Polk State students encouraged to check financial aid options for summer semester
For Polk State College students looking to pay for summer classes, there are options.
Bob Evans, Interim Director for Student Financial Services, noted that often times students who receive Federal Pell Grants assume that funding isn’t available during summer semesters. Students who take at least six credit hours during the summer, however, can be eligible for an additional 50% of their Pell Grant allotment – a provision often referred to as the “150% plan.”
“We encourage students to talk to their financial aid advisors,” Evans said. “We’ll help tear down the complexity around it.”
Those six credit hours can be satisfied during any summer session or split up between multiple sessions. Students who receive a Pell Grant but don’t take classes full-time in either the fall, spring, or both semesters will also likely have remaining funds that can be used during the summer, Evans noted. They may qualify even if they take just three credit hours.
Students who hope to utilize Pell Grant funds for the Summer 2023 Semester must have a Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) form on file for the 2022-23 Academic Year. Pell Grants for the 2022-23 year were available in the amount of up to $6,895.
Students can check their financial aid balance in Passport. Transient students hoping to utilize Pell funds must do so from their home institutions.
Other funds for summer
In addition to Pell Grant funds, students may have other funding options to pay for summer courses. Evans noted that military benefits and Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) funds still apply during the summer.
Other funding options for tuition include student loans and some state grants. Students who need help deciphering which funds are available are encouraged to visit a financial aid advisor on the Winter Haven or Lakeland campuses, or to email financialaid@polk.edu. Email responses are provided within 48 hours.
“Students who think they don’t have money just might,” Evans said. “We’re always here to help. It never hurts to check.”