How well you do in your classes can affect your eligibility for financial aid in future semesters. There are a set of requirements for State and Federal aid that all students should be aware of.

Good Academic Standing

First-time Students

If this is the first time you have received financial aid or have taken out a loan for your education, click here for important information.

Decisions that Affect Your Eligibility

Repeated Coursework

Failure of any course will impact your academic standing. Failure to meet federal and state standards will result in the loss of financial aid eligibility. If you take a failed course a third time after having passed the course, you will not receive financial aid funding for this course. To make sure your other aid received is not impacted, you would have to take at least 12 credits of other courses to remain a full-time student. (i.e. a student wishing to repeat a course they have previously passed must take 15 credit hours to ensure other financial aid is not impacted).

Dropping a Course

A student must be enrolled part-time (4-11 credit hours) or full-time (at least 12 credit hours) to receive financial aid. If a student reduces the number of credit hours, they may be required to repay financial aid already received. Dropping a course could also affect their Satisfactory Academic Progress and suspend future financial aid. Before dropping a course students should consult their Academic Advisor and Financial Aid Advisor.

Withdrawal

An “official” withdrawal from the College is obtained through the Registrar’s office and requires authorization from various departments. An “unofficial” withdrawal occurs when a student never attends any of the classes they registered for during the term. Students who withdraw, take a leave of absence or drop a course(s) after the first day of classes are responsible for tuition charges. The tuition refund policy follows:

Before semester begins 100%
Through first week of semester 75%
Through second week of semester 50%
Through third week of semester 25%
After third week of semester No refund

Academic Standing and Financial Aid

Federal Regulations

Pell Grants undergraduate only only 2 Pell grants awarded each academic year does not have to be paid back
Federal Student Loans undergraduate and graduate

Federal regulations require that schools monitor the academic progress of each student for federal financial assistance and that the school certify that the student is making satisfactory academic progress. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the federal requirement that students make real and measurable progress toward their degree in order to be eligible to receive federal aid.

Standards Minimum Requirement
GPA Undergraduate Students: Maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 Graduate Students: Maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0
Pace Complete a cumulative minimum of 67% of credits attempted
Maximum Timeframe Credits attempted may not exceed 150% of the standard number of credits required for your primary degree program (Associate: 90; Bachelor: 180; Graduate: 67.5)

Click here for more information.

State Regulations Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

  • undergraduate only
  • total of 8 TAP grants awarded in lifetime
  • does not have to be paid back
Qualifying for TAP Grants
Earn letter grades only(A-F or I) WP, FNS, FWD grades disqualify TAP for following semester
Maintain minimum 12-credit load (not counting repeated classes) TAP cannot be applied to repeated courses
Maintain 2.0 cumulative GPA or higher 2.0 cumulative GPA required by 5th TAP payment
Accrue credits on pace with TAP payments Credits must accumulate at a pace to meet State requirements

Click here for more information.

Take Charge of Your Learning

  1. Use this online grade calculator to set goals for your course grades and determine what it may take to raise your GPA.
  2. Meet with your Advisor regularly to set goals and make sure your academic plan is on track
  3. Become more financially literate and meet with your financial aid Counselor
  4. Use the learning resources available on campus: Library, Learning Enhancement Center, Mentor Program
  5. Get to know your faculty members by asking questions, staying engaged in class and asking for support