Step 1: Apply for financial aid
What is financial aid?
Financial aid is money offered to help a student meet their college expenses. Financial aid includes:
- Grants: gift aid that doesn’t have to be repaid
- Loans: borrowed money that you must repay with interest
- Work study: money earned at a part-time job
How to apply
Applying for financial aid is easy and confidential. To apply, you provide information about your income and benefits.
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Complete the application
To apply, complete either the FAFSA or the ORSAA, depending on your immigration status.
- Complete the FAFSA
U.S. Citizens and eligible non-citizens complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). See more about FAFSA eligibility requirements.- PCC school code: 003213
- Complete the ORSAA
Oregon residents with undocumented status, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) complete the ORSAA (Oregon Student Aid Application). Learn more by taking the FAFSA or ORSAA quiz.
- Complete the FAFSA
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Get admitted to PCC
Apply for admission if you haven’t taken a credit class at PCC in the last two years or if you were previously admitted as a Dual Credit student. When choosing a course of study, check to see which programs are eligible for financial aid.
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Start checking your dashboard
When PCC gets your application, we’ll send an email to your PCC email address and update your financial aid dashboard on the MyPCC Paying for College tab. Log in and check for customized messages about your financial aid.
When to apply
The best time to apply is as soon after December 31 as possible for the following academic year. Applications are accepted after that time, but funds are limited. You must reapply each year for financial aid.
| Term you plan to start | Submit application by |
|---|---|
| Summer 2024 (ORSAA students not eligible for summer funding) |
Feb 15, 2024 |
| Fall 2024 | Apr 15, 2024 |
| Winter 2025 | Oct 15, 2024 |
| Spring 2025 | Jan 1, 2025 |
Who is eligible?
To be eligible for financial aid, you must meet these criteria. See more about eligibility.
| Criteria | FAFSAA | ORSAA |
|---|---|---|
| Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen | x | |
| Be working toward an eligible degree or certificate | x | x |
| Have a high school diploma, GED® certificate, or homeschool completion | x | x |
| Be making satisfactory academic progress (see more about maintaining eligibility) |
x | x |
| Not owe a refund on a federal grant or be in default on a federal student loan | x |
How much aid will you get?
The amount of financial aid a student receives is directly related to how much it costs to attend college. If you want to know more, see how financial aid awards are determined. On that page, you’ll see standard budgets for full-time enrollment at PCC. We can predict the cost of attending PCC, but we can’t estimate how much aid you will receive until you apply. After we get your application, we’ll let you know how much aid you are eligible for.
Wondering about scholarships? There are additional application processes when seeking scholarships. There are thousands of scholarships available for all kinds of students, from all kinds of organizations. Read more about finding and applying for scholarships.
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