Academic Requirements for Federal Financial Aid

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be measured each term according to the guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Education. Students are required under federal regulations to maintain certain standards of progress depending on the number of hours they have attempted in college. It is the student’s responsibility to read and understand all policies associated with financial aid funding. Students should regularly check their account for the latest information regarding their Financial Aid Status which can be found under the financial aid tab. After accessing the financial aid tab, click financial status to view any warnings or suspension of financial aid.

  1. To be eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid, students must meet the standards of progress applicable to all students at the institution.
    1. Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
    2. Pass a minimum 2/3 of all classes attempted each academic year.
    3. Complete a program of study within 1.5 times the normal length of the program.
      Note: The institution will not include credits that do not count toward your current program.
  2. When a student who is eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid is suspended, whether the student serves the suspension or is readmitted upon appeal, the student is not eligible to receive financial aid for the duration of the suspension. The student will not be eligible again to receive financial aid until he/she makes the cumulative GPA required for the number of credit hours attempted within their program or the semester based upon the escalating GPA scale (at least 12 credit hours attempted at the institution during that semester).
  3. Eligible students may receive Title IV Federal Financial Aid for a period of time not to exceed 1.5 times the normal length of the specific program (the normal length of a specific program will vary depending on a student’s enrollment status).
  4. Each student on Title IV Federal Financial Aid must earn each academic year 2/3 of the minimum number of hours required for each academic year to complete a program in the normal length of time allowed. The normal length of time allowed for specific program completion is determined by the institution. If a student repeats a course which was previously successfully completed, the credit hours obtained the second time the course is attempted do not count toward the minimum number of academic hours required for program completion.
  5. Students cannot be the recipient of more than 12 semesters of full-time Pell Grant.
  6. Students who do not meet these standards will be ineligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.
  7. Each student’s academic progress will be evaluated at the end of each semester after grades are posted. This will be done also at the time the student completes his or her Pell Grant paperwork. A student who is unsatisfactory but who elects to re-enroll at his or her own expense can have his or her progress re-evaluated at the end of each semester to see if he or she has regained satisfactory academic progress by achieving the required overall GPA and/or required semester GPA and by passing the required minimum number of hours.