Mar 19, 2024  
2021-2022 College Catalog 
    
2021-2022 College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Financial Assistance



Financial Aid/Scholarships

General Information

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (OFAS) offers students information and options to finance educational pursuits. There are several types of financial assistance to help students overcome financial barriers to educational goals.  Funding is provided by the government (federal, state, and county),  institutional programs and tuition waivers, and private scholarship donors.  The first step in applying for most financial aid programs is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Additionally, PCC students have the benefit of completing a scholarship profile on Scholarship Universe to ensure students receive the best financial aid package to meet their financial needs.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available online at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. Information about Scholarship Universe and the login to the system can be found here: https://pima.edu/paying-for-college/scholarships/index

For additional information please visit the OFAS webpage at https://pima.edu/paying-for-college/financial-aid/index.html.  You can find specific details about your financial aid package at MyPima on the financial aid tab, or by contacting us using ASKAztec chat feature on the website, by calling 520-206-4950 or by emailing us at fahelp@pima.edu.

Federal and State Grant Programs

Federal and state grant programs are based on financial need.  Grant funding is often based on the student’s enrollment level and do not have to be repaid as long as the student completes the courses the student is enrolled in. FAFSA information is used to determine each student’s individual financial need.

For more information about the federal and state grant programs, please visit our website at https://www.pima.edu/paying-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-aid/grants.html

Federal Work Study

The  Federal Work Study (FWS) program at Pima Community College provides employment opportunities to students.  The  FWS program has eligibility criteria to determine if the student has financial need and is eligible to work.  Students who are employed by the FWS program have the unique option of working at a PCC campus or a community service location. Students are able to choose to apply for positions in an area related to interest or based on the student’s program of study. The FWS program provides employment for students to earn funds to pay for educational expenses to avoid or reduce borrowing student loans.

For more information about the federal work-study opportunities, please visit our website at https://pima.edu/paying-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-aid/index.html.

Student Loans

There are two types of loans available for students to borrow to pay for educational expenses: private bank loans and Direct Loans.  It is important for students to know a student loan must be paid back with any interest, fees, and charges associated with that loan. PCC recommends students utilize the free financial budgeting and education courses available at PCC before borrowing to ensure the student has all the information needed to make a plan for repayment. Additionally, the Department of Education (ED) provides financial awareness tools in an effort to help students prevent excessive indebtedness and reduce loan default rates.  You can find those resources here: https://studentaid.gov/resources.

For more information about student loans at PCC please visit our website at https://pima.edu/paying-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-aid/loans.html.

PCC Scholarships

Pima Community College(PCC), the Pima Foundation, and generous private donors are ready to help you achieve your educational goals.  Scholarships are a great way to offset the cost of tuition. PCC offers several institutional scholarships and tuition awards. You may apply for these scholarships and see current offerings using Pima’s Scholarship Portal also known as ScholarshipUniverse.  Many scholarships require completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) first, so we encourage you to apply for federal student aid before pursuing a scholarship.

For more information about scholarship opportunities please visit our scholarship website at https://pima.edu/paying-for-college/scholarships/index.html.

To apply for scholarships create a student profile at Scholarship Universe at pima.scholarshipuniverse.com.

Payment Plan

Payment Plans are available for the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Some restrictions apply.

For more information, go to https://pima.edu/paying-for-college/paying-your-bill/payment-plan/index.html.

Military and Veterans Education Benefits

Pima Community College is approved by the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), and Department of Education (DoE) as a degree-granting institution for Tuition Assistance (TA) and VA Education Benefits. Students seeking to use their Veterans education benefits must apply for admission to PCC and contact the Military and Veterans Services Office to be assigned a Veteran Advisor. Veteran Advisors are located in the campus Student Service Centers and the Downtown Campus Veterans Center. Students seeking to use Tuition Assistance (TA) funding should contact a Military advisor located at Davis-Monthan AFB. TA students should complete a tuition assistance briefing by their unit Education Services Officer (ESO) prior to applying to Pima Community College.

Tuition Assistance (TA) and Veteran Benefit Recipients (VBRs) must select an approved program of study. Students must complete a MyDegreePlan planner with their assigned advisor each semester. Students will only receive TA or VA benefits for courses that are required for their program of study. VBRs must submit a Veteran’s Certification Worksheet to the Military and Veterans Services Office each semester to request certification of their courses.

Students are asked to promptly notify their Military or Veteran Advisor of any changes made to their schedules once the request to be certified has been submitted. Changes to certifications can affect TA or VA payments and may cause TA or VA debt.

  • For more information regarding VA education benefits, contact the Military and Veterans Services Office at 520-206-2266 or veterans@pima.edu
  • For more information regarding TA educational benefits, contact 520-206-4866 or dmec@pima.edu.

Commissions, bonuses, or other incentive payments based directly or indirectly on securing enrollments or federal financial aid (including TA and VA funds) are not provided to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting, admission activities, or making decisions regarding the award of student financial assistance.

Transfer of Previously Earned Credit

The Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) require that all students receiving education benefits have their “prior military and/or college experience” evaluated for credit toward their program of study at Pima Community College. Students must have all official college and military transcripts sent to PCC for evaluation. Upon receipt of the transcripts, the College will evaluate them to determine what credit is eligible for acceptance at PCC.

Standards of Academic Progress for Veteran Benefit Recipients

Veteran Benefit Recipients Standards of Academic Progress may be found in the College Catalog under the Standards of Academic Progress for Credit Students section. 

Additional VA Education Benefits

The VA Work-Study Program and Tutorial Assistance are programs that are available as part of the VA benefit for students who are eligible for VA education benefits and have completed the enrollment certification process. For information, contact the Military and Veterans Services Office at 520-206-2266 or veterans@pima.edu.

Title 38, US Code 3679 (e), VA Pending Payment Compliance

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e), this school adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E, Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA. This school will not:

  • Prevent the student’s enrollment; 
  • Assess a late penalty fee to; 
  • Require student secure alternative or additional funding; 
  • Deny their access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution. 

However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to: 

  • Provide Chapter 33 Certificate of Eligibility (or its equivalent) or for Chapter 31, VA VR&E’s contract with the school on VA Form 28-1905 by the first day of class.

Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act: Section 105

Effective August 1, 2018, the law requires the monthly housing allowance (MHA) under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® program to be calculated based on the zip code of the campus where the student physically attends the majority of classes. GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

PCC Training Site Location Zip Codes:

Desert Vista Campus 5901 S. Calle Santa Cruz Tucson, AZ 85706 

Downtown Campus 1255 N. Stone Ave. Tucson, AZ 85705 

East Campus 8181 E. Irvington Road Tucson, AZ 85730 

Northwest Campus 7600 N. Shannon Road Tucson, AZ 85741 

West Campus 2202 W. Anklam Road Tucson, AZ 85745 

Aviation Technology Center 7211 S. Park Ave. Tucson, AZ 85756 

Center for Transportation Training (Truck Driver Training site at Maintenance & Security) 6680 S. Country Club Road Tucson, AZ 85756 

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Education Center 5355 E. Granite St. Building 2441, Suite 100 Tucson, AZ 85707-3011 

Public Safety and Emergency Services Institute - PCC 29th Street Coalition Center 4355 E. Calle Aurora Tucson, AZ 85711

PCC - Santa Cruz County 2021 N. Grand Ave., Nogales, AZ 85621

Student Veterans use the physical addresses only to calculate MHA for benefits purposes, and not for official correspondence. 

Mailing addresses for Pima Community College can be found here .