Financial Aid

Skyline College is dedicated to the concept that no individual should be denied an education solely for financial reasons. Financial aid provides access and resources to those students who need financial assistance to meet the basic costs of attending college. All students are encouraged to apply for financial aid.

There are four types of financial aid: 1) Grants, 2) Scholarships, 3) Work Study, and 4) Loans. There are two primary sources of financial aid – the Federal government and the State of California. To be eligible for all federal and most state grants and loans, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Have a high school diploma or California accepts GED, HISET and TASC tests as high school equivalencies, or have completed at least six (6) degree applicable units prior to July 1, 2012 at one of the colleges in the San Mateo Community College District (SMCCCD).
  • Be enrolled in an eligible program leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer toward a university at any of the colleges in the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD). The Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certificate Program is NOT an eligible course of student for federal and most state financial aid.
  • Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen*. Note: Some State of California programs may have a less restrictive citizenship requirement for non U.S. citizens.
  • Have completed the enrollment process which involves assessment testing, college orientation and completion of a Student Educational Plan (SEP) with a counselor.
  • Submit all required forms and documents requested by the Financial Aid Office or Department of Education
  • Meet and maintain satisfactory academic progress requirements as defined by the Financial Aid Handbook.
  • Have financial need (except in the case of unsubsidized federal loans) as demonstrated by a completed FAFSA (available online at www.FAFSA.gov) or California Dream Act Application (available at www.dream.csac.ca.gov) and Financial Aid Office review.
  • Do not owe a refund or repayment on a federal grant.
  • Not be in default on a federal educational loan or owe a repayment to a federal grant program.
  • For Federal Financial Aid supply a valid Social Security Number and name. If you are a dependent student, your parent may not be required to have a valid Social Security Number.
  • Students with a Bachelor’s Degree are not eligible for Pell Grant or FSEOG funds, but may be eligible for CCPG waiver, Federal Work Study and/or loans.

Awards and Disbursement of Financial Aid

Students can check their Financial Aid status through WebSMART by following these steps:

  • Login to WebSMART
  • Click on the “Financial Aid” tab
  • Click on “My Overall Status of Financial Aid”
  • Make sure to select a specific “Aid Year” and click “Submit”
  • Here you will find Cost of Education, Status of Academic Progress and Award Information (which is the amount of Financial Aid you have been awarded, if any)
  • Also check under “My Overall Status of Financial Aid” to see if there are any Unsatisfied Tracking Requirements. If you have any Unsatisfied Tracking Requirements, please make sure to submit all documents to the Financial Aid Office.
  • You will be notified of your Financial Aid award 2-3 weeks via email after your file is complete

All financial aid funds are disbursed on scheduled dates each term. Federal grant aid (Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant) disburses twice each term with 50% of the scheduled award being disbursed on or after each scheduled date based on the student’s enrollment level and program eligibility. Federal Direct Loans are also disbursed in two payments based on the approved loan period. The Cal Grant and the Student Success Completion Grant (SSCG) are disbursed in a single payment each term after census.

During the enrollment process, students can choose from a few preferred methods for receiving financial aid or scholarship funds from the College. Please visit https://skylinecollege.ede/financialaid/disbursement for complete details and sign up.

Return of Federal Funds

When a Student Withdraws:

Students who receive federal financial aid and do not attend any classes or who withdraw from all classes prior to completing more than 60% of the semester will be required to repay all or part of any unearned funding that was paid to them. A student’s withdrawal date, for purposes of federal financial aid, will be determined as follows:

  1. The date the student officially notified the Admissions Office of his or her intent to withdraw, or
  2. The midpoint of the semester for a student who leaves without notifying the college, or
  3. The student’s last date of attendance at a documented, academically-related activity.

Students will be billed for any funds that are required to be repaid. Funds must be repaid immediately or the student may be reported to the U.S. Department of Education for a grant overpayment.

Further information about all programs and types of resources available can be found in the Student Financial Aid Handbook, or at the Financial Aid Office in Building 19, Room 106 Student Services Center, or by calling (650) 738-4236

Student Learning Outcomes

The Financial Aid staff have identified the following Student Learning Outcomes for the various services provided by Financial Aid:

  • Students will gain understanding of the requirements, rights and responsibilities, and repayment obligations associated with acquiring a federal student loan. [ISLO: Communication and Lifelong Wellness]

Respiratory Care, Baccalaureate Degree Program - Financial Aid

Financial Aid in forms of Federal, State aid is available for students eligible and accepted into the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program at Skyline College by completing a FAFSA (www.fafsa.gov) or California Dream Act Application (www.caldreamact.org). Apply early and follow the “Steps to apply for Financial Aid” section located on our homepage at: https://skylinecollege.edu/financialaid. Workshops are also available for students needing assistance completing their financial aid application, see our events calendar on our homepage. Also, online instructional videos can be viewed 24/7 on our homepage by clicking on FATV.

Eligibility for various scholarship programs would be determined by the individual scholarship or program students apply for. Additional information on scholarships, internal and external, can be located on our homepage at: https://skylinecollege.edu/financialaid.

The California College Promise Grant (CCPG) is available (for California State residents or AB 540 exempt students) to cover $46 per unit of lower division coursework and can be determined by submitting a FAFSA or Dream Act application. If eligible for a CCPG, the total cost of enrollment for students will be $84 per unit for upper division coursework.

Students may be eligible for the Cal Grant B Program. Cal Grant B provides a living allowance and tuition assistance, grant amount varies. The CCPG waives $46 of the $130 per unit for the Bachelor’s Degree Program. The Cal Grant B Program will assist with the remaining $84 per unit.

Students may be eligible for third year Direct Loan awards which are subsidized up to $5,500 and unsubsidized up to $7,000. Check in with the Financial Aid Office for additional assistance.