Federal regulations [CFR 668.32(f) and 668.34) require a student to move toward the completion of a degree or certificate within an eligible program when receiving financial aid.  Specific requirements for academic progress for financial aid recipients are applied differently that Scholastic Standards.  Federal regulation state that Academic Progress Standards must include a review of all periods of enrollment, regardless of whether or not aid was received.  The student must meet the following minimum standards in order to received financial aid.

I. Evaluation of Financial Aid Eligibility
A. Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
     are applied once per year, beginning on or about
     June 1st to determine the eligibility for the
     following academic year.
B. The evaluation period will be based on attendance
     in the immediate prior Spring, Fall, Summer term
     (example: for 2005-2006 academic year, academic
     progress will be evaluated on Spring 2005,
     Fall 2004, and Summer 2004).
C. Credits evaluated will include credits attempted at
     the evaluating school and courses funded through
     consortium agreement.
D. Students who do not meet the SAP will be notified.
     The student may follow the appeal process or the
      reinstatement procedures as outlined in V and VI.

II. Eligibility
A. Students must meet the following criteria:
         1. Students who have attempted at least six (6)cr
             hrs in the last evaluation period must
            complete with a passing grade 2/3 of all
            credits attempted within that evaluation
            period, OR
        2. Students who have NOT attempted at least six
            (6)crs hrs in the last evaluation period
            must complete with passing grades 2/3 of
            ALL credits attempted.

AND

B. All students must meet the following minimum
     credit hour/ cumulative GPA requirement
        Credits Attempted* Min GPA
            12-15                      1.60
            16-30                      1.75
            31-45                      1.90
            46 +                        2.00
*For which grade points are computed.

Note: Grades of F, I, N, W, X, Y, Z, and courses not yet graded are considered attempted but not meeting progress standards for the purposes of financial aid.  Students who do not successfully complete at least one course in the Fall semester may be subject to suspension or delayed disbursement in Spring.

III. Maximum Timeframe Eligibility

A. Students who have attempted more than
     150% of the credits required for their program
     of study are not considered to be making
     Satisfactory Academic Progress and,
     therefore, are ineligible for financial aid funds.
B. All evaluated transfer credits will be included
     when determining maximum timeframe
     eligibility.   
C. A student with a Bachelor’s degree or
     higher will be considered to have exhausted
     maximum timeframe eligibility.
D. A student may appeal as outlined in V.
  

IV. Repeated, Audited, Consortium, Remedial Courses, Summer Sessions
A. Financial aid may be used to cover the cost of
     repeated courses.
B. Audited courses, non-credit courses, credit by
     examination, and any credit for prior learning
     option (as outlined in the catalog) are exclude when
     determining eligibility for financial aid.
C. Courses funded through a consortium agreement
    are included in determining academic progress.
D. All attempted remedial credits will be included
     when evaluating SAP. (A maximum of 30 remedial
     credit hours, excluding ESL courses, may be funded)
E. Enrollment in any or all summer sessions within
     the same calendar year will be considered one term.

V. Appeal Process
A student who has lost financial aid eligibility due to extenuating circumstances may appeal.

A. Extenuating circumstances that may be considered
     include: personal illness or accident, serious illness
     or death within immediate family, or other
     circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the
      student.
B. All appeals must be in writing to the Financial Aid
    Office where the student is applying for aid and
    include appropriate documentation.
C. Examples of documentation could include an
    obituary notice, divorce decree, or a letter from a
    physician, attorney, social services agency, parole
   officer, etc.
D. The condition or situation must be resolved which
    will allow the student the ability to complete course
    work successfully or an appeal will not be granted.
E  The outcome of an appeal may include approval,
     a probationary period, or denial.
F. A student will be notified in writing of the results
    of the appeal, and of any restrictions or conditions
    pertaining to their appeal.

VI. Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility

A. A student who has lost financial aid eligibility may
     be reinstated after the student has taken (without
    federal funds) at least six (6) credit hours in a
    semester, passed all attempted credit hours, and
    meets minimum cumulative GPA requirements.
B. If the student attempts more than six hours, the
    student will be evaluated on all attempted credit
    hours within that term.
C. Classes taken at other colleges will not be taken
     into consideration for reinstatement purposes.
D. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Office
     of Student Financial Aid when this condition has
     been met.

For additional information, please contact the Financial Aid Office.