Academic Standards for Financial Aid
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Federal regulations require students receiving Title IV financial assistance to maintain satisfactory academic progress. In general, satisfactory academic progress includes maintaining a 67 percent completion rate and a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress will result in the suspension of aid. Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress regardless of enrollment status (full-time, part-time) or admitted program.
Consult the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress document to review the methods of assessment, time limitations, various statuses, consequences, grades, program requirements, and appeals procedure for satisfactory academic progress. Students who wish to appeal suspension of financial aid due to failure to meet satisfactory academic progress must complete the appropriate Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form and submit it to the Financial Aid office.
Program of Study
According to the US Department of Education, if a student is enrolled in courses that do not count toward his/her degree they cannot be used to determine enrollment status unless they are courses that a student is required to take based on placement testing. This means that courses taken that do not fulfill a requirement on the program evaluation will not be covered by Title IV funds. They will, however, be counted as attempted credit hours.
English as a Foreign Language (EFL)
Students may receive FSA program funds for EFL courses. These courses are not considered developmental as well. EFL credit hours will be included in all SAP calculations and will also be counted toward Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU).
Developmental Studies Standards of Progress
Financial aid recipients may take a maximum of 30 credit hours in developmental coursework. Developmental courses (designated by course numbers below 100, DMA 060) are included in the calculation of satisfactory academic progress, but they will not count toward the time frame.
Return of Title IV Funds
The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 changed the formula for calculating the amount of aid a student and a school can retain when the student withdraws from all classes. Students who withdraw from all classes prior to completing 60 percent of the semester will have their eligibility for aid recalculated based on the percent of the semester completed. Once the aid calculation is complete, the student must pay back the unearned portion of their award to the College or to the Department of Education if any of the overpayment has been turned over to them for collection. If you are thinking about withdrawing from all classes PRIOR to completing 60 percent of the semester, you should contact the Financial Aid Office to see how your withdrawal will affect your financial aid.