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Financial Aid Eligibility Criteria

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Financial Aid Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for need-determined assistance through the FAFSA, the student must meet the following criteria:

  1. Be accepted in an eligible degree and/or certificate program.
  2. Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
  3. Have a high school diploma, passed the General Equivalency Diploma (GED), or demonstrated the Federal Ability to Benefit test.
  4. Not owe a refund on a Federal Grant or be in default on a Federal Student Loan.
  5. Making satisfactory academic progress.
  6. Apply in a timely manner and submit all documentation and/ or information needed to the Financial Aid Office to determine eligibility.

Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA)

The CASFA is a Colorado funded program that allows state aid to be awarded to eligible ASSET students who do not have lawful immigration status, but meet the following criteria:

  • Student has resided in Colorado for at least three years before graduating from a Colorado high school or passing a high school equivalency exam.
  • Student has been admitted to a college within 12 months of graduating high school.
  • Student has signed an affidavit affirming they will seek legal immigration status as soon as they are eligible.

Students eligible for federal Title IV financial aid should complete the FAFSA, and will not be eligible for the CASFA.  For additional information and to apply for the CASFA, visit:  https://cdhe.colorado.gov/students/preparing-for-college/colorado-application-for-state-financial-aid.

Course Program of Study (CPoS) Information:

The US Department of Education requires that institutions ensure financial aid funds are used to pay for courses that apply to a student's degree program. The CPoS will be considered when determining Federal Financial Aid eligibility. If a student is enrolled in courses that do not count towards their degree, the student will be responsible for those course costs. Trinidad State will make every effort to ensure financial aid is correctly applied at the time of disbursement, there may be instances where Trinidad State is required by the US Department of Education to review and make corrections to your financial aid. If financial aid has been paid toward classes that are not part of the student's degree program, Trinidad State is federally required to return that aid which may result in a balance due for the student. If this happens, the student will be notified. 

Students should verify their curriculum through viewing their portal under the “Financial Aid requirements” tab, making an appointment with their advisor, or checking their DegreeWorks via their portal, to ensure CPoS will be approved for financial aid funding. If the student needs to change their major, they must do so before the census date of each semester of the current term. Any change of program submitted after census date will be applied to the following term. As a result, the student may not receive federal funding.