Consortium Agreements

Consortium

Montgomery College does participate in Consortium Agreements. There are two parts to the process: 1. Your college academic advisor's process and 2. Your college financial aid office process.

A student may receive financial aid at only one college in one semester. When a student wants to register for a class at another college while earning a degree from Montgomery College, the student may ask for a consortium agreement so that eligible financial aid hours can be added to the cost of education to help to pay for the added course load. There are two parts to the process so be sure to follow your college academic advisor's process and your college financial aid office process.

When MC is the home school...

(The home school is the one that will grant the student's degree or certificate.) At Montgomery College, a student may be permitted to attend a course at another college because the course is not offered at Montgomery College or it is not offered at a time convenient to the student's schedule. For example, a student may find a course needed for his/her program at another accredited college nearby at a time that suits the student schedule.

The details: 1. Academic permission steps

The MC student asks his/her academic advisor for permission to take the course at another college and to transfer the credit back to his/her degree at Montgomery College.
The academic advisor reviews the catalog description of the course, reviews the student's academic program of study and the advisor signs the Permission to Enroll at Another Institution form.
With the signature of the advisor, the student forwards the paperwork to the Registrar for review. Usually, within two business days, the Registrar reviews the request. If the answer is yes, the Registrar approves the course at another institution to transfer back to the student's record at MC.
The Registrar signs the form and returns a copy to the student.

The details: 2. The financial aid permission steps

The student completes a Consortium Worksheet for financial aid.

The student forwards the Permission to Enroll at Another Institution with all signatures to the financial aid counselor who handles consortium agreements for MC financial aid students.

The MC financial aid counselor makes a contract with the other college and verifies the courses and credits. The outside college credits are added to the MC financial aid record for MC to award the additional aid to the student based on the total enrollment at the two colleges.

The student must provide an official transcript of the satisfactory completion of the course(s) to the home college registrar.

On the money side of the issues --- Remember, the student pays for the approved class(es) out of pocket. The student has the expectation that financial aid will reimburse the student to the level of aid at the home school up to the budget allowed for the total number of bill hours. Financial aid is applied by the home school at the total budget allowed.
When MC is the visited school....In practice, most students at Montgomery College who are interested in consortium agreements have taken some courses at MC but are presently seeking a degree at another college. If you are seeking a degree at another college, you may ask your financial aid office if your college participates in consortium agreements.

If your college does permit consortium agreements for classes at Montgomery College, your college will contact our Financial Aid Counselor. Follow the process at your own college (- the home school - -the school where you will receive your degree). Your home college may permit you to use your financial aid from your present college to help you cover the costs they will allow for MC courses taken to transfer back to your home school. You may e-mail us if you have questions.

**The federal rules
In essence ...two or more institutions may enter into a consortium or contractual agreement so that a student can continue to receive Student Financial Aid funds while studying at a school or organization other than his or her “home” institution...Student Handbook Ch.9. (The home school is the one that will grant the student's degree or certificate.)

A consortium agreement can only exist between eligible schools. It can apply to all Student Financial Aid college programs. Under such a written agreement, students may take courses at a school other than the home institution (the school where the student expects to receive a degree or certificate) and have those courses count toward the degree or certificate at the home school. Consortium Agreement Cite
34 CFR 668.5
(previously 600.9 and 690.9)