Financial Aid

Before requesting a Consortium Agreement, with BC acting as the home institution, a student must meet the following criteria:

• Admitted as degree-seeking and actively pursuing a degree from BC and only receiving financial aid with BC.
• BC is home school
• Enrolled at BC; and
• Concurrently enrolled or planning to enroll at Taft College. The units you are taking with Taft College must be transferable to BC and be necessary for the degree you are pursuing at BC.

Please note that while a Consortium Agreement allows a student to receive full eligibility for Title IV Aid (Pell Grants, CAL grant and any other additional free aid) The Consortium Agreement does not honor those applying for a student loan. You will still need to be enrolled in 6 degree applicable units with BC to be eligible.

After any Title IV aid has been disbursed, no increases in financial aid can be made due to enrollment level changes. If units are added after aid has been disbursed, no adjustments can be made to the student's financial aid package.

Students are advised to request a Consortium Agreement at least four (4) weeks prior to the beginning of the semester so proper eligibility can be determined.

Disbursement of aid cannot take place until your enrollment can be certified at both institutions.

A Consortium Agreement must be completed for each semester a student wishes to take classes simultaneously and receive financial aid. Students must contact the BC Financial Aid Office prior to each semester.

It may be difficult to obtain an in-school deferment for prior loan payments when a student is enrolled at two institutions. Contact your lender or servicer for details on obtaining an in-school deferment while simultaneously enrolled.

All other federal regulations and BC policies and procedures are applicable while a Consortium Agreement is in place. For questions regarding the Consortium Agreement procedures, please call the Office of Financial Aid at (661) 395-4428.

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and list BC (code: 001118) as a school to receive the information and respond to all requests for additional information. The student's Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) will be processed and an award letter will be sent to the student with estimated financial aid eligibility amounts based on total enrollment/tuition for that semester. The student's cost of attendance will reflect actual tuition/fees assessed by the host and home institutions. The remaining cost of books, supplies, room and board, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses will be based upon BC's standard cost of attendance. Adjustments will be made at the time of disbursement if enrollment changes or original estimates of expenses differ from actual expenses.
2. Determine enrollment level and make any desired changes before any federal financial aid is disbursed. Aid eligibility cannot be changed, for any reason, after funds are disbursed.
3. Request a Consortium Agreement form by emailing bc_faid@bakersfieldcollege.edu. A formal institutional Consortium Agreement will then be submitted by the Financial Aid Office to the other school for enrollment certification. Note: Some institutions cannot certify enrollment until after 30 days of class; therefore, it is the student's responsibility to make whatever arrangements are necessary for fee payment and books at each school. Financial aid cannot be disbursed until the Consortium Agreement has been certified and returned to the BC Financial Aid Office.
4. The Business Services office will apply all available funds to any outstanding college charges. Excess financial aid will automatically be forwarded to the student via check. It is the student's responsibility to make fee payment arrangements at both the home and host institutions.
5. Request an official academic transcript be sent to the BC Admissions & Records Office at the end of the Consortium Agreement semester for determination of satisfactory academic progress. This must be completed before the student can receive financial aid for the next period of enrollment.