Disbursement Schedules

Fall Retroactive Disbursements

Students for whom any fall aid was not disbursed before the end of fall term may still qualify to receive fall disbursement(s) retroactively, subject to certain conditions.  Specifically, the Financial Aid Office will wait for all fall grades to be submitted for the school, and verify that any student potentially eligible for a retroactive fall disbursement completed at least 6 units in fall.  Retroactive fall disbursements may not take place until the second or third scheduled disbursement period in spring.  

Fall 2024 Freeze Date/Pell Recalculation Date

The Freeze Date/Pell Recalculation Date for the Fall term is Friday, September 20, 2024.  On this date we will record each student’s unit load (number of units enrolled), which will determine the student’s eligibility for financial aid awards for the semester. However, there might be exceptions for students who have enrolled ONLY in short term courses beginning in October. For more information on potential impact to your financial aid eligibility, visit the Freeze Date/Pell Recalculation Date page.

Federal Pell Grant

The Pell Grant awards are split into two disbursements per semester.  The initial semester disbursement will be 40% of your semester eligibility (based on enrolled units) and the second disbursement will be the remainder (or 60%) of your semester eligibility. Payment for short sessions beginning mid-term will be made in the October disbursement.

If you are scheduled for your first Pell disbursement in October, November, or December you will only receive one disbursement for the semester, which will be for 100% of your semester eligibility.

Disbursement dates are assigned based on the date of your Pell award date and the cutoff date for each scheduled disbursement date is indicated below.  Once a Pell award cutoff date has passed, your disbursement will be scheduled for the next available disbursement date. 

Enrolled in fewer than 12 units? All Pell awards displayed on your award letter represent your full-time eligibility; students enrolled less than full-time (fewer than 12 units) will receive a prorated award, NO exceptions.  
Enrolled in short term (October) classes? Financial aid payments for classes that begin in October are not payable until the October disbursement. 

Pell Grant Fall 2024 Disbursement

If your Pell is awarded by:	8/16/24	9/6/24	10/4/24	11/1/24	11/22/24
Your ESTIMATED disbursement  will be:	9/6/24 (initial 40% disbursement only)	9/27/24 (initial 40% disbursement only)	10/25/24	11/22/24	12/13/24

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Eligible students may receive one FSEOG award disbursement each semester. Fall disbursement is on or around 11/22/24.

Cal Grant A, B or C

Eligible students will receive one Cal Grant A, B or C award disbursement each semester. Fall disbursement is on or around 9/27/24. If you miss this disbursement, you will receive your disbursement the following month. 

Student Success Completion Grant (SSCG)

Eligible students will receive one SSCG award disbursement each semester. Fall disbursement is on or around 9/27/24. If you miss this disbursement, you will receive your disbursement the following month.

Federal Direct Loans

Students enrolled for Fall and Spring terms will receive one loan disbursement per semester. Students enrolled for only one semester will still have two disbursements. Disbursement dates are assigned based on the date that you activate your loan and complete all requirements, not the date the loan is certified/awarded. 
Disbursements will only proceed for students who are enrolled in at least 6 Title IV eligible units for the term, NO exceptions.  SWC must have received electronic confirmation from the federal servicer that student has completed Direct Loan Entrance Counseling and the Direct Loan Promissory Note. Printed copies are not accepted.  Students are strongly advised to read the Direct Loan Policy.  

Once an initial application date has passed and all requirements are met, your disbursement will be scheduled for the next available disbursement date.

Direct Loan Fall 2024 Disbursement

Direct Loan Cutoff Date (the date by which the loan must be activated on MySWC and all requirements must be complete)	9/2/2024 (by NOON)	9/30/2024 (by NOON)	10/28/2024 (by NOON)	11/18/2024 (by NOON)
ESTIMATED disbursement	9/27/24	10/25/24	11/22/24	12/13/24

Important Information

• Disbursement dates are estimates and are subject to change without notice and will occur on or after the estimated disbursement dates listed.
• All awards are contingent upon institutional receipt of funds from the federal and/or state government and are subject to change.
• FSEOG funds are usually awarded in excess of Southwestern College’s annual allocation in anticipation of FSEOG cancellations; therefore, your FSEOG award could be subject to cancellation due to the estimated cancellation rate does not match projections.

Back to top

Spring 2025 Freeze Date/Pell Recalculation Date

The Freeze Date/Pell Recalculation Date for the Spring term is February 21, 2025.  On this date we will record each student’s unit load (number of units enrolled), which will determine the student’s eligibility for financial aid awards for the semester. However, there might be exceptions for students who have enrolled ONLY in short term courses beginning in April. For more information on potential impact to your financial aid eligibility, visit the Freeze Date/Pell Recalculation Date page.

Federal Pell Grant

The Pell Grant awards are split into two disbursements per semester.  The initial semester disbursement will be 40% of your semester eligibility (based on enrolled units) and the second disbursement will be the remainder (or 60%) of your semester eligibility. Payment for short sessions beginning mid-term will be made in the April disbursement.

If you are scheduled for your first Pell disbursement in March, April or May, you will only receive one disbursement for the semester, which will be for 100% of your semester eligibility.

Disbursement dates are assigned based on the date of your Pell award date and the  cutoff date for each scheduled disbursement date is indicated below.  Once a Pell award cutoff date has passed, your disbursement will be scheduled for the next available disbursement date. 

Enrolled in fewer than 12 units? All Pell awards displayed on your award letter represent your full-time eligibility; students enrolled less than full-time (fewer than 12 units) will receive a prorated award, NO exceptions.  
Enrolled in short term (April) classes? Financial aid payments for classes that begin in April are not payable until the April disbursement. 

Pell Grant Spring 2025 Disbursement

If Your Pell is Awarded By	1/24/2025	2/13/2025	3/7/2025	3/28/2025	5/2/2025
Your ESTIMATED disbursement date will be:	2/14/2025 (initial 40% disbursement only)	3/7/2025 (initial 40% disbursement only)	3/28/2025	4/25/2025	5/23/2025

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Eligible students will receive one FSEOG award disbursement each semester. Spring disbursement is the week ending 4/25/25.

Cal Grant A, B or C

Eligible students will receive one Cal Grant A, B or C award disbursement each semester. Spring disbursement is on or around 3/7/2025. If you miss this disbursement, you will receive your disbursement the following month. 

Student Success Completion Grant (SSCG)

Eligible students will receive one SSCG award disbursement each semester. Spring disbursement is the week ending 3/7/2025. If you miss this disbursement, you will receive your disbursement the following month.

Federal Direct Loans

Students enrolled for Fall and Spring terms will receive one loan disbursement per semester. Students enrolled for only one semester will still have two disbursements. Disbursement dates are assigned based on the date that you activate your loan and complete all requirements, not the date the loan is certified/awarded. 
Disbursements will only proceed for students who are enrolled in at least 6 Title IV eligible units for the term, NO exceptions. SWC must have received electronic confirmation from the federal servicer that student has completed Direct Loan Entrance Counseling and the Direct Loan Promissory Note. Printed copies are not accepted. Students are strongly advised to read the Direct Loan Policy.

Once an initial application date has passed and all requirements are met, your disbursement will be scheduled for the next available disbursement date.

Direct Loan Spring 2025 Disbursement

Direct Loan Cutoff Date (the date by which the loan must be activated on MySWC and all requirements must be complete)	2/11/2025 (by NOON)	3/3/2025 (by NOON)	3/31/2025 (by NOON)	4/28/2025 (by NOON)
ESTIMATED disbursement	3/7/2025	3/28/2025	4/25/2025	5/23/2025

Important Information

• Disbursement dates are estimates and are subject to change without notice and will occur on or after the estimated disbursement dates listed.
• All awards are contingent upon institutional receipt of funds from the federal and/or state government and are subject to change.
• FSEOG funds are usually awarded in excess of Southwestern College’s annual allocation in anticipation of FSEOG cancellations; therefore, your FSEOG award could be subject to cancellation due to the estimated cancellation rate does not match projections.

Back to top

Summer 2025 Freeze Date/Pell Recalculation Date

The Freeze Date/Pell Recalculation Date for the Summer term is June 26, 2025. On this date we will record each student’s unit load (number of units enrolled), which will determine the student’s eligibility for financial aid awards for the semester.  For more information on potential impact to your financial aid eligibility, visit the Freeze Date/Pell Recalculation Date page.

Summer Disbursement Date

Summer 2025 disbursement (Pell Grant, Cal Grant and Direct Loans):
On or around July 14, 2025  (Date is approximate and subject to change without notice)
Based only on the units registered at the time

Calculation of Eligibility for Summer Aid

The summer 2025 term (6/9/25-8/7/25) is considered a cross-over period and is assigned to the 2024/25 award year. The 9 week term, 8 week term and the 6 week term sessions will be combined and treated as one term. Full-time enrollment will be defined as 12 credits- there are no exceptions to this rule.

Year Round Pell: Pell grant eligible students can receive up to 150% of their scheduled Pell award each year. To be eligible to receive the additional Pell Grant, students must:

• Have completed the 2024-2025 AND 2025-2026 FAFSA by 6/30/25 and submitted all required documentation, and;
• Be Pell grant eligible, and;
• Enroll in summer classes by the Freeze Date, and;
• Be enrolled for one or more additional payment periods during the award year that are not otherwise fully covered by the student's initial scheduled award, and;
• Be enrolled at least half time (6+ units), and;
• Be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress for 2025-26, and;
• Have Pell Grant lifetime eligibility remaining, visit "Keeping Your Aid" and look under Lifetime Eligibility Use (LEU) for more information on your Pell Grant eligibility and use.

Students must use all of the initial scheduled award before being eligible for the additional 50%. A Pell payment for the summer, however, may consist of funds from both the initial scheduled award (of up to 100% of annual eligibility) and the additional 50% for summer.

Students who enroll full time (12+ units) and received the full time Pell amount for both fall and spring  semesters must enroll are least half time (6+ units) in summer to receive the additional summer grant.

Students who enrolled part time for fall or spring semesters have no minimum credit requirement to receive a summer Pell grant (unless required by their Estimated Family Contribution). Students can use the remainder of their annual Pell Grant amount during the summer.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Students must meet the 2024-25 financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress standards calculated at the end of the spring 2024 term (after grades are submitted). Disqualified students would not be eligible for aid beginning with the summer 2024 financial aid term (excluding CCPG-BOGFW). Disqualified students will have the opportunity to appeal. View our Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) page for more information on Satisfactory Academic Progress and how to appeal.

Transfer Students

Students who attended a school other than Southwestern College for the fall  and/or spring  terms are considered transfer students. These students will require transfer monitoring prior to disbursement in order to determine their Pell eligibility for the summer term.

Calculating remaining eligibility for transfer students:

• Pell disbursed at prior school (/) Scheduled award at prior school (=) % of scheduled award used
• Subtract % of scheduled award used from 100% (=) Remaining % of scheduled award available

Important Information

• Disbursement dates are estimates and are subject to change without notice and may occur on or after the estimated disbursement dates listed.
• All awards are contingent upon institutional receipt of funds from the federal and/or state government and are subject to change.

Back to top