HOW FINANCIAL AID WORKS
Determining Financial Need
Most financial aid awards are based on demonstrated financial need, which is the difference between the Cost of Attendance (COA) and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). EFC is the amount that the government believes you and your family can be reasonably expected to contribute towards your college costs during the academic year and is based on the information you provided on the FAFSA (or CA Dream Application).
Cost of Attendance
In order to treat all students equally, standardized budgets (Cost of Attendance) are established and applied to all applicants. This means all students with similar circumstances will receive the same allowance for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, personal expenses, and transportation.
Other expenses may include, but are not limited to, dependent care, vocational/technical, and disability related expenses. Exceptions may be made to the budget in cases where need can be shown and documented. If you are paying for other expenses such as child care during the academic year, contact the Financial Aid Office to request an adjustment.
The Cost of Attendance is based on the Student Expenses and Resources Survey (SEARS) data and updated for three years of inflation using the estimated California Consumer Price Index.
The table to follow shows the estimated 2023-2024 nine-month Cost of Attendance budget for a California resident. Tuition and Fees are considered as direct expenses, while Books/Supplies, Living Expenses (housing and food), Transportation and Personal are considered indirect expenses.
| At Home (living with parents) |
Off Campus (not living with parents) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Fees | $1,238 | $1,238 |
| Books & Supplies | $938 | $938 |
| Room and Board | $10,125 | $19,431 |
| Transportation | $1,611 | $1,764 |
| Personal | $3,609 | $4,428 |
| Total | $17,521 | $27,799 |
Other categories may be added to the Cost of Attendance, such as:
- Non-resident tuition cost plus $46 enrollment fee and other fees such as health fee, student rep fee and ASO fee
- Child Care cost of $1,000 annually
- Direct Loan Origination/Insurance Fee - determined annually
Net Price Calculator
In accordance with the Higher Education Act of 2008, Los Angeles Pierce College is providing all current and prospective students and parents with this Net Price Calculator (NPC). The NPC will provide you with the estimated net price for attending Los Angeles Pierce College based on the student's individual circumstances.
How Financial Aid is "Packaged"
Once the student's financial aid eligibility is established, a "package" of aid is provided which may be a combination of grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships.
Grant amounts are based on the number of units a student is enrolled in at the time of disbursement. Full-time is considered 12 or more units per term, three quarter-time is considered 9-11 1/2 units per term, half-time is considered 6-8 1/2 units per term, less-than-half-time is 1/2 - 5 1/2 units per term.
Pell Grants are scheduled for payments twice per term. FSEOG, SSCG, and Cal Grants are scheduled for payment once per term. Federal Work-Study is paid twice a month. Loans are disbursed twice per loan period (period of enrollment for which the loan covers).
Change in Enrollment Status
The college is required to review payment of funds to students each enrollment period to determine if the student have received an overpayment. If you did not attend any of your classes prior to the first day of instruction, and were dropped by the instructor after you already received financial aid funds, you will have to repay all of the funds you received.
If you received a disbursement and then drop units, you may be subject to repayment of some or all of the funds you received.
Students who received federal financial aid funds and then withdrew from all classes at their home school will not receive further disbursement and may owe an overpayment.
Change in Enrollment Status
The college is required to review payment of funds to students each enrollment period to determine if the student have received an overpayment. If you did not attend any of your classes prior to the first day of instruction, and were dropped by the instructor after you already received financial aid funds, you will have to repay all of the funds you received.
If you received a disbursement and then drop units, you may be subject to repayment of some or all of the funds you received.
Students who received federal financial aid funds and then withdrew from all classes at their home school will not receive further disbursement and may owe an overpayment.
Special Circumstances due to Family Financial Changes
In certain cases, a family's situation change after the submission of the FAFSA. Below are examples of special circumstances:
- Death in the family
- Separation or divorce
- Loss of employment or other income
- Loss of non-taxable income or benefits
- Unusual medical expenses not paid by insurance
- Unusual dependent care expenses
If you and/or your family has a change in the financial situation due to loss of income or other extenuating circumstances since you completed your financial aid application, you may request a Family Contribution Appeal via piercecollege.verifymyfafsa.com by clicking on the "Request" button and selecting the "Family Contribution Appeal" option. You will be required to provide a statement explaining the special circumstance(s) in addition to supporting documentation as applicable to your appeal. All appeals must be received two weeks prior to the last date of attendance in the academic year. Please allow 4-6 weeks for your appeal to be reviewed.
If you have further questions, you may contact the Financial Aid Office through our Virtual Financial Aid Lobby.
Find your circumstances below to determine the documents to submit for a review of your appeal:
- Unemployment/Dislocated or Change in Employment
- Employment discontinuation, notification from previous employer, Letter from EDD showing unemployment benefits including amounts and dates, copy of last pay stub, copy of most recent Federal Income Tax Return including W2's
- Unusual medical/dental/nursing home expenses not covered by insurance
- Copy of most recent Federal Income Tax Return, W2's, and Itemized Deductions
- Copies of unreimbursed medical/dental bills paid
- Receipts for payments
- Canceled checks
- Documentation of costs covered by insurance
- Tuition expenses at a private elementary/secondary school
- Current verification of enrollment and documentation of tuition paid
- Canceled checks
- Signed, itemized statement of expenses
- Non-recurring income (such as gambling winnings, bonus pay, IRA or pension distribution)
- Copy of most recent Federal Income Tax Return and W2's
- Schedule D of Federal Income Tax Return (Capital Gains and Losses)
- Documentation showing one-time income (such as check stub, letter from employer)
- Exclusion of income due to sale of farm or business assets as a result of foreclosure, forfeiture, bankruptcy, or involuntary liquidation
- Court documents ordering foreclosure, forfeiture, bankruptcy, or involuntary liquidation
- Most recent Federal Income Tax Return; Schedule C--Business Income; Schedule D--Capital Gains & Losses; Schedule E--Rental Real Estate; Schedule F--Farm Income
- Accountant or investment broker asset liquidation statements
- Income reduction or nonrecurring income (example: divorce, death, disability)
- Most recent Federal Income Tax Return and W2's
- Paycheck stubs
- Alimony in divorce agreement
- Death certificate
- Disability and Social Security benefits received or to be received
- Other Special Circumstances
- Must indicate type of special circumstance
Enrollment at Other Colleges
Consortium Agreements are in effect for all colleges within the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD). If you are attending more than one college within the LACCD in the same term, your enrollment status will be the sum total of all approved units in which you are enrolled throughout the District.
Approved units are courses within a student's academic program. For students who have had an Extension Petition approved, approved units refer to the units listed on their Student Educational Plan (submitted with their petition) that have been approved by the Financial Aid Office for financial aid eligibility.
If you plan to enroll in courses outside of the LACCD and wish to have these courses count for enrollment and financial aid disbursement, you must complete a Consortium Agreement Form. The institution outside of the LACCD must be an eligible institution to be eligible for Consortium Agreement.
Financial Aid Office
Office Location
We are servicing students at the Welcome Center, which is located on the 1st floor of the Student Services Building.
Los Angeles Pierce College
6201 Winnetka Avenue
Woodland Hills, CA 91371
Federal School Code: 001226