Frequently Asked Financial Aid Questions
We offer: Government Fee Waivers and Grants, Loans, Work-Study, and Scholarships.
Click the links for detailed information on each type of aid, required qualifications, deadlines, and more.
MPC's Federal School Code is 001242.
You should apply for aid between October 1 and March 2 of every year to be considered for maximum aid for the upcoming academic year.
Even if you miss these deadlines, you should still apply, as funding may still be available.
See Getting Started for details.
The list of MPC Scholarships is posted on December 1st of each academic year, with awards to be used the following academic year.
Scholarships are available for incoming, current, and transferring MPC students. Recipients will be notified in May.
A list of outside scholarships, each with separate criteria and deadlines, is also available.
Visit Scholarships for details.
Due to the Federal Educational Rights to Privacy Act (FERPA), MPC Student Financial Services staff are unable to disclose personal information about your file over the phone.
You may request information about your file:
- In-Person - See our Location & Hours
- Via Email using your MPC E-mail Account
- By visiting the Financial Aid Online Portal and clicking on "My Financial Aid"
A "Welcome" email acknowledges receipt of your FAFSA or Dream Act application.
A "Request" email signals there’s missing documentation in your file.
It’s your responsibility to update our office with a current email address so as to insure proper delivery of the first Welcome Email.
All future email notifications will be sent to the student's email account on file.
Please read all emails carefully and submit requested documents in-person or via U.S. Postal Service to the Financial Aid Office as soon as possible. All forms are available online for download through the MPC Financial Aid Portal.
The Award Letter notifies you that you’ve been granted financial aid. The letter includes the disbursement date and the amount you’ll receive per semester.
All financial aid funds are now paid through BankMobile.
There are two payments each semester, but only one award letter will be emailed to you.
If your award amount changes, a letter notifying you of the revised award will be emailed to your email account on file.
The Pell Grant is federal aid and the Cal Grant is state aid.
If you’d like to be considered for both grant programs, complete the FAFSA Application online and then submit the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form no later than March 2nd of every year.
Visit Getting Started for more details.
The Drop-Dead Date is the last day during the semester when you can add or drop a course without having financial aid funds penalized.
Dropping courses after the DDD may trigger a Financial Aid Warning or Financial Aid Loss of Eligibility.
To see current Drop-Dead Dates, visit the Financial Aid Portal.
Financial aid awards and scholarships are contingent on maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress. At a minimum, you must maintain a minimum 50% pace progression and 2.0 GPA. For full details, see the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
If you receive a notification that you are “on warning,” that means you have not met the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy Standards for one semester/session. To maintain funding, please complete a Warning Contract and submit it in person or via U.S. Postal Service mail to our office. See our Location & Hours.
Special Circumstances Affecting Progress
Special circumstances are one-time major events, such as a death in the immediate family, illness, or other extraordinary disruption, that prevent you from maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress.
If you are placed on warning or lose eligibility following such an occasion, please contact Student Financial Services directly.
If you receive a notification of Loss of Eligibility, you haven’t met Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy requirements for at least two consecutive semesters and are no longer eligible for financial aid.
If you receive a notification of Loss of Eligibility-Maximum Timeframe, you’ve reached 150% of the maximum timeframe allowed to complete a program of study at a California Community College. At MPC, most majors are 60 academic units, so you’d reach 150% of the maximum timeframe once you’ve attempted 90 units.
If you have special circumstances or wish to appeal the loss of eligibility, please fill out the appropriate appeal form:
At MPC we recognize that circumstances for families can change unexpectedly. Reasons for loss of income may include:
- Loss/Reduction of Employment or Income
- Unusual Medical and/or Dental Expenses
- Divorce, Separation or Death
- Other, e.g. COVID-19 related
If you or your family's financial situation has changed, you may request to have your financial aid eligibility re-evaluated using more recent tax information than what you submitted with your FAFSA/Dream Act application.
To request a review of income, please fill out the Income Change Review Form.
Return it to the Financial Aid office in person or via U.S. Postal Service mail. See our Location & Hours.
Before turning in the form, make sure your Financial Aid file for the current year is complete and you are meeting minimum satisfactory academic progress standards, or that you have a current and approved Loss of Eligibility Appeal or Maximum Timeframe Appeal on file with the MPC Financial Aid Office.
If you owe money to MPC to cover tuition, fees, or materials, you won’t be able to register until the full amount is paid.
If you are waiting for a financial aid payment, the money owed will automatically be deducted when the payment arrives.
You may be billed for the fee waiver if you do not demonstrate financial need of $1,104 or more.
You may have been previously eligible for the CalGrant fee waiver Type C, but due to changes in your FAFSA or enrollment status, you’re now ineligible. Students who become ineligible will be billed for the outstanding fees.
If you believe you’ve been billed in error, please contact us in person or via email.