Exiting/Graduating Students

If you have borrowed student loans and will no longer be attending Pima Community College, you need to do some things and understand some information. Review your Financial Aid Dashboard for outstanding requirements and information.

Withdrawing

If you withdraw entirely from Pima, meaning you have dropped all your classes, you may owe money to the College or the US Department of Education. If you owe a balance, you should expect to receive a letter indicating that you have a balance due. The letter is mailed to the address on file with Pima Community College. You can contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships if you have any questions.

Not Attending Next Semester

The borrowed student loans will enter a repayment grace period if you are not attending Pima or any other school next semester. A grace period means that you have six months before you must begin to make loan payments.

Transferring from Pima

If you are transferring to another college, notify Pima as early as possible so your aid can be cancelled, allowing for a smooth financial aid transfer process. If you enroll for at least six credits at your next school, your loans will remain in deferment, meaning they don’t have to be paid back, yet. Ensure your school reports your enrollment to the National Clearinghouse, or you can also submit a paper deferment form to your loan servicer. If you enroll in fewer than six credits, your loans enter a repayment grace period, which means you have six months before you must start to make payments on them.

Graduating from Pima

If you plan to continue your education, check out the additional information in the Transferring from Pima section above. If you are entering the workforce after graduation, please be aware that your loans have entered a repayment grace period. This means you have six months before you must start making payments. To learn more about all your repayment options, including deferments and forbearance options, please visit Student Loan Repayment.

Student Loan Repayment

Are you starting to wonder how much your student loan repayment amount will be? Concerned that you won’t be able to afford that and your regular expenses? Don’t worry, we are here to help! Student Connections is available 24/7 for one-on-one loan counseling and assists you in the repayment process. Students can access all the free services by calling (866) 311-9450.

Here are some helpful online tools to help you determine how much you will owe and what repayment plan will work for you. The tools work best if you log into the Federal Student Aid site with your FSA ID credentials.

• Understanding Repayment FAQ
• Repayment Plans
• Repayment Estimator
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Loan consolidation
• Deferment/forbearance eligibility
• Pick a loan repayment plan
• Understanding Loan Delinquency and Default Consequences
• Student Loan Exit Counseling is required each and every time a student’s attendance drops below half-time or if the student applies for graduation. The session is designed to review the loans and repayment options.

Preventing Default

• Make sure you understand your options and responsibilities before borrowing.
• Keep careful records regarding your loan. Put copies of all your letters, canceled checks, promissory notes, disbursement notices, and other forms in a file folder.
• Make your payments on time.
• Notify your lender or servicer promptly of any changes that may affect your loan repayment. For example, your home address, enrollment changes, and/or graduation.
• If you have trouble making loan payments, your lender can suggest alternate repayment options.
• If you encounter extreme financial difficulties, consider applying for a deferment or a forbearance that will defer payments for a specified time frame.

Student Loan Problems?

If you ever find yourself having financial difficulties, do not ignore your student loans! Call your student loan servicer or the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for help.

The U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid (FSA) Ombudsman Group is also a neutral, informal resource to help resolve disputes and solve other problems with federal student loans. The Ombudsman helps resolve issues related to student loans when other approaches have failed. Borrowers must try to resolve student loan issues before contacting the Ombudsman. Borrowers who have completed the steps to resolving their loan dispute and are still unsatisfied may contact the Ombudsman by completing an online form or by calling 1-877-557-2575.