Financial Aid

Congress passed several acts that represented a significant overhaul to the processes and systems used to apply for and offer financial aid.  These changes make federal aid more accessible for students and families.

More Information

• Have a High School Diploma, General Education Development (GED), High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED), or have been homeschooled in a State approved program
• Be enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program
• Have a valid Social Security number unless you are from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress
• Be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Learn more at: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility

• Awards are based on full-time status. If you are not in full-time status, financial aid will be reduced.
  • Full-time, 12 or more credits
  • Three quarter time, 9-11 credits
  • Half-time, 6-8 credits
  • Less than half-time, 5 or less credits
• If you are in a program that is considered less than one-year, your offer could be reduced to reflect the number of credits.
• To be eligible for student loans, you must be taking at least six credits within your declared program.
• Some basic skills and pre-college courses are not covered by financial aid. Please consult the financial aid department before classes start to verify the classes you are enrolled in will be covered.
• Enrollment status is locked two weeks after the beginning of the fall and spring term and one week after the beginning of the summer term for all Federal Financial Aid. If you want financial aid to pay for late starting classes, you must be enrolled for those classes before lock date.

Programs that are funded by financial aid:

• Accounting
• Administrative Professional
• Agribusiness/Science Technology
• Automation Systems Technology
• Behavior Technician
• Business Management
• Criminal Justice Studies
• Culinary Arts
• Dental Hygienist
• Diagnostic Medical Sonography & Vascular Technology
• Digital Marketing
• Early Childhood Education
• Electromechanical Technology
• Fire Protection Technician
• Foundations of Teacher Education
• Human Resources
• Human Services Associate
• Individualized Technical Studies
• IT-Network Specialist
• IT-Web Software Developer
• Laboratory Food Science Technician
• Leadership Development
• Manufacturing Engineering Technology
• Medical Administrative Coder
• Medical Administrative Specialist
• Medical Laboratory Technician
• Nursing
• Physical Therapist Assistant
• Radiography
• Sales Management
• Substance Use Disorder Counseling
• Supply Chain Management
• Surgical Technology

• Automotive Technician
• Computer Numeric Control (CNC) Technician
• Diesel & Heavy Equipment Technician
• Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology
• Manufacturing Information Technology Specialist

• Accounting Assistant
• Advanced Dental Assistant
• Agribusiness Specialist
• Business Management Specialist
• Computer Service Technician
• Culinary Production Specialist
• Electrical Power Distribution
• Industrial Maintenance Mechanic
• Laboratory Technician Assistant
• Medical Assistant
• Residential HVAC
• Substance Abuse Education
• Welding

• Law Enforcement Basic Recruit Academy (720 Hours)

*The diploma and certificate in this column have partial financial aid funding since they are less than one-year programs/certificates. Please see the financial aid office for more details.

Programs that are not funded by financial aid:

• Apprenticeships
• Central Service Technician
• Computed Tomography
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) / Advanced-EMT
  • Unless Declared in Fire Science two-year associate degree program
• Farm Business & Production Management
• Law Enforcement Basic Jail Academy
• Nursing Assistant / Advanced Nursing Assistant
• Nursing Bridge Course
• Phlebotomy Technician
• Project Management
• Truck Driving

For priority processing, please have your FAFSA completed by April.

1. Go to https://studentaid.gov/ and click "Create Account" to set up your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID). 
2. Go to https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa and login with your FSA ID.
3. Fill out your FAFSA application online. Note: BTC’s school code is 005390.

Note: you will need your federal tax returns ready in order to complete the application.

Once processed, you can expect a letter in the mail explaining an estimated amount of funding that you are eligible for. Your federal student aid may be distributed as grants, work-study opportunities, or loans. See the next section to learn more.

If you would like assistance filling out your FAFSA, please contact the Financial Aid Office at (608) 757-7664. Walk-ins are welcome.

• Your Social Security Number
• Your Alien Registration Number or Permanent Residence Card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
• Your federal income tax returns from two years ago, if filed
  (i.e. IRS Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ; foreign tax return; or tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or Palau)
• W-2s and other records of money earned from two years ago
• Current bank statements (checking, savings, cash, etc.), if applicable
• Records of current business and investment mortgage information, if applicable
  (i.e. business and farm records, stocks, bonds, etc. but not retirement account information)
• Records of untaxed income from two years ago, if applicable
  (i.e. disability, worker's compensation, child support paid and/or received, veteran benefits records, etc.)
• An FSA ID to sign electronically

• If you are a dependent student, then you will also need most of the above information for your parent(s). To learn more, browse FAFSA's FAQs. 
• If you are married (as of the day you submit your FAFSA), then you will also need most of the above information for your spouse. 

Upon completion of the FAFSA application, you will be eligible for various financial aid awards. The three types of federal student aid:  grants, work-study opportunities, and loans.

Grants allow you to receive money that (usually) does not need to be paid back.

View Grants

Work-study opportunities allow you to be eligible for special, part-time employment while you’re a student. These positions are typically on-campus.

View Work-Study Opportunities

Loans allow you to borrow money now that may have to be paid back with interest.

View Loans

You may not receive Pell grants at two schools at the same time. Students may sometimes receive Federal Direct Loans at two schools concurrently if they do not exceed annual loan limits while doing so. Check in with the Financial Aid Office if you are considering this option.

You can also ask the college you are receiving your degree from if you can participate in a consortium agreement. Participating in a consortium agreement allows students to take program courses at two colleges as the same time. Students only receive financial aid from the degree-granting college, but applicable credits from the second college are used in determining the amount of financial aid awarded. The degree-granting college monitors the student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress. Please ask the Financial Aid Office for more details.

Bookstore charges allow a student to charge their books to their excess financial aid at the BTC Bookstore. Bookstore charges are available a week before school starts and goes two weeks into the semester. To be eligible to use your financial aid at the BTC’s Bookstore, you will need to have your financial aid award completed and accepted, be enrolled in courses within your declared program, and your financial aid must be more than your tuition bill.

You are required to make satisfactory academic progress in the program you are enrolled in to continue to receive financial aid.

 Satisfactory Academic Progress

Return of Title IV Policy (R2T4) 
The Return to Title IV policy goes into effect for students who completely withdraw from Blackhawk Technical College before more than 60% of the term has been completed or who do not officially withdraw and receive all failing grades for the term. 

 Return of Title IV Policy (R2T4)

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must always be completed based on the tax year required. For example, the 2024-2025 FAFSA must be completed using 2022 income information. However, students whose families have experienced a reduction in income, a change in family composition after completing the FAFSA, or certain types of unusually high expenses may apply for a reevaluation of financial aid eligibility by submitting a Special Circumstances Request form.