Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards for Financial Aid Recipients, revision effective June 1, 2012.
Section 484 of the Higher Education Act, as amended, requires that students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards to maintain eligibility for financial aid. Qualitative (grade) and quantitative (amount of courses completed) progress for purposes of the receipt of student financial assistance (grants, loans and work study) is evaluated every semester.
All coursework needs to be started and completed within the applicable aid period (fall, spring or summer). The student’s entire academic history is evaluated to determine whether or not he/she is maintaining satisfactory academic progress. This evaluation is done at the end of each semester or at the time an award is made. This evaluation is not affected by whether or not aid was previously received or whether a student has changed programs. The Federal Student Aid program regulations make no provision for the concept of academic amnesty or academic renewal.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards
| GPA | Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0. |
| Percentage | Students must successfully complete at least 67% of all credit courses attempted while enrolled at Moraine Park. |
| Maximum Time Frame | Maximum time frame students may receive federal and state financial aid cannot exceed 150% of the number of credits required to earn a degree (see the calculator below). |
| Academic | Students on academic suspension from the college are not eligible for financial aid. |
Satisfactory Progress Standards
Satisfactory academic progress for financial aid is defined as the successful completion of at least 67 percent of all credit courses attempted AND a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2 .0. The maximum time frame students may receive federal and state financial aid cannot exceed 150 percent of the number of credits required to earn a degree.
A, B, C, D and F grades are calculated in a student’s GPA. Grades of W, WN, and I have no effect in GPA calculations but still count as attempted credits. Refunds to students who withdraw from courses are based on the portion of the course completed at the time of withdrawal and are assigned one of the following four percentages: 100, 80, 60 or 0. Credits dropped at 100 percent or 80 percent do not affect satisfactory academic progress unless a student has received aid for that attempted course. However, courses withdrawn at 60 percent or 0 percent do affect the credits attempted. Basic education courses are not counted as credits attempted. Transfer credits or credits attempted in other Moraine Park programs will count toward the student’s overall length of eligibility.
Financial Aid Warning
Financial aid applicants will be placed on Financial Aid Warning for the next semester of enrollment at Moraine Park if their cumulative GPA is below 2 .0 or cumulative course completion total is below 67 percent of the cumulative courses attempted. While on Financial Aid Warning, a student may receive financial aid but must be able to meet satisfactory progress for cumulative standards at the end of the warning semester.
Students who meet satisfactory academic progress standards at the end of the semester while on Financial Aid Warning will have their status changed to Good Standing.
If a student is on Financial Aid Warning because of an I (incomplete) grade and later completes the class with a passing grade, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the Financial Aid Office to be reevaluated.
Suspension
If a student is on Financial Aid Warning and does not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) at the end of the Financial Aid Warning semester, the student will be suspended from further receipt of financial aid and notified in writing by email.
The student will be suspended from financial aid without a Financial Aid Warning semester if they receive all F, W or W80 grades (or any combination of the three) after receiving financial aid or have not earned a degree within 150 percent of the credits attempted.
A student who has been suspended must pay for future courses on their own until they meet SAP requirements, successfully appeal, or be eligible for an extension. A change of program will not eliminate this suspension.
Extension of Eligibility
The maximum time frame students may receive federal and state financial aid cannot exceed 150 percent of the number of credits required to earn a degree. A student who graduated from a financial aid eligible program and pursues another program at the College continues under the 150 percent time frame for the new program. Students in this situation must complete the Extension of Eligibility Appeal Form, which can be obtained at Student Services on any campus.
Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension
A student who believes their Financial Aid Suspension is due to extenuating circumstances beyond their control can submit a written appeal. The appeal form can be found here.
The request must detail the circumstances and must include third-party documentation to substantiate the basis of the appeal. The U .S. Department of Education regulations (34 CFR 668 .34) state that a student must meet one of the following criteria to appeal suspension from financial aid:
- Death of an immediate relative of the student
- Injury or illness of the student
- Other circumstances that result in undue hardship to the student
Documentation must be provided to substantiate one of the above criteria. Appeals without documentation and/or not meeting one of the criteria will be denied. If the appeal is denied, the student will be notified in writing by email that the financial aid suspension will remain in place.
The appeal and all documentation will be reviewed by committee. If an appeal is granted, the student will be notified in writing by email. The student will also be placed on Financial Aid Probation (for one semester) and will be subject to any additional criteria specified in the appeal approval letter. Each student with an approved appeal must enroll in and complete a Careers Meeting in which an Academic Plan for success will be developed. The meeting and plan must be completed within the first four weeks of the student’s Financial Aid Probation semester. This plan must be maintained until the completion of the student’s program in order to continue to receive financial aid for any further semesters. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Financial Aid office that any conditions of Financial Aid Probation have been met to continue to receive aid. If, at the end of the Financial Aid Probation semester, the student is not meeting the conditions of the Academic Plan or did not finish the Careers Meeting within the first four weeks of the semester, the student will be suspended and ineligible to receive further financial aid at Moraine Park until SAP standards are satisfied.
Course Repeats
Failed courses (F grades) can be repeated twice as long as all other progress standards and institutional requirements, as outlined in the College Catalog, continue to be met. Incomplete courses (I grades) cannot be counted in enrollment status if repeated. A student may repeat a previously passed course once while utilizing financial aid at Moraine Park.
Credit for Prior Learning/Transfer Credits
Students receiving or planning to receive financial aid or veterans benefits are required to have any prior education or training reviewed for transfer credits. These credits must be reviewed regardless if the fees for these courses were paid by the student or were funded by Financial Aid, Veterans or any other funding agency. The responsibility for evidence of credits received from other institutions rests upon the student. Consortium transfer credits will be evaluated as Moraine Park credits completed (grade report must be provided) but do not affect GPA.