Financial Aid
Financial aid comes in the form of federal, state, institutional, and private fund(s) used to assist eligible students in funding their education. To apply for Federal, State, or Institutional Aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. The Office of Financial Aid will determine the types of aid you qualify for based on the information you provide on your FAFSA. You may be awarded a combination of grants, federal work-study, and federal loans.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed annually by all students applying for financial aid. The FAFSA is available on October 1 of each year. Be sure to include BPCC School Code: 012033 on your application. Once your application has been processed (allow 5-7 business days), you will receive an email confirmation.
Complete the FAFSA:
- Choose 2024-2025 for Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Summer 2025 (Deadline is June 30, 2025)
Financial Aid Staff are available:
- Monday - Thursday - 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Friday - 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Contact the Financial Aid Office:
- Phone: 318-678-6026
- Email: finaid@bpcc.edu
- Location: Building F, First Floor (Bossier Campus)
- Natchitoches and Sabine Valley students can visit with a Financial Aid Advisor at the Natchitoches campus in Room 152.
You may submit documents electronically at this secure link: SUBMIT YOUR DOCUMENTS/QUESTIONS HERE
Completing your FAFSA and submitting all missing requirements posted on your LoLA is essential. Registered students who do not set up a payment plan or have financial aid processed will have their classes purged for non-payment. Financial aid is a lengthy process in which any requested information should be completed at least 1-2 months before your semester begins. Review important purge dates by choosing the semester you will be attending here.
Military Education Benefits
For students using military education benefits (GI Bill®, National Guard waiver, Title 29), follow the link to our VA Enrollment Form (replacement for the "Blue Form"). You should complete this form after enrolling in classes. Visit the Veterans Resource Center (Building H, Room 412) if you need assistance.
Maymester/Summer 2024 semester electronic book voucher process
Please note: No books may be charged to the Financial Aid account between June 28 and June 30 while the Finance department works to close out the college’s financial records for the fiscal year. Call the financial aid office at 318-678-6026 to determine if you are eligible to receive a paper book voucher. When you call, please have your student ID number and FERPA access code ready.
| Session | Class Start Date | First day you can order books using Federal Financial Aid | Last day you can order books using Federal Financial Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maymester | May 14, 2024 | May 6, 2024 | June 7, 2024 |
|
Session A (Enrolled students in session C can also purchase books during this time) |
May 30, 2024 | May 6, 2024 | June 7, 2024 |
| Session C | June 26, 2024 | June 17, 2024 and July 1, 2024 | June 21, 2024 and July 2, 2024 |
Financial Aid recipients who are due a credit balance for the Maymester/Summer semester (after tuition/fees/housing charges are deducted) will be allowed to participate in the electronic book voucher process during the dates listed above.
How to order your books:
Students who wish to use the electronic book voucher process to allow financial aid funds to purchase books must order the books via the following procedure:
You may access the bookstore web page and order your books. Choose the textbook icon and choose your course(s) to view the required books/materials needed for your class(es). You will need to have your class schedule that contains the following information: Department/Course/Section (example: ENGL/101/931). Once you enter the appropriate information, you may add the books needed to your shopping cart.
At checkout, you have the option to pay with your financial aid funds. Your “account number” is the same number as your “student ID number” (LoLA number). If your financial aid funds do not cover the entire cost of your purchase, you will need to enter a credit card as a second tender.
Below are the earliest dates for the session that we will send funds to your BankMobile account. These dates only apply to eligible students whose documents were submitted on time and deemed eligible for financial aid before these dates. All other eligible financial aid recipients will receive later disbursements, regardless of the date you see on LoLA.
*** Financial aid processed after the dates below, the Financial Aid office will disburse eligible financial aid to your student account on Monday of each week, and the Business Office will send your refund to BankMobile on Thursday of each week after 4 p.m. Sign up for BankMobile notifications to know when you will have access to your funds.
| Session | Class Start Date |
Eligible Grants and Student loans will pay towards your account balance (after 5 pm): |
Funds will be sent to BankMobile (after 4 pm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maymester | May 14, 2024 |
June 11, 2024 |
***June 14, 2024 |
| Session A & B | May 30, 2024 |
June 11, 2024 |
***June 14, 2024 |
| Session C | June 26, 2024 | July 8, 2024 | ***July 11, 2024 |
TOPS recipients: Tops funding is provided by the Board of Regents/Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA). Any TOPS Award on your account is contingent upon a determination of eligibility by BOR/LOSFA and appropriations by the Louisiana Legislature to fund the program entirely. Colleges cannot request funds on your behalf until after the 14th class date. We estimate that we will apply the funds to your account balance approximately two weeks after receiving them. Continue to monitor your account summary on LoLA for updates.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: When BPCC sends your funds to BankMobile according to the dates above, BankMobile will issue your refund to the preferred method you chose during account creation. BPCC staff will not know the day you will have access to your funds. Please sign up for BankMobile notifications to receive updates.
***The refund dates mentioned are subject to change. BPCC will disperse the refund within 14 days of the funds paid to your student account if there is a delay in processing a refund.
Please refer to your LOLA account regarding your student balance information.
You can pay your balance:
- Online through your LOLA account using the CASHNet service by credit, debit card or E-Check.
(please note payments made by credit or debit card will be charged a 2.75% convenience fee, The E-Check option does not charge a convenience fee). - In person at the BPCC Business Office, Building F, 6220 East Texas Street, Bossier City, LA.
(Please note that the Business Office can no longer accept credit or debit cards at the window, However, the Business Office continues to accept cash, checks and money orders for payments).
If you have any questions concerning payment, contact the Business Office at businessoffice@bpcc.edu.
If you need assistance with financial aid, contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@bpcc.edu. Please do not submit documents or personal information to this email address; this is not a secure link. Submit your documents and/or questions containing personal information to our secure link called “SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS AND/OR DOCUMENTS HERE (secure link)” at https://www.bpcc.edu/index.php/financialaid/forms/1920/
The Financial Aid Appeals process is now available electronically. Students interested in submitting a financial aid appeal must complete the form online and upload supporting documentation. Paper forms are not available. It can take approximately 2-3 weeks from the date we receive a **completed appeal before the committee makes will decide.
**An appeal is considered complete when you have addressed your extenuating circumstance thoroughly, you have explained your change in circumstance(s), and all supporting documentation has been received and meets the academic plan requirements.
Federal financial aid may NOT be awarded for courses that do not apply toward a student’s degree program. Each student is strongly encouraged to check with an advisor to ensure that the courses in which he/she is enrolled will apply towards the student’s degree program.
Submit your documents early!
Applying for Financial Aid is a lengthy process. The entire process could take up to three to four weeks after the student submits ALL documents required to complete his/her financial aid file. In order to have the student’s financial aid processed in time for registration/fee payment he/she must submit ALL requested documents according to the priority deadlines.
- Provisionally admitted students are not eligible for federal financial aid. If a student’s Admissions file is incomplete, he/she is considered a provisional student.
- All students must have a high school diploma or its equivalent in order to receive federal financial aid.
- If a student is missing official college academic transcripts or if his/her financial aid file is incomplete, the student is NOT eligible for financial aid. It is the student’s responsibility to make payment arrangement on the day of registration.
- If a student is determined ineligible for financial aid once all missing information is provided, he/she must make payment arrangement on the day of registration.
Awards may be reduced or cancelled without prior notification if a student is determined ineligible for financial aid funds that he/she has already received.
60% Date for Session A* only
You must ATTEND past this date.
| Spring 2024 | March 25, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Summer 2024 | July 2, 2024 |
| Fall 2024 | TBA |
**Winter intersession is combined with the spring 2024 semester for financial aid purposes.
Please NOTE: Your instructors will provide the financial aid office with your last date of attendance. We will adjust your financial aid awards according to the last date you attended class, not the day you withdraw.
*The 60% date for other sessions or combinations of multiple sessions are not posted. The Financial Aid office must calculate a unique 60% date based on the combination of sessions you are attending.
BPCC Teacher Institute
A person who is a full-time Louisiana classroom teacher teaching on a temporary Louisiana teaching certificate in Louisiana in a public or private school, and who is working on permanent certification, may participate in the Teacher Institute. A teacher may take up to two 3-hour courses for $100 each ($200 maximum). Teachers must provide a copy of their T-Certificate and a letter from the school principal where they teach certifying that the course(s) they are taking at BPCC apply toward permanent certification. A new letter is required each semester! For more details, contact Holly French-Hart, Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness, at 318-678-6132. (The program does not include paraprofessionals or teacher aides.)
Students must begin attendance in ALL classes. Federal financial aid will be adjusted if a student does not begin attendance in ALL classes. If a student’s financial aid is disbursed to the student account and he/she never attends one or more classes, the student will be responsible for immediate REPAYMENT of a portion or perhaps the FULL amount of the financial aid.
Additionally, if a financial aid recipient begins attendance in class, but resigns or stops attending all classes before completing more than 60% of the semester, he/she will owe money to the aid program and BPCC.
Please NOTE: Your instructors will provide the financial aid office with your last date of attendance. We will adjust your financial aid awards according to the last date you attended class, not the day you withdraw.