Thank you for your interest in getting started at Black Hawk College. We hope this website is a useful resource for you as you navigate the college application process.
Here you will find answers to some of the questions that students frequently ask us. If you have questions that are not answered here or elsewhere on our website, please contact us.
Frequently asked questions about financial aid and loans
The loan application is available once registration opens. In order to have your loan application processed by the payment deadline, submit your loan application and any financial aid requirements by:
- Fall semester: July 1
- Spring semester: Dec. 1
- Summer semester: May 1
Visit bhc.edu/loans for additional information.
As stated in Federal Loan Guidelines, the actual loan amount you are eligible to receive for an academic year is determined by your school. Loan eligibility at Black Hawk College is determined on a case-by-case basis as authorized under 34 CFR 685.301(a)8 of the Higher Education Act. Maximum annual loan amounts are not guaranteed.
The maximum annual amounts a student may request are:
| Grade Level | Credit Hours Earned (degree-applicable) | Base Loan | + Additional Unsubsidized |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 0 – 29 credit hours | $3,500 | $2,000 (dependent) $6,000 (independent) |
| Year 2 | 30+ credit hours | $4,500 | $2,000 (dependent) $6,000 (independent) |
In addition, lifetime limits and prior student loan debt may restrict the amount of student loans that can be borrowed.
Approximately 10% of eligible students borrow at Black Hawk College. Of those who do borrow, the 2020-21 average federal student loan debt at time of graduation was $9,258.
We recommend students use the Federal Student Aid Repayment Calculator and the Mapping Your Future Debt/Salary Wizard to understand the long-term costs of borrowing and their anticipated ability to repay their student loans. For additional information, visit studentaid.gov/loans.
Loan applications take approximately two weeks for processing after receiving all required documents, learn more about loan applications here. This may increase to three or more weeks during peak registration periods (the time between payment deadline and the start of the semester). Loans will be processed in the order they are received. After submitting the loan application and all requirements, students should monitor their myBlackHawk email for status updates.
Refunds are processed by the Bursar’s Office once a credit balance is created on your billing account. Refunds will be available approximately 14 days AFTER the credit balance is created. To avoid delays, students who anticipate receiving a refund should log into their account on www.refundselection.com to select a refund preference as soon as possible.
Students should ALWAYS contact the Financial Aid Office BEFORE changing their schedule (adding or dropping classes) to determine how changes will impact their costs and financial aid.
Financial aid is based on attendance for the entire semester. If you drop ALL of your classes before 60% of the semester is complete, federal regulations require schools to recalculate your financial aid eligibility (including student loans) to determine how much was “earned”. Based on the last date of academic activity or participation, your financial aid will be adjusted accordingly, which may mean repaying some or all of your financial aid.
In addition, students are expected to complete 67% of their attempted coursework (see Satisfactory Academic Progress). Withdrawing from coursework may negatively impact your eligibility to continue receiving financial aid in the future.
You must cancel any pending loans at Black Hawk College and contact your new college to determine what requirements you need to complete.
Loan borrowers are required to participate in Federal Loan Exit Counseling after graduating, withdrawing, or dropping to less than 6 credit hours, even if they intend transfer to another institution. Black Hawk College will email a notification with Exit Counseling information to your student email and personal email provided on that year’s FAFSA. (If no FAFSA was submitted, the personal email listed with the college will be used.)
A loan servicer is a company that handles the billing and other services on your federal student loan. The loan servicer will work with you on repayment plans and loan consolidation and will assist you with other tasks related to your federal student loan. It is important to maintain contact with your loan servicer. If your circumstances change at any time during your repayment period, your loan servicer will be able to help.
Students should update their contact information with Federal Student Aid (FSA) at studentaid.gov/login to ensure their loan servicer has updated information.
Your Loan Servicer will contact you concerning repayment. You may also access your loan servicer information, as well as your loan history, on the National Student Loan Data System.
Repayment begins 6 months after graduating, withdrawing, or dropping to less than 6 credit hours. Additional information is available through Federal Student Aid: Understanding Repayment and Federal Student Aid: How to Repay Your Loans.
If you don’t make your student loan payment or make your payment late, your loan will be considered delinquent and may eventually go into default. If you default on your student loan, that status will be reported to credit bureaus, and your credit rating and future borrowing ability will be damaged. In addition, legal action can be taken to require payment through garnishment of wages and withholding of tax refunds.
In addition, students with a defaulted loan will lose eligibility to receive any additional federal or state financial aid.
Once registration opens, students can submit a BHC Loan Application (and all other requirements) at bhc.edu/loans.
In order to have your loan application processed by the payment deadline, submit your loan application by:
Fall semester: July 1
Spring semester: December 1
Summer semester: May 1
For general student loan information, please refer to Federal Student Aid: Student Loans.