Getting Started

Grays Harbor College provides a comprehensive student financial aid program to eligible students. Financial aid is designed to provide assistance when student resources are insufficient to meet the cost of going to college. Aid programs include grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans.

To be eligible to receive financial aid funds, students must have completed high school or GED, be an American citizen or eligible non-citizen, be registered with Selective Service (if required), not owe a repayment on a financial aid grant or be in default on a student loan and be enrolled in a program that leads to a degree or certificate.

All financial aid awards are based on full-time enrollment (12 or more credits). However, aid is available for less than twelve credits. When enrolling for less than 12 credits, aid awards are prorated based on the number of credits.

Applying for Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid has never been easier. All students applying for financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.gov. This application establishes your level of eligibility for federal and state grant, loans and work-study programs. Prior to completing the application online, you and your parent (if you had to provide their financial information) should visit www.pin.ed.gov and apply for an electronic signature PIN. This will allow you to fill out the FAFSA with an electronic signature which will greatly accelerate the application process.

   Grays Harbor’s Federal School Code – 003779

May 1 is the deadline for priority consideration for financial aid for the following school year, which begins with summer quarter. It may take a couple weeks for Grays Harbor College to receive your FAFSA information, so plan early and allow plenty of time to complete the required application forms. If you miss that deadline, you may still use the FAFSA to apply for student loans and remaining grant funds.

Processing time for financial aid is usually 3-6 weeks. During peak times, processing times may increase. Once we receive your information, we will send you an email (to your Chokermail account, or the e-mail on your FAFSA if you don’t yet have a Chokermail account) indicating which forms are needed. You can also check the status of your financial aid and/or access the required forms online by logging into the GHC Financial Aid Portal at http://www.ghc.edu/finaid/.

Loans, unlike grants or work-study, are borrowed money that must be repaid, with interest. To apply for loan, a separate student loan application must be completed and submitted to our office. You must also have a completed FAFSA in addition to the loan worksheet.