GET HELP WITH FINANCIAL AID
CFWV.com offers several opportunities for students and families to call in for one-on-one FAFSA assistance over the phone during the FAFSA Q&A hotline sessions on scheduled evenings. Additionally, students and families can also receive FAFSA assistance Monday-Friday, 8am – 5pm. A screen-share option is available so financial aid staff are able to assist with the online FAFSA form much like they would be able to do if they were in person. To request individual FAFSA assistance, students & families can contact the Division of Financial Aid at (304) 558-4619 or wvfinancialaid@wvhepc.edu.
Statewide Financial Aid Schedule
It is best to complete the FAFSA before March 1 because of WV deadlines for state aid. Ideally, it should be done about two weeks after you complete your income tax return. You will be given the opportunity to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to import your tax data directly into the correct blanks. This avoids errors and automatically verifies that your entries match what you submitted to the IRS. If taxes are not completed in time to do this before March 1, go ahead and submit the FAFSA before the deadline and use estimates for your income. You will be given the opportunity to update the information later. You will need to enter the JRTI school code of 008-355 so that your information will be sent to the school.
After submitting your signed FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) which will tell you what the federal government feels your family should be able to contribute toward your JRTI education (Expected family contribution or EFC). This information is usually sent to you and to the school within one to two weeks. It will also tell you what (if any) action you need to take to complete the process. Upon receipt of this information, contact our the Office of Student Services at (304) 754-7925 to make an appointment, provided you are definitely enrolling in a James Rumsey program.
HOW-TO VIDEOS
- Overview of the Financial Aid Process
- How to Fill Out the FAFSA
- FAFSA Video Tutorial
- How to create your FSA ID
- FAFSA: Determining Your Dependency Status
- After the FAFSA: What Happens Next
- FAFSA and FSA ID Tips for Parents
- College Foundation of WV
FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID
Federal Financial Aid for James Rumsey Technical Institutes’ post-secondary students is administered through the Office of Student Services. Potential students who wish to apply should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid at https://studentaid.gov/. It is not necessary to pay for this process, although some agencies will encourage you to pay them to do it for you. We have included “How to Videos” to help you understand the financial aid process. These videos were created by the department of education.
FEDERAL PELL GRANT
We participate in the federal Pell grant program, which is need-based federal aid that does not require repayment provided the program is completed satisfactorily. This grant is for full-year programs, which includes all current JRTI programs except Truck Driving and night classes (students in those programs should ask about the HEAPS grant). Students who are eligible for Pell will need to meet with the Coordinator of Student Services to complete the necessary paperwork in order to claim their grant.
Students must understand that they may only receive federal aid through one institution in any given semester. You will be asked to sign an agreement stating that you will repay the money if your grades or attendance do not meet satisfactory standards. Students who receive Pell awards will have one half of the total award credited to their JRTI account at the beginning of first semester and the remaining half at the beginning of second semester. The amount disbursed will be applied toward your tuition first. If it does not cover the entire amount, you will be expected to pay the remainder before the first day of classes. If it covers the tuition and there is money left over, you will have the opportunity to request that it be used for books, tools, uniforms, etc. Any student who still has money in their account after all of these expenditures will receive a check for the balance after he/she successfully completes 60% of the semester.
James Rumsey is a small facility and which provides certificate rather than degree programs. Therefore we are not authorized to administer federal student loans or state financial aid programs (such as PROMISE scholarships or the WVHEG grant).
Students who are interested in pursuing loans will need to meet directly with a private lender. We do not recommend any loan companies, but encourage you to check some of the local lenders (hometown banks or credit unions) as well as the larger ones. While exploring options, it is in the students’ best interest to make it clear to the loan representative that they are seeking only loans that can be directly between the student and the lender, and not administered by the school. This will save the frustration that occurs from beginning the paperwork process on government loans, only to find out that James Rumsey is not on the approved list for them.
STATE FINANCIAL AID
State Financial Aid such as the PROMISE Scholarship and the WV Higher Education Grant can be administered only by degree-granting colleges therefore students who qualify for this aid are not able to claim it while attending JRTI.
Other state aid is available to many students through various offices in their home state. Examples include:
- Students with disabilities may be eligible for funding through the state’s rehabilitation services office.
- In West Virginia, the telephone number is (304) 267-0005.
- Veterans of the Armed Services can check with their local veteran’s office to see if they are eligible for educational funds.
- In West Virginia, the number is (304)263-6776. This aid may be state or federal.
- The local employment office should be able to tell you if your chosen field is eligible for Workforce Investment Act funding.
- This program is designed to encourage students to be trained in fields where there is a great need for more workers. In West Virginia, the phone number is (304)-267-9675.
- Students who were laid off because their employer closed and took the jobs out of the country may be eligible for Trade Adjustment Act funding.
- Employees at eligible companies are typically contacted by a representative before the closing occurs.
THE CORONAVIRUS AID RELIEF AND ECONOMIC SECURITY ACT (CARES) ACT
EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR STUDENTS:
James Rumsey Technical Institute acknowledges having signed and returned the certification agreement form to the US Department of Education. In compliance with Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, James Rumsey Technical Institute intends to use at least 50% of the funds in the form of emergency financial aid grants to students.
James Rumsey Technical Institute was notified that it will receive a total amount of $138,292 under the HEERF student portions. As of October 8, 2021, James Rumsey Technical Institute has distributed $138,292 of the student portion to students.
James Rumsey Technical Institute identified 164 students who were eligible to receive relieve funds under the HEERF CARES Act. Students received funding based on their enrollment status.
All students at James Rumsey Technical Institute are enrolled as full-time students attending classes for 30 hours a week. James Rumsey Technical Institute first awarded emergency grants to students who experienced the greatest disruption to their on-campus courses level. Funding Awards began at a minimum of $843.
Institutional portion of the HEERF CARES Act funds have been used for purchasing equipment and technology to facilitate distance learning.
Notification of eligibility and checks are mailed via the U.S. Postal Service to the address on file.
Statement updated on January 10, 2023.
