Loans

South Texas College provides Alternative Education Loans through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and Sallie Mae. These loans are intended for educational expenses. Please be aware that South Texas College does not participate in any type of Federal Title IV student loan program; Direct and FFEL Stafford Loans and Federal Perkins Loans are not an option at this institution.

Loan Options

  • College Access Loan

    College Access Loan

    The College Access Loan (CAL) Program provides an alternative type of educational loans to eligible Texas students. Applicants do not have to demonstrate financial need.

    Apply for College Access Loan

    Eligibility Requirements include:

    • Be a Texas resident.
    • Be registered with Selective Service or be exempt.
    • Declare a major leading to a certificate, associate or bachelor's degree.
    • Be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours per semester.
    • Meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements set by the institution.
    • Receive a favorable credit evaluation or provide a cosigner who has good credit standing and meets other requirements. Please refer to www.hhloans.com for further information about eligible cosigners.

    Loan Amounts

    The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will make the final decision on the approved loan amount.

    Certified loan amounts will be based on hours enrolled for the semester for which the loan is being requested. Amounts are as follows:

    12hrs or more: $5,000
    9hrs - 11hrs: $4,000
    6hrs - 8hrs: $3,000

    To learn more about how to repay your College Access Loan, log on to www.hhloans.com.

    Required Forms

    The required forms must be submitted before funds can be disbursed to your account. If funds are received and you fail to submit these forms, funds will be refunded back to Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) after Census date for the semester you are requesting loan and you will be responsible for any interest charges that are incurred for the time it takes funds to be received by THECB.

    Deadline

    Loan certification requests must be received by the Office of Student Financial Services by 5pm on census date of the semester for which the loan is being requested. Loans received after the deadline will not be certified.

  • FORWARD Loan

    FORWARD Loan

    The Future Occupations & Reskilling Workforce Advancement to Reach Demand (FORWARD) Loan Program provides alternative educational loans to Texas students who are unable to meet an institution’s cost of attendance (COA).

    Apply for FORWARD Loan

    Eligibility Requirements include:

    • Be a Texas resident.
    • Be registered with Selective Service or be exempt.
    • Declare a major leading to a certificate, associate, or bachelor's degree.
    • Meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements set by the institution.
    • Receive a favorable credit evaluation or provide a cosigner who has good credit standing and meets other requirements. Please refer to www.hhloans.com for further information about eligible cosigners.
    • Not exceed the manageable loan debt calculated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
    • Be enrolled in a High-Demand Credential program that the student will be able to complete in two years or less; eligibility for the program ends two years from the start of the semester in which the student received the first loan through the Program.

    Additional enrollment requirements:

    • If enrolled in a degree program, must have completed at least 50% of the required coursework prior to receiving a loan through the Program.
    • If enrolled in a non-degree program, the program’s duration must be less than two years.

    Loan Amounts

    The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will make the final decision on the approved loan amount.

    Certified loan amounts will be based on hours enrolled for the semester for which the loan is being requested. The amounts are as follows:

    12hrs or more: $5,000
    9hrs - 11hrs: $4,000
    6hrs - 8hrs: $3,000
    3hrs - 5hrs: $1,500

    To learn more about how to repay your FORWARD Loan, log on to www.hhloans.com.

    Required Forms

    The required forms must be submitted before funds can be disbursed to your account. If funds are received and you fail to submit these forms, funds will be refunded back to Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) after Census date for the semester you are requesting loan and you will be responsible for any interest charges that are incurred for the time it takes funds to be received by THECB.

    Deadline

    Loan certification requests must be received by the Office of Student Financial Services by 5pm on census date of the semester for which the loan is being requested. Loans received after the deadline will not be certified.

  • Sallie Mae Smart Option Loan

    Sallie Mae Smart Option Loan

    The Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loan is a private student loan that is offered to undergraduate students and managed by Sallie Mae, Inc. Find out more at www.salliemae.com .

    South Texas College Eligibility Requirements Include:

    • Enrolled for at least 3 credit hours (per semester) in a certificate, associate or bachelor's degree.

    Loan Amounts

    Certified loan amounts will be based on hours enrolled for the semester for which the loan is being requested. Amounts are as follows:

    12hrs or more: $5,000
    9hrs - 11hrs: $4,000
    6hrs - 8hrs: $3,000
    3hrs - 5hrs: $1,500

    Required Forms

    The Loan & Debt Management Form must be submitted before funds can be disbursed to your account. If funds are received and you fail to submit this form, funds will be refunded back to Sallie Mae after Census date for the semester you are requesting loan and you will be responsible for any interest charges that are incurred for the time it takes funds to be received by Sallie Mae.

    Deadline

    Loan certification requests must be received by the Office of Student Financial Services by 5pm on census date of the semester for which the loan is being requested. Loans received after the deadline will not be certified.

  • Other Alternative Loans

    Other Alternative Loans

    Loan amounts for any other alternative loan will be as follows:

    12hrs or more: $5,000
    9hrs - 11hrs: $4,000
    6hrs - 8hrs: $3,000
    3hrs - 5hrs: $1,500 (Certification for 3-5 hours is done on an individual basis for students enrolled in minimesters)

    Required Forms

    The Loan & Debt Management Form must be submitted before funds can be disbursed to your account. If funds are received and you fail to submit this form, funds will be refunded back to respective loan after Census date for the semester you are requesting loan and you will be responsible for any interest charges that are incurred for the time it takes funds to be received by your loan lender.

    Deadline

    Loan certification requests must be received by the Office of Student Financial Services by 5pm on census date of the semester for which the loan is being requested. Loans received after the deadline will not be certified.

Financial Literacy

Student Financial Services wants to empower our students with financial literacy so that anyone receiving financial aid and or loans will be able to understand and develop debt management skills.

Financial Wellness Center

Take control of your finances by:

Loan & Debt Management

For more information about repayment, managing debt, interest rates, loan requirements, etc., please review Loan & Debt Management and Financial Planning.

Loan Information

Loan Processing Time

Minimum of 3-4 weeks for institution to receive funds
Unfortunately, it is difficult to give a specific timeline of the loan process. Many factors can affect when a student receives their loan including submitting an incomplete loan application, the loan requiring a cosigner and/or holidays (both federal and school). The estimated timeline for the loans is a minimum of 3 weeks for the Sallie Mae and a minimum of 4 weeks for CAL and FORWARD in order for the institution to receive funds.

*Note: Both Sallie Mae & CAL require that a loan disbursement date be between 5-11 business days after certification to allow for the borrower's 'Right to Cancel'.

3-5 business days for fund verification
Once funds are received by the institution the Business Office needs to verify funds. The funds are usually verified within 3-5 business days but during peak times can take as long as 7 business days.

Credit Balance in Student Account
The loan funds will be applied to the student's account after the Business Office has verified the receipt of funds. The disbursement of a student's credit is done by the Cashier's Office. The student's refund method preference will affect how soon the student receives their credit. Please visit the Cashier's website for more information on selecting a refund method: https://finance.southtexascollege.edu/businessoffice/cashiers/refund-options.html

Loan Certifications

After the student submits a completed loan application to the loan provider, the student will be placed on a "Certification Roster". Loan certifications are done twice a week. The certification process requires the school to review eligibility requirements. Just because the loan was approved by the servicer does not mean the student is meeting in-school eligibility requirements. Students are only eligible to receive one loan per semester. Even though student may apply for multiple loans and be approved by lender, the first loan that is received by our Institution will be the one to get certified.

Loan Status

To check the status of your loan please log on to JagNet and follow the instructions below:

  • Login to JagNet.
  • Click on the "Financial Aid App".
  • Select the Aid Year the loan was applied for on the top right corner.
  • Click on "Notifications".

Dropping/Withdrawing from Courses

If you are receiving a loan and plan to make changes to your schedule, please notify our office immediately. Changes can result in having your loan adjusted and/or canceled.

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