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Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Recipients

Applies to:Original Policy Date:Date of Last Review:Approved by:
Students and Financial Aid Staff October 25, 2017 January 28, 2022 Dr. Marco Carvalho
Executive Vice President and Provost

Policy Owner: Office of Financial Aid

Policy Purpose

In accordance with 34 CFR § 668.34 this policy sets standards and processes to ensure that students who are recipients of federal financial aid are making satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in their program.

Policy Scope

This policy applies to all students in all academic programs at Florida Tech who receive federal financial aid.

Policy Statement

The academic records of students admitted to Florida Tech for the first time are considered sufficient to allow them to apply for federal financial aid. To remain eligible to receive federal financial aid, continuing students must meet the minimum academic progress standards. Florida Tech applies standards equally between undergraduate and graduate students, in all academic programs.

Minimum Academic Progress Standards

Grade point average (GPA): Undergraduate students are required to achieve and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Master’s-level graduate students are required to achieve and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Doctoral students are required to achieve and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.

Cumulative GPA is calculated as described in the university catalog. Courses taken under a pass/no credit grading option are not included in the GPA calculation and are therefore not included as part of the GPA measure of satisfactory academic progress.

Hours completed: Students are required to satisfactorily complete 75 percent of their cumulative hours attempted. Courses with grades of F, I, AU or W, or which received no credit when taken under a pass/no credit option, are attempted courses but are not considered satisfactorily completed.

Maximum time limits: All students are required to complete their degree program within 150 percent of the required credit hours. Courses taken for no credit under a pass/no credit option are considered attempted credit hours and will count towards maximum time limit standards.

  • If an undergraduate program requires 120 credit hours, students are expected to complete their program within 180 credit hours attempted, including transfer credits earned at other institutions.
  • If a graduate program requires 54 credit hours, students are expected to complete their program within 81 credit hours.
  • If a doctoral program requires 80 credit hours, students are required to complete their program within 120 attempted credit hours.

Procedures/Guidelines

Students enrolled in a semester-based program are evaluated for SAP at the end of each semester. Students enrolled on a semester basis who concurrently enroll in an 8-week, Florida Tech Online course will be evaluated on a semester basis.

Students evaluated on a semester basis are given a warning semester to improve their academic performance. If a student achieves the minimum academic progress standard at the close of the warning term, the student will be placed in good standing. Students who fail to meet the standard will be ineligible for aid until they either meet the standard or submit a successful appeal.

Students enrolled in eight-week term programs are evaluated once per year and are placed on probation, and ineligible for aid, if they fail to meet the minimum satisfactory academic progress standards and do not submit a successful appeal.

Students declared ineligible may appeal the decision under certain circumstances. These circumstances may include sudden, severe illness; serious automobile or other accident; family tragedy or loss of a loved one; or another circumstance not listed here. It is the student’s responsibility to provide details with dates, forms or other paperwork, or any other information requested by the Office of Financial Aid in order to review the appeal.

A successful appeal depends on several factors, including mitigating circumstances that caused academic performance to fall below the standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress, the successful resolution of those mitigating circumstances so that they will no longer affect academic performance, the potential to meet the minimum academic progress measures within one academic year, and proper appeal documentation. Proper documentation includes the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form and any third-party documentation corroborating the mitigating circumstance described in the appeal.

Once the appeal is reviewed, the student is informed of the decision through their Florida Tech email account. Any approved appeal will necessitate the student adhering to a prescribed program plan during the probationary period. A student who declines to accept the prescribed academic plan but who is in good academic standing may continue without financial aid.

Students are assessed at the end of each term while ineligible for aid and are placed in good standing when the minimum academic progress standards for financial aid recipients are met.

Definitions

SAP: Satisfactory Academic Progress

Compliance Reference

34 CFR § 668.34

Responsibilities

Students are responsible for making Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to remain eligible for federal financial aid.

The Office of Financial Aid is responsible for evaluating each student’s satisfactory academic progress each semester or each 8-week-term. Email notification will be sent to students who do not meet SAP standards. The email will notify the student of their SAP status, the impact on their aid eligibility, and their options to resolve the issue.

Students have the right to file an appeal. The Office of Financial Aid is responsible for reviewing the appeal and making a final determination. The determination, and terms, if applicable, will be sent to the student via email. If students presented with probationary terms wish to agree with the terms, they must respond that they agree. If a student fails to respond in agreement the aid will not be reinstated.

Enforcement

Students who fail to make Satisfactory Academic Progress, as described in this policy, risk becoming ineligible for federal financial aid.

Failing to monitor student satisfactory academic progress and/or administer Title IV funds appropriately based on SAP could result in additional oversight from the Department of Education, restrictions on Title IV Participation and/or administrative fines for Florida Tech.

Employees who fail to comply with this policy may face disciplinary action.

 

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