Every day students are looking for ways to finance their education. Almost half of Moraine Park’s program students receive some type of financial assistance, and our Financial Aid staff helps make the process easy.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) season begins Oct. 1 each year so students are encouraged to complete that document as soon as possible.
Priority deadline is April 15 for the upcoming school year. You can, however, apply as soon as October 1 for the start of the following school year. Though the FAFSA application is available online between Oct. 1 and June 30 of the following year, you want to apply as soon as possible since there are a few federal student aid programs that have limited funds. Admittance into an aid eligible program is required before Moraine Park will begin processing your FAFSA.
For the purpose of awarding financial aid, enrollment verification and degree conferment, any course that starts between the dates indicated below belongs to the semester designated.
| Semester | Start Date | End Date |
| Summer Semester | June 1 | August 14 |
| Fall Semester | August 15 | December 31 |
| Spring Semester | January 1 | May 31 |
Satisfactory Academic Program for Financial Aid (SAP): Academic requirements to maintain financial aid.
Submit all of your required documents to Financial Aid by the due date and we will guarantee to complete your file before payment is due. Start early with your FAFSA application.
Fall:
The FAFSA priority date for Fall semester is April 15. In order to have your financial aid completed by the Fall payment date, all documents are due June 1. You may turn in documents after the due date, but you will need to either setup a payment plan on myMPTC or make payment on your own until your financial aid is awarded to you.
Spring:
The FAFSA priority date for Spring semester is October 15. In order to have your financial aid completed by the Spring payment date, all documents are due the third Wednesday of November. You may turn in documents after the due date, but you will need to either setup a payment plan on myMPTC or make payment on your own until your financial aid is awarded to you.
If your financial aid is not complete before payment for classes is due, you will need to sign up for a payment plan on myMPTC or pay your bill in full. Once processing of your financial aid is complete, it will be applied toward the remaining balance of your payment plan. You are required to continue making payments on your payment plan until processing of your financial aid is complete or your balance is paid in full. Please note: If your financial aid is complete, BUT a high school transcript is still outstanding, your financial aid will not hold your classes. Anyone with financial aid awarded, but is missing a transcript will need to setup payment plan before payment is due.
You will receive an email indicating how you can view/accept your financial aid on myMPTC.
Check out a demonstration video at morainepark.edu/financial aid for step by step directions. It is important to review each of the steps to accept your financial aid. Be sure to read the Financial Aid Guide for more information on the specifics of aid you are awarded.
If your charges exceed your awarded financial aid, you are responsible to pay the balance. Payment plan information is available on myMPTC. An additional Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan may be available in addition to the initial offer on your financial aid award. If you feel you need an additional loan to attend Moraine Park, complete the Additional Loan Request form available on the Financial Aid website. If you enroll in a payment plan you must make payments until your financial aid is credited to your student account to avoid late fee charges.
At the time of disbursement, funds will be credited to your student account and a refund will be generated if applicable. Students are encouraged to sign up for e-refunds to receive any excess financial aid. If you have not opted into e-Refunds, it will be at least 10 business days after disbursement before a refund check will be printed. Click on Important Student Dates to find specific disbursement dates.
To set up e-Refunds (Direct Deposit), go to My Finances and click MaxPay. You will be directed to Transact, where you can add or edit your refund options under My Account. (Your funds may be deposited to your pre-paid credit card. Call the phone number on the back of your card for the routing number/more information.)
In order to receive any federal student aid, you must maintain satisfactory progress in the course of study you are pursuing. Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) for financial aid is defined as the successful completion of at least 67 percent of all cumulative credits attempted with at least a 2.0 grade point average. The maximum time frame students may receive federal and state financial aid cannot exceed 150 percent of the number of credits required to earn a degree. More information can be found in Moraine Park’s Award Guide.
The Date of Record is the 15th calendar day of each semester. Financial aid awards are locked as of this date. Please make sure you have enrolled in all of your courses for the semester by this date, as there will be no adjustments for classes added after the date of record.
A student does not need to be full time for most types of financial aid. Students eligible for a Pell grant can usually receive it for any level of enrollment. Students must be at least half-time for student loans and state grants.
Enrollment status:
Credits must be required for program graduation in order to count in financial aid credit load. Please select your classes carefully. You must be accepted into an aid eligible program and registered for classes according to the state-approved curriculum in order to receive financial aid. If you need help, contact your Academic Advisor.
If you have never borrowed a student loan while a student at Moraine Park Technical College, you are a first time borrower. A first time borrower will not have a first loan disbursement until 30 days into the semester.
You may use a future financial aid credit balance to charge books and supplies at the Moraine Park bookstore. A Financial Aid Award notice must be accepted on the student’s myMPTC account before the payment due date in order to qualify to charge your books. Dates books will be available and posted on the Bookstore’s website and myMPTC Student. Students will also receive an email notification from the bookstore reminding them of those dates. Click here for details.
Courses must be added before the date of record to count in financial aid credit load. If you add a course before the date of record, please contact the Student Services Center to request a review of your financial aid enrollment status.
If you are planning on dropping a class after the Date of Record for the current semester, please contact the financial aid office to determine how the drop will impact your financial aid award. Depending on the circumstances, you may owe money back. Keep in mind that courses dropped at 60% or 0% refund will count as a course attempted for Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Federal law requires schools to calculate how much federal financial aid a student has earned if that student:
View more information on our Financial Consequences of Withdrawing or Not Passing Classes page.
The student may also be suspended due to Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. Read more
Based on this calculation, Moraine Park Technical College students who receive federal financial aid and do not complete all their scheduled classes during a semester could be responsible to repay a portion of the aid they received. Read more
One of the following documents is required to show proof of U.S. Citizenship:
Forms FS-240 (Consular Report of Birth Abroad), FS545 (Certificate of Birth Issued by a Foreign Service Post), or DS1350 (Certification of Report of Birth)
To check your account balance, go to the myFinances section and click on MaxPay. Here you can see your charges, estimated financial aid and any estimated financial aid refund.
Direct Loans are low-interest loans for students to help pay for the cost of a student’s education after high school. Students must complete the FAFSA and submit any required documentation to Moraine Park, who will then verify student Direct Loan eligibility. Direct Loans are a form of financial aid which must be repaid.
Any previous loans you borrowed from another lender will be serviced by the lender/servicer you selected when you signed your original MPN. As long as you are enrolled in school on at least a half-time basis, your prior year federal loans will continue to be deferred. Enrollment information is reported to lenders by the school on a regular basis.
After graduation you have a choice to make individual payments to your previous lender(s) and to the Department of Education for your Direct Loans, or you can consolidate your loans into one payment with the Department of Education. Please visit the Department of Education’s website for more information about Loan Consolidation.
If you have not already borrowed a Direct Loan, you must sign a Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN). If you previously had a Direct Loan, your Master Promissory Note is good for 10 years.
If you are a first time borrower or if you have not previously had a Direct Loan, you will be required to complete the Master Promissory Note online at studentaid.gov. You will receive this information via a missing information letter after your FAFSA has been downloaded at Moraine Park.
If you receive a federal student loan, you will be required to repay that loan with interest. Interest Rates are determined each June 1 for the upcoming award year.
A loan fee comes out of the amount of money that is disbursed (paid out) to you while you’re in school. This means the money you receive will be less than the amount you actually borrow.
Both interest rates and loan fee information can be found here on the Student Aid site: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/interest-rates
All students are obligated to complete Entrance Loan Counseling prior to the first disbursement of their loans; you only need to do this every 10 years.
To set up e-Refunds (Direct Deposit), go to My Finances and click MaxPay. You will be directed to Transact, where you can add or edit your refund options under My Account. (Your funds may be deposited to your pre-paid credit card. Call the phone number on the back of your card for the routing number/more information.)
