, but have been away from the college for more than two years, you will also need to re-apply to SVC at Getting Started.

You should receive an email from the FAFSA or WASFA in 2-3 business days after completing your application advising you it has been successfully processed.

After receiving this email, it will be 4-6 business days for Skagit Valley College to upload your application into our database.

You will receive a welcome letter from Skagit after we receive your FAFSA or WASFA.  It will be sent to the email address you submitted with your FAFSA.  Please be sure to read it carefully.

If additional information is needed in order to process your financial aid application, you will receive a follow up email shortly after your welcome letter.

• Via email to financial.aid@skagit.edu through your MYSVC email.  For directions on how to submit please visit our Forms & Resources help page.
• Fax to 360.416.7886
• In person or by mail:
  Financial Aid Office
  Skagit Valley College
  2405 East College Way
  Mount Vernon, WA  98273-5899

We recommend that you submit via email.

ctcLink allows you to check your financial aid status and awards online any time under the ‘Financial Aid’ tile. The ‘Tasks’ tile will show you any requests for additional documents required in order to complete your financial aid file.  You can see if our office has received documents you submitted.  Also, keep track of your financial aid, including your award, at any point through the year.

Activate your ctcLink account (English)

Activate your ctcLink account (multiple languages)

You have two options:

Sign into your ctcLink student account and view the ‘Tasks’ section. You can then use the link provided to access and download the required form(s).

Or…

Go to Forms & Resources on the Financial Aid website.  Scroll down and open up the current acdemic year financial aid forms menu.  All financial forms are listed there alphabetically and available for download.

Your Student Aid Index (SAI) is generated using a formula mandated by the Department of Education, known as federal methodology. The formula uses the information you and your parent(s) provide on your financial aid application. The SAI is a measure of your/your family’s financial strength. Your SAI is not the amount of money you/your family will have to pay for college, nor is it the amount of money you will receive. The SAI is used to determine your demonstrated financial need.

Learn more regarding Financial Aid Consumer Information.

Financial Aid applications are processed on a first come, first served basis.  Fall quarter is our peak processing time.  If no additional information is needed in order to process your financial aid application just sit tight!  We will review and award your financial aid as soon as possible.  Notification will be sent via email, once the review is complete.

Please keep in mind that only fully completed financial aid files will be process for awarding.  Be sure you respond promptly to any requests for additional information.

We don’t know your potential financial aid eligibility level until we have received and processed your FAFSA or WASFA.  Your FAFSA or WASFA provides us with your Student Aid Index (SAI) and is a key factor in determining your financial need.  Financial aid applications are evaluated and reviewed according to SAI, availability of funds, and the date your file is completed within the award cycles.

If you met the quarterly deadline and other financial aid requirements based on your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid), and show satisfactory academic history, you may receive a Financial Aid hold. This will allow you to stay enrolled in your classes without payment as we process your financial aid.

Yes, limited types of financial aid are available during the summer quarter.  All students who are enrolled for Summer Quarter must complete the Summer Enrollment Form, even those who are enrolled full-time (12+ credits).  Without this form, the Financial Aid Office will not award you aid for Summer Quarter.  Please submit your completed Summer Enrollment Form through your MySVC email to the Financial Aid Office: financial.aid@skagit.edu.

If funds remain after financial aid funds are applied to your tuition and fees, the earliest you can expect to receive your financial aid refund for Summer Quarter is the afternoon of the first Thursday of the quarter.  Student Federal Direct Loan funds will likely come later.

No, by federal regulation, your financial aid can only pay for the classes you need to complete your program, or for prerequisites you must take before for required classes.  You must choose a Program of Study to receive financial aid.  Your program of study is the degree or certificate program you plan to work on while attending Skagit Valley College.

If during your time at SVC you change your Program of Study you will want to work with your advisor and be sure to notify the Financial Aid Office.  Instructions for Requesting A Change of Program.

If you will not be attending full-time (12+ credits) in any given quarter while at Skagit Valley College, you will need to complete and submit an Enrollment Revision form, depending upon the quarter, to the Financial Aid Office so that we can adjust your cost of attendance and award accordingly.

Also, be aware that CCB course credits are not financial aid eligible and should not be included when determining how many credits you are enrolled in for financial aid.  Example: You are registered for 12 credits total.  2 of the credits are for a CCB course.  This means you are enrolled in 10 credits (3/4 time) only for financial aid and you would need to submit an Enrollment Revision form.

Once your financial aid award has been made, we will first pay any balance due.  Then any remaining funds in your financial aid account for the quarter will be refunded to you directly through BankMobile.  Be sure your account with BankMobile is set up to prevent delays in receiving the funds.

You may be eligible to complete a Change of Circumstance Petition if you have experienced a significant change in income relative to the information provided on your financial aid application. Please note that in most cases, your circumstance must be a situation beyond your control. Electively quitting employment is generally not an allowable circumstance. Visit the Change of Circumstance webpage for more information.

Financial aid funds only cover the courses that are required for completion of the degree or certificate program you are pursuing at Skagit Valley College.  In addition to using financial aid to pay for the usual expenses such as tuition, fees and books, you can use it to help pay for housing, transportation, childcare, the purchase of a personal computer, educational supplies and more.

Skagit Valley College partners with BankMobile, a third-party servicer, to disburse financial aid funds. Please note that BankMobile refers to financial aid disbursements as “refunds”.

You will receive both email and postal mail correspondence from BankMobile. This will be mailed to the address you have on record with the SVC Enrollment Services Office. Please make sure that your mailing address is correct with Enrollment Services and notify the Financial Aid Office if it is currently incorrect.

Postal mail from BankMobile Disbursements will include Refund Selection options in a green envelope. However, if you wish to expedite your refund selection, we are pleased to inform you that can now do so via the mySVC toolbox:

1. Go to http://www.mysvc.skagit.edu/
2. Under Student Resources, Click on Financial Aid Refund
3. Enter your MySVC email address and password
4. Follow the prompts to select your refund preference

*Note: Your SID and PIN are the same as what you use to log in to register, pay tuition, etc.

Your options will include: deposit to another existing bank account (recommended), a paper check, or electronic deposit to BankMobile Vibe, an optional account. If you wish to select the optional BankMobile Vibe account, you should only do so if you are currently enrolled in classes in order to avoid fees and potential account cancellation. If you have a temporary social security number, such as those granted by DACA, you must select either the option of having your funds deposited to another existing bank account or a paper check.

If you have excess funds, after tuition and fees are paid, those funds will be disbursed via the refund selection option you choose, assuming that you have taken care of all items required by the Financial Aid Office and have no disbursement holds on your academic record. Your quarterly disbursements released to BankMobile should be available no sooner than the first day of each quarter. Funds awarded after a quarter has begun are usually available 3 – 4 business days after you receive your award notification.

Yes, you can! Moving forward after you receive your award notification, your cost of attendance and financial aid award are based on your actual enrollment level. If you will not be attending full-time in any given quarter while at Skagit Valley College, you will need to complete and submit an Enrollment Revision form (depending upon the quarter) to the Financial Aid Office so that we can adjust your cost of attendance and award accordingly.

You will receive an Award Letter via email to the email address you used in completing your FAFSA and WASFA.  Also, you will be able to view your awards through the ‘Financial Aid’ tile in your ctcLink student homepage.

Financial aid programs are designed to help students successfully complete their degree or certificate programs in a timely manner. Federal and state financial aid regulations require schools to set minimum standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and to hold students accountable for meeting the standards.

This document outlines the requirements for financial aid satisfactory academic progress at Skagit Valley College and is subject to change. It is the student’s responsibility to read and understand the standards for satisfactory academic progress.

As a recipient of financial aid you have certain rights and responsibilities.  It is important that you read and understand the information, guidelines and policies of Financial Aid.

We also encourage you to read these documents.

Conditions of Award

Financial Aid Consumer Information

Don’t hesitate to contact the Financial Aid Office with any questions or concerns you may have.

First, don’t panic.  We want to help you be successful at Skagit Valley College.  We know that there are times when you may experience an unusual or extenuating circumstance that impacts your results in a quarter.

We encourage you to read the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements for the guidelines as to when a student will be placed on financial aid “warning” or “suspension”.  Students who are placed on suspension have their future financial aid awards suspended.  You can be considered for reinstatement to financial aid by working with your advisor and submitting a completed Petition for Financial Aid Reinstatement.

1. Your eligibility for further aid may be canceled;
2. You may have to repay aid you received for the quarter, depending on when you withdraw;
3. You will be suspended from financial aid and need to submit a Petition for Reinstatement.

We strongly encourage you to call the Financial Aid Office at 360.416.7666 before you withdraw to assure you are fully aware of the impact on your financial aid.

Overall Attempts

Students are allowed up to three total attempts to successfully complete a course required for their program of study. Students who need to repeat a course after three unsuccessful attempts (unsuccessful is defined as E, F, V, W, or Z) must submit the Petition for Reinstatement and explain what the unusual or extenuating circumstances has been for failing to pass the course, as well as a substantial, detailed plan for how they will ensure success in their next attempt. Funding for coursework beyond three unsuccessful attempts is not guaranteed.

Previously Passed Courses

Students are allowed to receive financial aid to repeat a previously passed course (previously passed is defined as D- or higher), only once, regardless of your program’s GPA/grade requirement. Students may only receive funding for repeat courses that are required for their program of study. Repeating elective or gray area courses will not be allowed, unless Skagit Valley College requires a better grade in order to complete your program. In these cases, only one attempt is eligible for financial aid.

If you wish to retake a previously passed course, you will need to submit a Repeat Coursework form by the census date (3rd day of the quarter). 

A reduction or elimination of financial aid eligibility may be required if it is determined that a student is repeating a previously passed course beyond the one allowable re-take and students may be billed if aid has already disbursed for ineligible repeated courses.

This information is also available at the Satisfactory Academic Policy (SAP) guide.

No, if you wish to borrow Federal Direct Loans while at Skagit Valley College, additional action is required.

A separate online application for Federal Direct Loan funding is required.  Applications for the academic year will be available to students at the Financial Aid website beginning the first week of June.  Please note that loan processing during peak periods can take 6-8 weeks, so you are encouraged to apply as soon as the application becomes available.

With a Subsidized loan the federal government pays the interest for the loan while you are in school.  With the Unsubsidized loan, the interest accrues while you are in school; you are responsible for paying the amount that accrues while you are in school or when you enter repayment.

For more information regarding Federal Direct Loans.

Once you have fully submitted your Direct Loan application, processing times can take 4-8 weeks depending on the time of year you are applying. For example, if you will be starting Fall quarter, and submit your application the beginning of July, you can expect to get your Direct Loan Award Notification sent to your SVC email by late August. Please keep in mind that only completed and fully processed Financial Aid files can have loan applications certified.

Important: Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct Loans both require the student:

• Be enrolled in (and attending) at least six degree-required credits per quarter
• Submit a FAFSA and fully complete a financial aid file with the college
• Adhere to the SVC Satisfactory Progress Policy
• Understand that first-time borrowers who are first-time students at SVC cannot have loans disbursed until 30 days into their first quarter. If all file/loan documents are complete, we can hold your tuition. You must be able to purchase your own books to start classes. Contact Financial Aid if you need tuition held.

The cost of attendance (COA) is an estimate of the cost of attending SVC for the standard academic year (Fall, Winter and Spring quarters). This amount is based on several factors including enrollment status and living arrangements.

Cost of Attendance Budget Estimate

• Visit us in person: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m (Closed 12 - 1 p.m. for Lunch) | Monday – Wednesday
• Call us from: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Closed 12 - 1 p.m. for Lunch) | Monday – Wednesday:
  • Mount Vernon Office: 360.416.7666
  • Whidbey Island Office: 360.679.5320

Whether you are on active duty, in the reserves, a veteran, or a dependent of someone in the military, the Veterans Education Office can assist you with applying for and utilizing your VA education benefits.

Learn more about funding for veterans and military service members.

We encourage you to visit the Types of Aid page on the Financial Aid website.  It is a guide to resources and opportunities available to assist you in funding your goals for college.

A Tuition Payment Plan allows students to make payments on their tuition over the course of a quarter. Students must pay a deposit which is 1/3 of the total amount due plus a $30.00 processing fee. For more information, please contact:

• Mount Vernon Cashier: 360.416.7805
• Whidbey Island Cashier: 360.679.5353

Students can set up a tuition payment plan from their ctcLink account and make payments. For more information, see the Online Payments and Payment Plans guide.

FERPA privacy laws prevent us from sharing your financial aid information.  Unless you have given us permission to speak to or correspond with anyone other than you regarding your financial aid, we can only speak directly to you.  If you do want someone else to have access to your information, you will need to provide your permission by submitting an Information Release Form.

Your financial aid cannot be transferred directly between schools.  You must add the school code to your FAFSA for the school you wish to attend.  You will need to complete the financial aid process at that school.

You will need to contact the Financial Aid office to let us know when you will be gone and when you think you might return.  We will cancel your financial aid at that time.  It will be reactivated upon your return.  Keep in mind however, if you do withdraw in the middle of a quarter you may owe unearned financial aid back for that quarter and will be possibly be suspended from financial aid.