• Be admitted to an eligible program of study leading to an associate's degree or a certificate.*
  
  *Some Maryland state aid programs are open to students pursuing associate's 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 Associate's Degree programs and most of the Certificate programs at AACC are eligible for federal and college aid.

As of 6/19/2008, the following certificate programs are not eligible for federal, state, or college financial aid:  

• Advanced Interior Design (CRT.ACH.ADV-INT-DSGN)
• Culinary Arts Entrepreneurship (CRT.HRM.ENTREP)
• Early Childhood Development: Child Care (CRT.EDU.CHILD-CARE)
• Honors Career Programs Option (CRT.TRN.HON-CAR). (Students in this Honors program are usually also enrolled in an A.A.S or A.A.T degree that is eligible for aid.)
• Managed Care Operations (CRT.IHE.MGMT-CARE)
• Patient Care Technician (CRT.NUR.PCT)
• Teaching Paraprofessional (CRT.EDU.PARA-TEACH)
• Women's Studies (CRT.WMS.STDS)
• World Wide Web Programming and Design (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, as of 6/19/2008, the new Transportation, Logistics and Cargo Security (CRT.BMT.TRANSPORT) program has not been approved to receive aid. We hope that they will be approved soon.

• 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.