REG 02.70.02 - Financial Aid – Eligibility for Continued Receipt of Financial Aid
Authority: Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
History: First Issued: March 23, 1984. Last Revised: June 7, 2011.
Related Policies:
NCSU REG02.05.01 - Continuation of Undergraduate Enrollment (Suspension Regulation)
NCSU REG02.25.10 - Time Limit for Completion of Graduate Degree
NCSU REG02.45.01 - Academic Difficulty
Additional References:
Federal Regulation - 34 CFR 668.34 Satisfactory Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Forms
Contact Info: Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid (919-515-2334)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The federal government requires all institutions to establish a policy specifying the academic eligibility requirements a student must meet to be eligible for continued financial aid. NC State’s policy is established by the NC State Scholarships and Student Aid Committee in compliance with federal rules and regulations governing the administration of aid programs, and is enforced by the NC State Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. This regulation provides NC State’s policy and procedure for determination of a student’s eligibility for continued receipt of financial aid.
2. DEFINITION OF FINANCIAL AID
2.1 When used in this regulation, the term “financial aid” shall mean all forms of federal grants, loans and work-study employment, state financial aid programs and institutional need-based aid programs received by students at NC State.
3. PROCEDURES FOR DETERMINATION OF SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS FOR FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY
3.1 Full-Time Undergraduate Degree Students
3.1.1 Eligibility
3.1.1.1 All full-time (defined as 12 or more credit hours per semester) undergraduate degree students must be making satisfactory academic progress to be eligible for continued financial aid.
3.1.2 Requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress
3.1.2.1 A full-time undergraduate degree student at NC State is making satisfactory academic progress for consideration for financial aid if he or she:
3.1.2.1a Maintains a 2.0 cumulative GPA at the end of each enrollment period, and is not suspended or on academic probation according to NCSU REG02.05.01 - Continuation of Undergraduate Enrollment (Suspension Regulation), and
3.1.2.1b Has passed 18 or more semester hours with grades of A, B, C, S, CR, or D at the end of his/her first two semesters at NC State (freshman or transfer), or has passed 24 or more credit hours each subsequent academic year with grades of A, B, C, S, CR, or D as of the end of the spring semester each year. (Note: students enrolled for only one semester during the academic year are expected to pass 9 hours during that semester if a freshman or transfer student and at least 12 hours that semester if a continuing undergraduate), and
3.1.2.1c Has attempted no more than 150% of the required number of credit hours necessary for completion of the first undergraduate degree (constituting approximately 180 credit hours). Attempted hours include all transfer courses accepted for credit towards the NC State degree, withdrawals, dropped courses, remedial courses (if countable towards a degree), repeated courses, courses with incompletes or failing grades, and audited or no credit courses. Students who receive financial aid and withdraw or drop hours after the census date of each semester/term will be held accountable for hours attempted but not passed during that semester/term. Students who are denied financial aid because they have not met the above conditions should follow the Guidelines for Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility in section 5 of this regulation.
3.1.3 Higher Standards or Other Requirements
3.1.3.1 Some institutional scholarships or grants may require higher academic achievement in order to maintain eligibility than those listed for satisfactory academic progress. In addition, Private aid offered by agencies outside the University is not subject to this regulation but will be administered according to donor specifications.
3.2 Part-Time Undergraduate Degree Students
3.2.1 Part-time undergraduate students (students who take fewer than 12 credit hours per semester) are expected to pass all hours attempted each semester, maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA each semester, and must not be suspended or on academic probation to maintain eligibility for continued financial aid. In addition, part-time students are limited to attempting no more than 150% of the required number of credit hours necessary to complete the first degree at NC State.
3.3 Undergraduate Second Degree Students
3.3.1 A student working toward a second undergraduate degree is subject to the same satisfactory progress requirements as listed above for full-time or part-time students. In addition, second undergraduate degree students must graduate within 150% of the normal time frame to complete that degree based on the student’s classification when admitted into the second degree program.
4. GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM STUDENTS
4.1 A graduate or professional program student (including Doctoral of Veterinary Medicine student) is considered to be making satisfactory progress if he/she is not on academic probation, and is eligible to continue in his/her program as of the end of each semester. See NCSU REG02.25.10 - Time Limit for Completion of Graduate Degree, and NCSU REG02.45.01 - Academic Difficulty, for more information.
5. GUIDELINES FOR REINSTATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY
5.1 The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid reviews each student’s record at the end of each semester to assure that students are not suspended or placed on academic probation. Those who are suspended or on probation are immediately denied subsequent financial aid until the student is once again in good academic standing. Also, students who have no passing grades at the end of any semester will be required to document class attendance in every course attempted in that semester/term. The NC State Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid evaluates each student’s academic transcript each semester/term to assure that the student passed the minimum number of hours required by this policy. Those students who do not pass the required number of hours or who are suspended or on probation are notified they will not be eligible for further financial aid until their academic progress improves. If denied aid on the basis of not making progress during the year, a student may attend summer school following that year, without financial aid support for summer, to reestablish eligibility for financial aid.
5.2 If a student denied aid based on the above conditions does not attend summer school to restore eligibility, the student will be required to complete the next semester of enrollment passing 12 or more credit hours while not receiving financial aid support (or all hours attempted, if enrolled part-time) with grades of A, B, C, S, CR or D and must not be suspended or on academic probation at the end of that semester. If both of these conditions are met, the student’s eligibility for financial aid will be reinstated.
5.3 If a student has failed to make progress due to extenuating circumstances, the student may submit an appeal, under the procedures set forth in section 6, based on exceptional circumstances. An appeal for an exception may be granted for circumstances such as the following:
5.3.1 Extended illness or hospitalization of the student;
5.3.2 An accident which incapacitates the student for an extended period of time; or
5.3.3 Death or extended illness of an immediate family member.
5.4 Students who have withdrawn more than two semesters while receiving financial aid will not be eligible for reinstatement of financial aid based on appeal unless the student provides documentation evidencing medical or other compelling circumstances supporting the withdrawals. Without such documentation, the student will be expected to complete a full-time semester of coursework successfully (i.e., with all passing grades) while not receiving financial aid support before petitioning for reinstatement.
6. APPEAL PROCESS
6.1 A student who has become ineligible for financial aid may reestablish eligibility through one of the options referenced in sections 5.1 or 5.2. If the student appeals for an exception as described in section 5.3, the appeal must document why the student failed to make satisfactory academic progress and why the student believes that he or she will be able to achieve progress going forward. Supporting documentation, such as an academic success plan from an academic adviser, may be required. The Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid or his/her designee will review the student’s appeal and issue a decision regarding restoration of aid eligibility. If approved, the student will be granted one semester of aid while on financial aid probation. If the student does not meet satisfactory academic progress standards at the end of that semester, no further appeals will be approved.
6.2 Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Forms are available via the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid’s web page. All appeal forms should be submitted with documentation as instructed on the form.