Financial Aid

Students are expected to make satisfactory progress in their current educational program in order to receive financial aid. Standards for this progress are both qualitative and quantitative, and are reflected in a students cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and in his/her incremental progress in terms of completing a minimum amount of work at stated intervals.

Enrollment Periods
When a student is reviewed for satisfactory progress, all enrollment periods for the current program are included in the review. This includes enrollment periods during which the student did not receive financial aid and enrollment periods during which the student did receive financial aid.

QUALITATIVE STANDARDS are as follows:

• 1-13 credits earned 1.5 minimum cumulative GPA
• 14-27 credits earned 1.7 minimum cumulative GPA
• 28-40 credits earned 1.8 minimum cumulative GPA
• 41 + credits earned 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA

Qualitative satisfactory progress is reviewed at the end of each semester by the financial aid officer.

QUALITATIVE WARNING:
Students who fail to meet the qualitative standards for satisfactory progress will be placed on satisfactory progress warning for one semester. During this semester they will continue to be eligible for financial aid, but must bring their cumulative grade point average up to the required standard.

QUANTITATIVE STANDARDS:
Students pursuing financial aid-eligible programs must complete a minimum number of credits each year to conform with satisfactory progress. Completed credits result in grades of A, B, C, D, E, P or PP. Grades of W, I, T, NP, NI, NG, AF, AD AW, AU, SP, SF, WP, F, WF or CS do not fulfill the requirement. All grades are not used at all campuses; refer to your campus catalog or website for additional information.

Credit hours attempted will be cumulative and will include all hours for which the student was enrolled as of the end of the ADD/DROP period half-way through the program.

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QUANTITATIVE WARNING:
Probation for Associate Degree, Certificate and Diploma Students:

Students who fail to meet the quantitative standards for satisfactory progress will be placed on satisfactory progress warning for one semester. During this warning semester, they will continue to be eligible for financial aid, but must bring their cumulative number of credits earned to the required standard. Transfer credits can be used to make up deficiencies in credits earned.

Appeal Procedure
If a student is ineligible for Financial Aid based on satisfactory progress, the student may appeal for review of that determination. Students claiming extenuating circumstances should first appeal in writing to the Financial Aid Officer. Next appeal should be made in writing to the President of the Institution or a designee within 15 working days following the Financial Aid Officers decision. A successful appeal may preserve the students eligibility for financial aid in the following semester.

Regaining eligibility
Students who are denied financial aid for failure to maintain satisfactory progress must regain their eligibility during future semesters at their own expense. Aid can be reinstated only after a student has met the required standards listed above. Withdrawal and readmission do not necessarily change the students satisfactory progress status. Suspended students who are being readmitted may not be eligible for financial aid on their return unless they have taken courses in the interim and raised their GPA to satisfy the qualitative and quantitative requirements.

Academic Amnesty:
Students who are granted academic amnesty should be aware that previous grades will be used to evaluate Satisfactory Progress (Quantitative and Qualitative) for financial aid purposes even though they are not included in the new academic grade point average.

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Audit a course
Financial Aid does not cover any courses a student audits.

Change of Program
Students who change their academic program will be given additional time to complete their requirements based on the number of credits transferred into the new program.

Consortium Agreements:
Consortium Agreements are counted as transfer credits. The student needs to comply with the SP rules of the Home College (college at which the student receives financial aid). Credits received via Consortium Agreements count toward the maximum time frame (Quantitative), but do not count in qualitative measure (GPA).

Course Withdrawal
Course withdrawal will affect a students eligibility for financial aid. Please refer to maximum time frame (quantitative) discussion in this Handbook.

Credit by Examination
Financial Aid does not cover courses in which a student earns credit through Credit by Examination. Credit by Examinations count toward the maximum time frame (quantitative) but do not count in qualitative measure (GPA). If a student earns credit by examination, the enrollment status could change, an action which could affect financial aid status.

Developmental/Remedial Courses and ESL Courses
Students taking remedial/developmental or English as a Second Language (ESL) courses should consult with the Financial Aid Office at their home campus to determine how these courses are treated with respect to financial aid.

Experiential Learning Credits
Financial Aid does not cover courses in which a student earns credit through Experiential Learning. Experiential Learning Credits count toward the maximum time frame (quantitative) but do not count in qualitative measure (GPA).

Incomplete Grades
In most cases, financial aid will be withheld until final grades are in. If financial aid is disbursed and the final grades result in a GPA that makes the student ineligible for financial assistance, any Title IV monies received for that ineligible semester must be repaid by the student.

No Pass Grades
Students in the following situation in a given semester will have that semester financial aid returned to the federal government:

are receiving Financial aid; and

• all grades issued for a given semester are a combination of no passing grades; and
• do not have a last date of attendance documented after the 60% period of the semester .

The Return of Title IV calculation will use the last date of attendance or the 50% period of that semester, whichever is later.Students in this situation may be required to repay a percentage of their financial aid.

Repeated Course
Students wishing to repeat a course should consult with the Financial Aid Office to re-assess their continuing Financial Aid eligibility status.

Transfer Credits:
Transfer credits count toward the maximum time frame (Quantitative), but do not count in qualitative measure (GPA).

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