Financial Aid for Shared Programs

Shared programs allow students to earn a diploma or degree by completing courses at two schools that combine to satisfy program requirements for graduation at one of the schools. The school issuing the diploma or degree is the home college. The other school is the visiting college. A consortium agreement is a written contract that enables students to pursue a shared program and to take courses at both schools simultaneously. Under such an agreement, a student may receive financial aid at the home college based on credits taken at both schools.

When Blackhawk is the Home College

For credits taken at the visiting college to be included in their financial aid eligibility calculation at Blackhawk, students must complete a Consortium Agreement Request form. Consortium Agreement Request forms are available from the Advising and Financial Aid Departments at Blackhawk. Students must submit a separate form for each semester they take credits at the visiting college.

Financial aid is disbursed according to Blackhawk’s disbursement schedule. After a student’s Blackhawk bill for a semester has been paid in full, excess financial aid, if any, is refunded to the student according to Blackhawk’s refund schedule. Disbursement and refund dates are listed in Blackhawk’s online Events Calendar. Financial aid funds are never sent to the visiting college on a student's behalf. It is the student’s responsibility to pay their bill for courses taken at the visiting college.

When Blackhawk is the Visiting College

Students pursuing a shared program in which Blackhawk is the visiting college must adhere to the home college’s consortium agreement procedures in order for credits taken at Blackhawk to count toward their financial aid eligibility at the home college. Financial aid will not be disbursed to Blackhawk on their behalf, and students must pay their bill at Blackhawk according to Blackhawk policy.

To ensure that financial aid is not disbursed to both colleges, students in shared programs must notify the Blackhawk Financial Aid Department if Blackhawk is the visiting college. Students who receive financial aid at two colleges for simultaneous enrollment may become ineligible for future financial aid disbursements and be held responsible for the repayment of any ineligible financial aid that was disbursed.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for Shared Programs

Students must meet the home college’s SAP standards to remain eligible for financial aid. All courses included in a student’s consortium agreement are used by the home college to calculate the student’s SAP, regardless of at which school the courses are taken. To view BTC’s SAP policy, please go to blackhawk.edu/paying-for-college/financial-aid