Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
To be eligible to receive or continue to receive financial aid, a student must be enrolled
as a regular student and be in good standing. To be in good standing means that a student
is permitted attendance in a degree program and is in compliance with accepted enrollment
and behavior practices of the College and the Office of Student Financial Services.
Also, Section 34CFR(s) 668.16(e), 668.32(f) and 668.34 of the Student Assistance General
Provisions requires that a student be maintaining satisfactory academic progress – qualitative
and quantitative – in the degree or certificate being pursued to be eligible to receive
or continue to receive financial aid. The quality of progress is measured by the
Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). The “quantity” of progress requires a maximum time
frame in which students must complete educational objectives, and after which the student
is no longer maintaining Satisfactory Academic Process. It further requires a schedule
designating the minimum amount of credits that a student must successfully complete by the
end of each semester of enrollment. The credit value of all classes enrolled for, whether
or not completed, is part of the measurement of each equivalent semester used to evaluate
the quantity of progress. A student who attended the College before applying for aid must
have met the same standards as an aid recipient. “No institution has the authority to
waive this requirement for any student or group of students…”
The chart contains a schedule of the cumulative GPA that must be maintained and the number of
credit hours that must be completed each full-time equivalent semester of enrollment. Full time
status for all students is 12 credit hours. Federal regulations require students to complete
their program of study in a 150% time frame. This time frame is reflected in the chart and is
semester rather than credit hour based. Standards apply proportionately to enrollments less
than full time. For example, by the end of the second semester of enrollment at the College,
a full time CEU student must have completed at least 24 credit hours and have a cumulative GPA
of 2.0 (C). By the end of the 4th semester, the student must have completed a minimum of 48
credit hours and have maintained a GPA of 2.0(C). Note that the GPA requirement is higher for
most scholarship recipients. The college does not consider incomplete grades, withdrawals, or
audits when determining hours successfully completed. The repeat of courses is allowed until
the student reaches a 150% time frame. At that point, repeats must be approved on a case by
case basis by the Office of Student Financial Services.
The chart also shows the maximum time frame in which students must complete their degree or
certificate as measured by semesters. Students completing additional hours to transfer to
another school and/or receive a double degree must notify Financial Aid of such intent,
complete the required appeal form and be approved, or risk being suspended from aid.
Transfer hours from other post-secondary institutions are not counted in the qualitative
calculations but will be counted in total hours completed toward a degree/certificate in
quantitative progress calculations as determined by the Registrar. Students taking remedial
courses have an additional two semesters to complete their program under special circumstances
as determined by academic advising.
There are instances where no aid will be awarded. That occurs when a student no longer
demonstrates willingness to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress or Good Standing.
Furthermore, because this policy allows the lowest possible minimums for measurement of
Satisfactory Academic Progress, a single probation period will be granted. This means that
the cumulative GPA must be improved to a 2.0 and/or deficient hours made up to equal the
required number of credits. However, if no credit is earned or the cumulative GPA is below 1.0
or D average, scholarships/financial aid will be suspended. If the student does not meet
satisfactory academic progress standards the following semester, financial aid will be
suspended. If an aid recipient has his or her student account credited from student aid
before grades are available and it is later determined he or she is no longer eligible,
the Office of Student Financial Services has the right to cancel the student aid to
recover student aid funds. Circumstances that commonly result in a student being denied are:
- The student’s GPA is below the scheduled minimum.
- The student’s credits completed are less than the scheduled minimum.
- The student has enrolled in the maximum number of semesters designated for a program but has not completed the requirements.
- The student has completed degree requirements in a particular major and has changed majors or is taking transfer hours and has not informed the Office of Student Financial Services and completed the necessary appeal.
- The student’s appeal is denied.
If a student is not eligible to receive financial aid at the time of application, or eligibility is terminated for failure to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, the student may again become eligible. To do so, the student must attend school, on personal resources, for the number of semesters needed to raise the GPA and/or complete the credit hours required to equal the scheduled minimum standard. Hours completed on personal resources after suspension of aid will be counted as make-up hours when a student is deficient in credit hours towards quantitative progress. No payments will be made up and no adjustments will be made in future payments to compensate for the loss of aid during semesters of ineligibility. Students have the right to appeal through the Financial Aid Appeals Process, due to extenuating circumstances which may have caused the ineligibility; such circumstances may be illness, injury, death of a loved one or lack of preparation for college course work. Student Federal Stafford Loans are not available to students approved through an appeal until the condition of the appeal has been met. For information on the appeal process, contact the Office of Student Financial Services.