Federal Financial Aid Programs

Federal Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students who display financial need and have not earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree. A Federal Pell Grant is money awarded by the federal government that can be used to pay your tuition, or, if your tuition is covered by other means, help you buy your books and supplies, or pay your transportation costs.  To receive a Pell grant, you must meet the eligibility requirements for federal student aid.

A Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is an award given to undergraduate students who show exceptional financial need.  To receive FSEOG, you must meet the eligibility requirements for federal student aid. In addition, you must also be eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant in order to receive FSEOG. That means that if you have reached your 12 full-time semester lifetime eligibility limit for receipt of Pell, you may not receive any more FSEOG awards. Apply for FSEOG by filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Please note that CUNY receives a fixed amount of money each academic year to award FSEOG. Once this money is awarded, there are no more funds for that academic year. FSEOG is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. You must file your FAFSA early to be considered for FSEOG.

Guttman Community College participates in the Federal Work-Study Program. This program enables qualified students to have part-time employment while pursuing a degree.

What are the benefits of the Federal Work-Study Program?

There are a number of benefits associated with FWS participation. Some of these are:

• If you have never had a job, the FWS program can give you your first exposure to the work place. FWS employers are often willing to give you on-the-job training.
• You can gain valuable job experience, especially if you find positions relating directly to your program of study or career choice.
• You may use your FWS job as an employment reference when seeking regular employment after graduation.
• A FWS position can sometimes lead to a permanent job with the agency that hired you as a FWS student.

Awarding Process

Federal Work-Study is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Eligibility for this program is based on the financial status of the student and/or his or her family. Interested students who do not receive a Federal Work-Study in their financial aid offer may add their name to the waitlist (pending the availability of additional funding).

Federal Work-Study Eligibility Requirements:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and meet the eligibility criteria.
• Provide additional documents according to their CUNYfirst “To-Do List” if needed
• Answer “Yes” to the question, “Are you interested in work-study?” on the FAFSA application.
• Qualify for federal financial aid and have remaining financial need demonstrated through the FAFSA.
• Minimum half-time enrollment (6 credits) is required in the semester(s) you wish to work.
• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

Federal Work-Study Award Notification

You can view your Federal Work-Study award by logging into your CUNYfirst account. If you received an FWS award, you must accept or decline. Accepting your FWS award notifies the Office of Financial Aid that you are interested in participating in the program.

Federal Work-Study Waitlist

Because Federal Work-Study awards are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, funding can run out. However, we do maintain a waitlist for interested students should additional funding become available. The Office of Financial Aid will notify you via your Guttman email if you have been awarded Federal Work-Study through the waitlist. To access the waitlist, click here.

Types of Federal Work-Study Placement

You must be placed in a position in order to earn your Federal Work-Study award. Guttman Community College offers three (3) types of placement opportunities.

* Covid-19 has affected all of us in the manner in which we live our daily lives and FWS is no exception. For the Fall 2020 semester, the FWS program will operate on a remote-basis to allow students to continue receiving the benefits of the program from the safety of their homes.

On-campus, off-campus and PSC jobs will operate on a remote-basis.*

On-Campus

Placement is made on-campus at either an academic department or administrative office at Guttman.

Off-Campus

Organizations off-campus have a contract with CUNY to hire FWS students. The organizations are within the five boroughs, and the pay rate varies depending on the position.

Public Service Corps

Public Service Corps (PSC) is a paid internship that utilizes your Federal Work-Study grant. Submit application and resume to the Federal Work-Study Coordinator. The starting pay rate varies. PSC has a separate contract, and all tax forms are submitted to them.

On-boarding Information

Once you have been hired either on-campus or off-campus (all on-boarding for Public Service Corps is processed through the agency), you will need to review the on-boarding information below and fill out the appropriate forms. During the Covid-19 public health emergency, Financial Aid Services is practicing social distancing and is unable to accept in-person paperwork. You may submit these required forms via CUNYfirst.

W4 (Employee Withholding)

Instructions for filling out the 2020 W4 (Employee Withholding) Form:

If you would like to have taxes withheld, indicate on Line 5 the number of allowances you are claiming. If you have no dependents, and no spouse, you can indicate a 0 or a 1.

If you do not want to have taxes withheld, skip Line 5 of the form, and write “Exempt” on Line 7

I-9

Instructions for filling out the 2020 I-9 (Employee Eligibility Verification) Form:

You must bring in a signed I-9 Form, along with acceptable documentation. You are required to submit one item from List A, or a combination of items from B and C. All documents must be current (unexpired).

New York State Forms (IT 2104 or IT 2104-E)

Instructions for filling out New York State Forms (IT-2104 or IT-2104-E):

New York State Form IT-2104 is for students who want to withhold New York State taxes. You must indicate the number of allowances on the form you wish to withhold.

New York State Form IT-2104-E is for students who do not want to withhold New York State taxes. This form should only be filled out if you are either (a) under the age of 18, (b) over the age of 65, or (c) a full-time (12 credit) student under the age of 25.

FERPA Agreement

As a student-employee at Guttman Community College, you may be granted access to confidential and private records of students, faculty, staff, and applicants for admission or employment. These records are protected from disclosure to third parties under CUNY as well as federal and state privacy laws. Student records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and must be treated as confidential. Therefore, it is an on-boarding requirement to sign/date the FERPA Agreement.

Labor Pay Notice

The Labor Pay Notice is to be completed by the Office of Financial Aid and signed by the student. This form indicates the student’s pay rate and is required by New York State.

After You Start Working

Submitting Your Timesheet

Timesheets are submitted by FWS students to their supervisors and the Office of Financial Aid through the Online Timesheet. You will learn about timesheet submission at the Mandatory FWS Orientation.

When Will I Be Paid?

Students are paid biweekly, according to the dates on the payroll calendar. Late timesheets will be retroactively paid on the next payroll cycle.

How Will I Be Paid?

Students can receive their payment in one of two ways:

• Check: A paper check mailed to your address on file on the respective cycle date listed on the payroll calendar.
• Direct Deposit: FWS earnings transferred electronically into your personal checking or savings account on the date indicated on the payroll calendar. Visit the Federal Work Study Payments page on the CUNY website for more information.

What You Should Know:

• The average federal work-study award ranges from $500 to $2000 per semester depending on the student’s financial need and funding availability.
• The current pay rate is $15.00 – $17.00 an hour.
• You may only be paid for hours actually worked on a bi-weekly basis.
• Students are permitted to work only one (1) position per semester.
• You and your supervisor are responsible for making sure you do not exceed your budgeted FWS award.
• Students must attend a mandatory FWS Orientation prior to starting their placement each academic year.
• Once you have earned your maximum FWS award, you must stop working since you cannot exceed your allocated FWS award amount.
• You may not work past the last day of the semester or your last date of attendance.
• You must remain enrolled in at least 6 credits each semester in order to continue participating in the FWS program.
• Your work period is not to exceed 20 hours per week while classes are in session.
• You are required to take a minimum unpaid work break of 30 minutes after working 5 consecutive hours.
• You may not work during your scheduled class times.
• If you are unable to earn your entire FWS award before the end of the academic year, the unearned portion of your award will not be paid to you.
• FWS earnings are not included in the calculation of your eligibility for financial aid.

FWS Placement Supervisor Corner

Is your department interested in hiring a Federal Work-Study student(s)?

Review the FWS Supervisor Guide. The guide provides an overview of the program and your responsibilities as a supervisor.

The first step to hiring a Federal Work-Study student(s) is to complete and sign a FWS Student Request Form. This form can be given to the FWS Coordinator in person or sent via email to Jessica.portilla@guttman.cuny.edu. You can also locate this form in the N-drive in the Federal Work-Study folder.  Please note – You must indicate an alternate supervisor on the form and their signature is required for approval.

You must complete a separate form for each job title (office assistant, tutor, lab assistant, etc.) The FWS Student Request Form serves as a Job Description and is given to students at the Mandatory FWS Student Placement Orientation. It provides students with the information they need to determine whether they qualify for the job and whether the job is related to their educational or career objectives. It also establishes a record to which all parties can refer.

New requests must be submitted each academic year.

Once your request has been approved, you will be required to submit a signed copy of the FWS Supervisor Guide.

Below you will find pertinent information related to your role as a FWS Supervisor.

FWS Student Request Form

FWS Supervisor Guide

2020-2021 Payroll Calendar

If you have any questions, contact the Federal Work-Study Coordinator:

Jessica Portilla, MSEd
Financial Aid Specialist,
Federal Work-Study Coordinator
Guttman Community College
50 West 40th Street
New York, NY  10018
Tel:  646-313-8839
Email: jportilla@guttman.cuny.edu

The Federal Direct Loan Program provides federally insured, low-interest, long-term loans to you or your parents to help you cover the costs of attending college. The federal government is your lender, not a bank or other lending institution. The school determines your eligibility, and calculates the loan amount.  Once the school disburses the loan, it is managed and collected by the U.S. Department of Education. Your direct loan is money that is borrowed and must be repaid with interest after you leave school.

Types of Federal Direct Loans

Federal Direct Subsidized Loan — Eligibility for this loan is based on the information you provided on your FAFSA. The federal government pays the interest on the loan while you are in school and during other deferment periods.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan — Allows you to borrow money in addition to any subsidized loan amounts for which you may be eligible. You will be charged interest from the time an unsubsidized loan is disbursed until you pay the loan in full.

Federal Direct PLUS Loan — Allows the parents of dependent students to borrow up to the cost of attendance at Guttman. The federal government charges your parents interest from the date of the first disbursement until the loan is paid in full.

Please refer to the chart below to determine the maximum annual and aggregate amounts you may borrow.

Maximum Annual & Aggregate Loan Amounts

Using your FSA ID, you may access your borrowing history from the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) and monitor how close you may be approaching your undergraduate aggregate maximum. You can also obtain complete information about your Direct Loan account and make online payments at StudentLoans.gov.

Note: If you are receiving your first Federal Direct Loan on or after July 1, 2013, or have no outstanding balance on a loan that you have repaid, you can receive Subsidized Loans for a period not to exceed 150% of the length of your educational program. If you must continue to borrow after exceeding the 150% limit in order to continue your program, you will only be eligible for Unsubsidized Loans. In addition, you will begin to be charged interest on the Subsidized Loans you have already borrowed, even though you are still enrolled in classes.

How do I apply for a direct loan?

You must make an appointment on Starfish with your Financial Aid Advisor to apply for a Direct Loan. Financial Aid is located on the third Floor at The Hub.

What happens after I have submitted my loan request?

Your direct loan request will be processed after we have determined that:
1. You must meet the eligibility requirements for federal student aid

2. You have filed a FAFSA for the current academic year
   3. The information you provided on your FAFSA is correct
   4. You have registered for at least 6 credits or equated credits
   5. You have resolved all the federal student aid related items on the “To Do” list in your Student Center on CUNYfirst.

Disbursement

Once your loan request has been submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, you will receive a Loan Disclosure Statement that summarizes the type of loan you applied for, the approved loan amounts, and the estimated dates of disbursement.

If you are a first-time Direct Loan borrower at Guttman, you must complete and entrance counseling before any loan funds can be disbursed.  If you have not previously received a Direct Loan, the Federal Government requires you to complete entrance counseling to ensure that you understand the responsibilities and obligations you are assuming.

Your electronic Master Promissory Note (e-MPN) must be acknowledged and approved by the Dept. of Education before any funds can be authorized for disbursement. In most cases, you are not required to sign a new MPN for future or additional loan requests. The MPN already on file will be used for subsequent year loan borrowing under the Federal Direct Loan program. You always have the option of resigning your MPN every time you borrow but it is not a requirement.

Note: If you previously signed an MPN that did not result in a disbursement of Direct Loan funds, you must resign your MPN for subsequent loan requests.

For a loan covering the full academic year, your two disbursements will be split between the fall and spring semesters.  For loans covering one semester, the second disbursement will usually occur just after the semester midterm. You will receive email notices from the college for each scheduled disbursement.

Note: At the time of disbursement, you must be enrolled for at least a half-time (6 credits) basis prior to the release of any loan funds.  Withdrawals may affect your eligibility.

Loan Repayment

A grace period is a period of time after you cease to be enrolled in college at least half-time but before you start repaying your student loan. You have a six-month grace period after you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time before you begin repaying your loans. During the grace period, you do not have to make payments on the principal and you will not be charged any interest on the subsidized portion of your total loan amounts. However, you can start repaying your loans any time before your grace period ends without penalty.  For more information regarding repayment, you may visit the following websites:

studentloans.gov

studentaid.ed.gov