A+ Scholarship Program

A+ Scholarship Renewal Student Checklist

• Complete the FAFSA application with OTC’s school code (030830).
  • Complete the FAFSA application with OTC’s school code (030830).
    • Choose the 2024-2025 FAFSA if you plan to attend:
      • Fall 2024, Spring 2025 or Summer 2025
• Register and attend full-time; full-time is defined as:
  • 12 or more credit hours, fall and spring semester.
  • 6 credit hours, if you wish to enroll in summer semester.
• Exceptions to the full-time rule apply if you meet one of the exceptions below:
  • You have a documented disability and a Reduced Courseload Accommodation on file with Disability Support Services (DSS). For assistance with accommodations, email DisabilityServices@otc.edu.
    • A+ requires enrollment in a minimum of 6 credit hours for ADA students in fall or spring; 3 hours in summer.
  • You plan to graduate at the end of the semester and have applied for graduation with the Registrar’s Office.
  • You are enrolled in all of the available hours or you are taking all available prerequisite credit hours applicable to your program of study for the given term.
  • You have been accepted in a Health Sciences program and the hours required for a given term are limited to less than full-time enrollment.
• If you meet one of the allowable exceptions listed above, click on the:
  • • 2024-2025 Exception Request Form to request approval for the fall 2024, spring 2025 or summer 2025 semesters.
• Be seeking a certificate or degree at OTC
• Federal Pell grant MUST pay first.
  • The A+ program scholarship covers the unpaid balance of your tuition and required fees after all available, non-loan federal financial assistance, such as the federal Pell grant, has been applied to your account.
  • This may result in a zero award if your Pell grant is sufficient to cover all tuition and general fee charges.
• You must sign up for a payment plan the same day your register for classes to hold your spot in those classes.
  • The amount a student owes will be based on their total cost of tuition, fees and books minus their anticipated aid.
  • Example ($2,000 tuition, fees and books) – ($1,900 in Anticipated Aid) = $100 – Amount you owe.
  • Students MUST sign up for My Payment Plan and pay the balance owed via the scheduled monthly payments.

A+ Program Eligibility Requirements for Renewal – Student has received or was eligible to receive the A+ scholarship in at least 1 previous semester.

• Maintain full-time enrollment at OTC, unless approved for exception.
• Current year FAFSA on file at OTC.
• Student must be degree-seeking at OTC.
• Maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA on post high school courses at OTC.
• Maintain federal Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Additional Information

• Visiting OTC students are not eligible for A+ Scholarship funding.
• A+ Scholarship funding is only open to United States citizens or permanent residents.
• The A+ Scholarship pays for tuition and common fees (student fees; student technology fees; registration fee; security fee and infrastructure fee).
• Your A+ eligibility expires at the earliest of the following:
  • 48 months after High School graduation.
  • Receipt of an Associate Degree.
  • When a student completes 105% of the credit hours required for his/her certificate or degree.

Summer A+ FAQs

Transferring with A+

A student may transfer from another college or university and utilize A+ Program funding at OTC contingent upon the following:

•     The student must complete steps to receive A+ Program funding
•     Cumulative grade point average established at a previous institution will not impact A+ eligibility at time of transfer to OTC

The student must maintain full time enrollment (12 credit hours in fall and spring & 6 credit hours if enrolled for summer) and maintain at least a 2.50 cumulative grade point average of OTC coursework to remain eligible for A+ Program funding.

Part-Time Students and A+

Exceptions to the full-time rule apply if you meet one of the exceptions below.

• If you meet one of the allowable exceptions listed below:
  • Click on the 2024-2025 Exception Request Form to request approval for the fall 2024, spring 2025 or summer 2025 semesters.
  • You have a documented disability and a Reduced Course Load Accommodation through Disability Support Services (DSS).
    • You must contact DSS to request the Reduced Course Load Accommodation. You may email them at DisabilityServices@otc.edu.
    • The A+ Scholarship requires enrollment in a minimum of 6 credit hours (fall/spring) or 3 hours (summer) for students who have a Reduced Courseload Accommodation through Disability Support Services.
  • You plan to graduate at the end of the semester and have applied for graduation with the Registrar’s Office.
  • You are enrolled in all of the available hours or you are taking all available prerequisite credit hours applicable to your program of study for the given term.
  • You have been accepted in a Health Sciences program and the hours required for a given term are limited to less than full-time enrollment.

It is your responsibility to complete this form for consideration. The financial aid office will review and verify your request. Please allow 7 to 10 days for a response to your request. Dropping a class while taking a reduced course load will result in the loss of A+ eligibility in the future semesters.

A+ Scholarship Expiration

The program considers expiration of student A+ eligibility at the earliest of the following:

• 48 months after High School graduation
• Receipt of an Associate Degree
• When a student completes 105% of the number of credit hours required for his/her certificate or degree

The 105% calculation does include:

• • All credit hours completed after high school graduation, whether at OTC or at another institution and accepted in transfer, even if they do not contribute to your current degree program.

The 105% calculation does not include:

• • Credit hours completed before high school graduation.

105% Example:  if an associate degree requires 62 credit hours then 105%= 65 credit hours.  Therefore, once the student completes 65 hours, they will no longer be eligible for A+ funding. Additional information can be found on the state of Missouri’s A+ Scholarship page under “How long can I receive an award?”

Repeating Classes and the A+ Scholarship

• A+ will not pay to repeat a course for which a grade (A, B, C, D, or F) was previously received.
  • Example:  If you completed a course, even with a failing grade,  A+ will not pay for a repeat of the course.
  • Exception:  A+ will cover a repeated course if it was taken previously during high school or at another institution.
• A+ can pay to repeat a course for which no grade was received.
  • Example:  If you dropped a course and you did not receive a grade, A+ can pay for a second attempt.
• Repeat coursework will count toward the full-time credit hour requirement regardless of whether the A+ scholarship is paying for the second attempt.

Using MyPay with A+

• All students MUST sign up for a payment plan on the same day you register for classes to hold your spot in those classes. If you do not sign up for a payment pan the same day you register, you will be dis-enrolled from those classes at midnight. By signing up for the payment plan on the same day you register, your seat in the class is guaranteed.
• The amount you owe will be based on your total tuition, fees and books minus your anticipated financial aid (scholarships, grants and loans).You are personally responsible for items not covered by the A+ program such as books and misc. fees.
• You have the option to charge textbooks to your student account if you purchase them from the OTC Bookstore.

GPA Requirements

Initial (first time or transfer & new to OTC) A+ Scholarship Students:   

• Must have a cumulative 2.0 grade point average or above during fall end of term
• Must have a cumulative 2.5 grade point average or above during spring end of term

Renewed A+ Scholarship Students:

• Must have a cumulative 2.5 grade point average or above every semester

Eligibility is reviewed at the end of each semester. Credits transferred from another college or university are not calculated into the cumulative grade point average.

Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) Definition for the A+ Scholarship

The A+ Scholarship cumulative grade point average is calculated by using the combined average of all college level classes taken at OTC after high school graduation. Credits transferred from another college or university are not calculated into the cumulative GPA.

A+ Scholarships

• In-district & out-of-district tuition
• Required fees:
  • Student fee
  • Student technology fee (not including labs)
  • Security fee
  • Facility/infrastructure fee per semester
  • Registration fee per semester

Costs not covered by A+

• Books, supplies, program fees, per course lab fees or miscellaneous fees you may incur
• Repeated courses. If you repeat a course to change a grade (F, D, C, B, or A), the repeated course will not be paid for by the A+ program, but the hours will count toward meeting the full-time credit hour requirement.

Dropped Classes and A+

You must complete 12 credit hours or more to satisfy the full time course completion requirement (6 hours in summer). If you drop below the full time course completion requirement, A+ will still pay for the dropped class but you will lose A+ eligibility for your next semester of enrollment.

During the semester of ineligibility, you would need to retake the number of credit hours dropped below 12 (fall/spring) or 6 (summer).   For example: if you started in 12 credit hours during the fall semester but completed 9, you would have to complete a minimum of 3 credit hours to regain eligibility for the next period of enrollment. Any classes taken during the semester of ineligibility would not be covered by A+.

If approved to take a reduced course load, you must complete the number of credit hours in which you enrolled.  After the refund period, dropping a class will result in losing A+ for your next semester of enrollment. Any classes taken during the semester of ineligibility would not be covered by A+.

A+ Scholarship Eligibility

Students who drop below the minimum grade point average or drop below the minimum 12 credit hour completion requirement (6 credit hours in summer) will not receive A+ funding for future semesters unless they earn it back. (See “If I’ve lost my A+…is it possible to get it back?”)  Students whose A+ expires will no longer eligible for future semesters (see FAQ for definition of “expires”).

Regaining the A+ Scholarship

If you lost A+ due to the completion requirement, you must complete enough hours to total 12 credit hours when combined with your prior term. (Or to total 6 credit hours if you did not complete 6 credit hours in summer.)

Examples:

• If you began a fall or spring semester with 12 credit hours but only completed 9, you would have to complete a minimum of 3 credit hours to regain eligibility for the next period of enrollment.
• If you began the summer semester with 6 credit hours but only completed 3, you would have to complete a minimum of 3 credit hours to regain eligibility for the next period of enrollment.

In order to regain A+ Scholarship eligibility, you must also:

• Have a cumulative 2.50 grade point average
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.

The A+ program will not cover any classes taken while the student is ineligible.  You are not required to be full-time during a semester of ineligibility.

Limits to the A+ Scholarship

Mailing address for private scholarship checks

Ozarks Technical Community College

Attn: Student Account Services

1001 E. Chestnut Expressway

Springfield, MO 65802