Welcome to Polaris Career Center! We are here to help you navigate the federal financial aid process.

If you are planning to enroll in any of our Fall 2024 or spring 2025 programs, please complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA using your 2022 federal IRS tax return.

The following Job & Career Training programs are financial-aid-eligible for students that qualify:

• Automotive Technology (600 hrs)

• Facilities Maintenance (600 hrs)

• Cosmetology Academy (900 hrs yr 1, 600 hrs yr 2)

• Dental Assisting (675 hrs)

• Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration (600 hrs)

• Licensed Practical Nursing (1100 hrs)

• Medical Assisting (946 hrs)

• Medical Billing and Coding (900 hrs)

• Police Academy (740 hrs)

• Precision/CNC Machine Technology (600 hrs)

• Welding (600 hrs)

2024-2025 Financial Aid and Veteran's Benefits Guide

To receive federal financial aid at Polaris Career Center, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• Demonstrate financial need, except for some loan programs.

• Have a high school diploma or equivalent.

• Enrolled as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program.

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.

• Have a valid Social Security Number.

• Meet satisfactory academic progress standards set by the school.

• Certify that you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes.

• Certify that you are not in default on a federal student loan and that you do not owe money on a federal student grant.

• Not be incarcerated in a federal or state penal institution.

Please see the Federal Student Aid website for more information.

The following Federal Student Aid and Payment Options are available to students that qualify: 

• Federal Pell Grant

• Federal Direct Loan

• Federal Parent Plus Loan

• Veterans Education Benefits

• Workforce Development

• Trade Adjustment Assistance Act

• Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation

• Interest-Free Tuition Payment Plan

  • Balance is broken down into monthly payments with the first payment due at registration and the final payment due one month prior to the program ending. There are no fees or interest charged with our monthly payment plan. 

• The Federal Pell grant is considered "gift aid" - financial aid that does not have to be repaid.

• The 2024-2025 maximum Federal Pell grant award a student may receive based on a Student Aid Index (SAI)

  • $7,395 for a 900 or 946 clock hour program

  • $6,573 for a 800 clock hour program

  • $5,546 for a 675 clock hour program (Dental Assisting hours for 2023-2024 pending approval)

  • $4,930 for a 600 clock hour program

  • $9,038 for a 1100 clock hour program

• The Federal Pell grant amount awarded will depend on the student's financial need, the cost of attendance, and the number of clock hours of the program the student is attending.

• The student’s SAI (Student Aid Index), reported on the SAR (Student Aid Report) that is calculated from the student’s prior-prior year income information submitted on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is also used to determine the amount of Federal Pell grant funds awarded.

• Federal Pell grant funds are meant to assist students with tuition and will not cover tuition costs completely. Students may consider applying for a Federal Direct Loan to supplement the cost of tuition. It is suggested that a student complete the student loan requirements at the same time they complete the FAFSA.

Parents of Dependent Students may apply for a Parent PLUS Loan through the U.S. Department of Education for up to the student’s Cost of Attendance (COA) minus any need-based aid received by the student. The parent will need to visit https://studentaid.gov/plus-app/parent/landing to complete an application and fill out the Parent PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) online. We will get in touch with the parent shortly after the application and MPN have been completed. Please see chart below for fess associated with the Parent PLUS Loan.

A Federal Direct Loan must be repaid to the federal government. 

Students are responsible for submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is reviewed and processed by the U.S. Department of Education, and the results are then sent to each school the student lists on the application. To add Polaris Career Center to your application, you will need our school code, which is 016745. 

The FAFSA should be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the student coming in to register for a program. If a student plans to utilize federal aid, all federal aid requirements must be completed (and aid in place) prior to program registration. Students who originally do not intend to utilize federal financial aid may elect to apply for aid while enrolled in the program and aid will be applied to the student's account on the next scheduled disbursement date following the completion of all financial aid requirements. 

There are two easy ways to submit a FAFSA® form:

• Electronically apply using the online FAFSA form found at studentaid.gov (see instructions below)

• Download a PDF FAFSA form from studentaid.gov, fill it out, sign, and submit by mail

-There are some terms used in Financial Aid that you may have never heard before.
 Here's a helpful glossary of terms and their definitions.

-Here is a list of Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to Federal Financial Aid

The FSS will make the student aware of any issues that need to be resolved prior to becoming eligible for financial aid. If the student has questions related to resolving these issues, the student should contact the Financial Aid Office at 440-891-7668 or asmith@polaris.edu. If there are no unresolved issues or the student is selected for verification, we will contact the student via email to review the student's aid package or complete the verification process (see below). 

Verification is the confirmation through documentation that the information provided on a student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is correct. The federal government requires colleges and universities to verify or confirm the data reported by students and their parent(s) on the FAFSA. The verification process ensures that eligible students receive all the financial aid to which they are entitled and prevents ineligible students from receiving financial aid to which they are not entitled. You may be selected for verification by the federal processor. If you are selected for verification by the federal processor, there will be an asterisk next to your Student Aid Index (SAI) on your Student Aid Report (SAR). Once you are selected for verification, the following documents may be required from you. Please contact Allison Smith at 440-891-7668 or Email Allison Smith for more information. 

Professional Judgment for Special and Unusual Circumstances

When there are unusual situations or circumstances that impact your federal student aid eligibility, federal regulations give a financial aid administrator discretion, or professional judgment, on a case-by-case basis and with adequate documentation, to make adjustments to the data elements on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form that impact your Student Aid Index (SAI). This is done in order to gain a more accurate assessment of your family's ability to contribute to your cost of education. The Department of Education does not have the authority to override a school's professional judgment decision.

Special Circumstances: If you feel your financial situation has changed significantly since 2022, the year in which your financials were entered into the FAFSA, please reach out to us and submit ALL requested forms of documentation with your request. Incomplete requests will not be considered. Once a complete PJ Request has been submitted, you will be notified within 14 days of the result of any change to the student’s financial aid package.

The following are examples of special circumstances:

• Change in employment status, income, or assets

• Change in housing status (e.g., homelessness)

• Tuition expenses at an elementary or secondary school

• Medical, dental, or nursing home expenses not covered by insurance

• Child or dependent care expenses

• Severe disability of the student or other member of the student’s household

• Other changes or adjustments that impact the student’s costs or ability to pay for college.

Unusual Circumstances: If you are considered a Dependent Student per the FAFSA, and meet one of the criteria below, you MAY be eligible for a Dependency Override due to unusual circumstances. Please also note the reasons that do not qualify a student for a dependency override. Dependency overrides are rare and only granted in extreme circumstances supported by extensive documentation. Please consult with the Financial Aid Coordinator if you feel you may meet the requirements for a Dependency Override due to unusual circumstances, which may include:

• Human trafficking, as described in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.);

• Legally granted refugee or asylum status;

• Parental abandonment or estrangement; or

• Student or parental incarceration.

The following are examples that do NOT qualify a student for a dependency override:

• Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education.

• Parents will not provide information for the FAFSA or verification.

• Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.

• Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.

The Financial Aid Coordinator can be reached at 440-891-7668 or asmith@polaris.edu