Academic Progress Award – Awarded yearly to 1 senior and 2 juniors per area high school who demonstrate academic effort and improvement along with a strong work ethic. Recipients are chosen by their respective high school officials. This award covers full tuition toward a JBC associate degree (up to 8 terms of study). Funds are applied after financial aid and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required to maintain this award for a subsequent year of study.

Business as a Career Award – Awarded yearly to 3 seniors and 2 juniors per area high school who demonstrate academic effort and improvement along with a strong work ethic. Recipients are chosen by their respective high school officials. This award covers full tuition toward a JBC associate degree (up to 8 terms of study). Funds are applied after financial aid and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required to maintain this award for a subsequent year of study.

Entrepreneurship Award – Awarded yearly to 2 seniors per area BOCES and Warren Career Center who demonstrate strong work ethic and an interest in owning or managing a business. Recipients are chosen by their respective BOCES/WCC officials. This award covers full tuition toward a JBC associate degree (up to 8 terms of study). Funds are applied after financial aid and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required to maintain this award for a subsequent year of study.

Scholar of Excellence – Awarded to area high school seniors graduating in the top 25% of their class. Award may be applied toward an associate (up to 8 terms of study) or bachelor’s degree (additional 7 terms of study) program at JBC. Funds are applied after financial aid and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required to maintain this award for a subsequent year of study.

• NYS Residents – Award covers full tuition. Funds are applied after financial aid. Cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required to maintain award for subsequent years of study.
• Out-of-State Residents – *JBC requires NO OUT-OF-STATE TUITION* Award covers 50% of tuition. Funds are applied after financial aid. Cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required to maintain award for subsequent years of study.

High School College Access Award – Awarded to selected high school seniors in NYS who would benefit from a small and supportive college environment. Guidance counselors recommend students who are contemplating putting-off college due to financial roadblocks. This award covers full tuition and college fees toward a JBC associate (8 terms of study) or bachelor’s degree (additional 7 terms of study). All funds are applied after financial aid.

John August Johnson Scholarship – Administered by the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and awarded exclusively to JBC students pursuing their associate degree who show academic promise and financial need. Candidates must submit an essay describing why JBC is their college of choice. Awards range from $500 to $1,500 annually, and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required to maintain this award for a subsequent year of study. On average, CRCF disburses a total of $19,000 per year to John August John recipients.

CCBTA and Top Business Student Scholarship – Each year the Chautauqua County Business Teachers’ Association (CCBTA) recognizes outstanding business students both at school and county levels. Upon enrollment to JBC, these students will receive an annual scholarship of $1200-$1800 per year toward their associate degree. Cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required to maintain award for subsequent years of study.

Tyler C. Swanson Award – JBC Associate degree graduates going directly into the Bachelor in Business Administration degree (BBA) program are eligible to apply for this award. Typically 1 candidate per term is selected (4 terms/year) and a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required to apply. Awards cover full tuition for the last 2 terms of study in the BBA program and funds are applied after financial aid.

Adult College Access Award – Awarded to non-traditional students who would benefit from a small and supportive college environment and who are contemplating putting-off college due to financial roadblocks. Candidates are selected by the JBC Scholarship Committee and must display a 0 EFC on their Student Aid Report. Award covers full tuition and fees toward a JBC associate (8 terms of study) or bachelor’s degree (additional 7 terms of study) and funds are applied after financial aid.

Bilingual Advancement Award – Awarded to Bilingual individuals who would benefit from a supportive college environment. This award covers full tuition and college fees toward a JBC associate (8 terms of study) or bachelor’s degree (additional 7 terms of study). All funds are applied after financial aid.

Many local community organizations and agencies award scholarships. These
scholarships are awarded based upon specific criteria, which usually reflects the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.

• Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation
• Chautauqua Region Community Foundation
• Community Foundation of Warren County

JBC accepts VA educational benefits for eligible veterans, their spouses, and children. These benefits can be used toward achieving associate and bachelor degrees. Click here for further information on VA education and training benefits, requirements, and the application process.

Our financial aid staff abides by a strict code of conduct.

Jamestown Business College has adopted the code of conduct policy from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrator’s (NASFAA) Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Institutional Financial Aid Professionals. Further, the Higher Education Opportunity Act (“HEOA”) conditions the eligibility of educational institutions to participate in Title IV programs on the development of and compliance with a code of conduct prohibiting conflicts of interest for its financial aid personnel (HEOA § 487(a)(25)). Jamestown Business College’s officers, employees and agents involved in financial aid programs at Jamestown Business College are required to comply with this code of conduct. The following specific provisions are intended to comply with Jamestown Business College’s obligations under federal law (HEOA § 487(e)).

• Refrain from taking any action for his or her personal benefit.
• Refrain from taking any action he or she believes is contrary to law, regulation or the best interests of the students and parents he or she serves.
• Ensure that the information he or she provides is accurate, unbiased and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential personal gain.
• Be objective in making decisions and advising Jamestown Business College regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
• Disclose to Jamestown Business College in writing any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
• Not enter into any revenue-sharing arrangements with any lender.
• Not direct borrowers to or assign, through award packaging or other methods, the borrower’s private (alternative) loan to a particular lender; or refuse to certify, or delay certification of, any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.
• Not solicit or accept any gift from a lender, guarantor or servicer of education loans. For purposes of this prohibition, the term “gift” means any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, services, transportation, meals or other item, whether provided in kind, by purchase of a ticket, payment in advance or by reimbursement, having a monetary value of more than the minimum amount. The term “gift” does not include: standard material, activities or programs on issues related to a loan, or food, refreshments or training that are part of a training session to improve service if the training contributes to professional development of an Jamestown Business College financial aid professional.
• Not accept from any lender or affiliate of any lender any fee, payment or other financial benefit (including the opportunity to purchase stock) as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services to a lender or on behalf of a lender relating to education loans.
• Not enter into a consulting arrangement or other contract with an eligible lender or serve on an advisory board for an eligible lender.
• Not request or accept from any lender any offer of funds to be used for private education loans, including funds for an opportunity pool loan, to students in exchange for the institution providing concessions or promises regarding providing the lender with: (a) a specified number of loans made, insured or guaranteed under Title IV; (b) a specified loan volume of such loans; or (c) a preferred lender arrangement for such loans.

Professional Judgement for Special or Unusual Circumstances

Note: Students who cannot qualify for Pell Grant assistance will not benefit from completing the special circumstance process.

The Financial Aid Office at Jamestown Business College recognizes that there are instances when an individual’s FAFSA does not accurately reflect a student’s or their family’s current situation. Professional Judgment is the Financial Aid Administrator’s ability to change a student’s financial assistance eligibility based upon unusual or special circumstances. There must be a significant change to the family’s situation to be considered for a Professional Judgment decision. Examples of the most common circumstances are listed below; however, this list is not intended to be all-inclusive, as you may have a situation that is not categorized but still applicable. Requests are reviewed by a committee after a Professional Judgment Request form is completed and submitted with all required statements and supporting documentation. Students will be notified of denial or approval by mail, an email to their Jamestown Business College email address or by telephone within 30 days after submission of the request.

A request for a recalculation of financial need-based aid can be based upon (but not limited to) the following special circumstances:

• Loss of employment/income by student, their spouse or parent(s)
• Loss of income due to disability of student, their spouse or parent(s)
• Loss of unemployment benefits or untaxed income or benefits by student, their spouse or parent(s)
• Death of a spouse or parent(s)
• Divorce or separation of self or parent(s)
• Loss of income due to a natural disaster or declared emergency
• Lump sum distribution or non-recurring income that inflates adjusted gross income for 2020
• Number in household increased after filing the FAFSA
• Other special circumstances that may affect you or your family’s ability to pay for your educational expenses

For a request to be taken into consideration, you MUST request the following forms and submit them to the Office of Financial Aid.
1.  A completed Professional Judgement Request Form
2.  A written or typed statement describing in detail:

• The unusual circumstances or conditions
• The specific dates when these circumstances or conditions occurred
• The changes in your household as a direct result of these special circumstances
• The statement must be signed and dated

3. A 2022 – 2023 applicable Dependent or Independent Verification Worksheet

Verification/documentation listed for your special circumstance(s) or condition(s):

Examples of documentation that can be used would include: termination or reduction-in-hours notification from an employer; unemployment benefits letter; copies of paid medical expenses not covered by insurance; legal documents (separation, divorce, marriage, adoption, etc.); three months of recent paystubs showing recent year-to-date earnings; benefit statements; physician’s statement; signed copy of your or your parent’s Federal Income Tax Return(s); W-2 forms; 1099 MISC Forms, letters from agencies such as DCFS, etc.

Contact us:
Email: financialaid@jbc.edu
Fax: 716-664-3144
Phone: 716-664-5100

Once paperwork is submitted, the Financial Aid Office will reach out to the student for any additional documentation/paperwork needed.