• Be admitted to an eligible program of study leading to an associates degree or a certificate.*
  
  *Some Maryland state aid programs are open to students pursuing associates or certificate programs. See Maryland Higher Education Commission's eligibility guidelines for more information. Certificate students are not eligible to receive Maryland Educational Assistance Grants, Maryland Hope Scholarships, and Maryland Part-Time Grants.
  
  All of the Associates Degree programs and most of the Certificate programs at AACC are eligible for federal and college aid.

As of 10/13/2009, the following certificate programs are not eligible for federal, state, or college financial aid because they require less than 16 credits:  

• Design and Drafting Technology (Computer-Aided) Certificate (CRT.EGR.CAD)
• 2006-2007 Catalog Year of Early Childhood Development: Child Care Certificate(CRT.EDU.CHILD-CARE)
• 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 Catalog Years of the Early Childhood Development: Child Care 1 Certificate (CRT.EDU.CHILD-CARE1)
• Honors Career Programs Option Certificate (CRT.TRN.HON-CAR).
• Honors Transfer Programs Option Certificate (CRT.TRN.HON-TRAN)
• Managed Care Operations Certificate (CRT.IHE.MGMT-CARE)
• Patient Care Technician Certificate (CRT.NUR.PCT)
• Teaching Paraprofessional Certificate (CRT.EDU.PARA-TEACH)
• Transfer Studies Certificates (CRT.TRN.STDS)
• Women's Studies Certificate (CRT.WMS.STDS)
• World Wide Web Programming and Design Certificate (CRT.CIS.WWW-PROG) 
• and English as a Second Language (CRT.ESL.ESL). Eligible ESL students can receive aid for certain core ESL courses if they are registered to pursue an eligible program of study after they complete their ESL program.
  

In addition, the following two certificate programs are not eligible for aid because they require more credits than the maximum that can be transferred into an Associate Degree program:

• Advanced Interior Design (CRT.ACH.ADV-INT-DSGN)
• Construction Management Entrepreneurship Certificate (CRT.ACH.CSTN-ENTREP)
• Culinary Arts Entrepreneurship (CRT.HRM.ENTREP)
• EMT Bridge Option: Intermediate to Paramedic Certificate (CRT.EMT.PARAMED-BRD)
  
  

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.

• Have a high school diploma or GED. If you do not have either, you must take an "Ability to Benefit" test from the college testing office before you will be eligible to receive financial aid. (Students who are concurrently enrolled in high school are not eligible for federal or college aid.)  

• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress toward a degree or certificate.

• Males 18 and older must be registered with the Selective Service Administration. Men ages 18 to 25 who haven't registered yet, can register on the FAFSA form, online at http://www.sss.gov or at any U.S. Post Office. Male applicants who did not register before their 26th birthday must submit statements to their school's financial aid office explaining why they did not register.

• Demonstrate financial need.

• Not be in default of a federal educational loan or owe refund on a federal grant.

• Meet other eligibility requirements for the financial aid programs for which you are applying.