Recipients of financial assistance, including most loan programs, must make satisfactory academic progress toward their degree. Both your cumulative grade-point-average (qualitative) and your attempted credit hours (quantitative) factor into satisfactory academic progress.
Procedure
At the end of the spring semester student records are reviewed by the Financial Aid Office to determine which students are not maintaining satisfactory academic progress. Notices are sent to students informing them of their ineligibility for financial aid. If notification of a change in academic standing is not received from the student (including incomplete grade reports and summer session grades), it will be assumed that SAP is not being maintained and the student will be ineligible for financial aid.
- Satisfactory academic progress is also checked when students return from a period of non-enrollment, including recent withdrawals.
- Satisfactory academic progress may be checked at other times during the year, as prescribed by specific federal, state or institutional funds.
Qualitative (GPA):
All Undergraduate students must be maintaining the appropriate cumulative grade point average according to the following:
| Credit-Hours Attempted | Cumulative GPA |
|---|---|
| 0-29 | 1.6 |
| 30-59 | 1.8 |
| 60 or more | 2.0 |
Graduate students must be maintaining the minimum GPA required by their department's academic policy. No graduate student GPA may fall under a 2.0.
Quantitative (PACE):
In addition to qualitative standards as outlined above, students must progress through their program in a timely manner (not to exceed 150% of the published length of the academic program and/or 180 attempted credits). Undergraduate full-time day, part-time day, undergraduate evening and graduate students must successfully complete 67% of all credit hours attempted towards their degree program.
- Courses graded W (Withdrawn), IN (Incomplete), IP (In Progress) and F (Failure) are counted as credits attempted but not successfully completed.
- Courses dropped before the published add/drop date each term do not count as credits attempted.
- Transfer credits accepted toward the degree program are neutral for GPA and are counted as credits attempted and completed.
- Repeated courses are counted as credits attempted. Financial aid may be received only once for a repeated course in which a grade was previously earned.
- Credit elimination (academic amnesty) courses are counted as both quantitative and qualitative components.
Maximum Time Frame:
Federal regulations require students to complete their program within 150% of the published length of the academic program.
Examples:
- 120-credit bachelor’s degree → maximum 180 attempted credits
- 30-credit master’s degree → maximum 45 attempted credits
Attempted credits include:
- All attempted credits at Fitchburg State University
- All accepted transfer credits
- All repeated courses
- Withdrawals, failures, and incompletes
Students who exceed the maximum time frame are ineligible for Title IV aid unless an appeal is approved.
Appeal Process
If circumstances warrant a student may appeal and may be granted a one semester probationary period, during which they may continue to receive financial assistance. An academic contract will be developed detailing the terms of the probationary period. At the conclusion of the probationary period, students must have met all requirements of the Academic Plan and demonstrate continued progress toward degree completion through satisfactory GPA improvement and/or successful credit completion. The appeal must be generated by the student and must include the following:
- Basis of the appeal, such as:
- Death of an immediate family member
- Student illness or injury
- Significant personal or family emergency
- Why the student failed to make satisfactory academic progress
- What has changed in the student’s situation that will allow the student to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation
- Include supporting documentation when available
Students may submit appeals here.
Financial aid awards will be based upon the availability of funds at the time of appeal approval.
Students may regain financial aid eligibility by raising cumulative GPA to required level or increasing completion pace to 67%. Students may do this by enrolling in winter or summer session classes (aid will not be offered for these terms). Once SAP is met, aid eligibility is reinstated for the next enrollment period.
Students who have been denied financial aid because they were not making satisfactory academic progress may again receive aid the semester after regaining satisfactory academic progress.