Satisfactory Academic Progress

The U. S. Department of Education guidelines require the Financial Aid Office at ETBU to monitor satisfactory academic progress (SAP) for students receiving Federal financial aid. For SAP purposes, “academic year” in this document is defined as consecutive fall, spring, and summer semesters.  A student must meet BOTH the minimum GPA requirement AND the minimum hour completion to be in “good academic standing.” Satisfactory academic progress will be monitored at the end of each semester, and is accomplished through the following measures:
 

Federal Aid
 
Pell
SEOG
LEAP
SLEAP
Perkins Loans
Stafford Loans
*ACG
*SMART
 
1.      Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA)
 
At the end of the first academic year at ETBU, students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 1.65 to remain eligible to receive aid the next year.  If at any time the cumulative GPA falls below the minimum cumulative GPA required, the student will be granted a “grace” semester to receive financial aid. A student will be allowed to receive financial aid only one time with a grace semester.
 
Federal regulations specify that by the end of the second academic year (regardless of how many credits a student has accrued) the student must have a C average or its equivalent, 2.00.
 
2.       Minimum Hour Completion
 
ETBU defines full-time enrollment as 12 or more hours; three-quarter enrollment as 9-11 hours; half-time enrollment as 6-8 hours; and less-than half-time enrollment as 3-5 hours.  
 
Students enrolled full-time must successfully earn at least 18 semester hours each academic year. Students enrolled three-quarter or half-time must successfully earn 12 hours each academic year. Students enrolled less-than half-time must successfully earn 6 hours each academic year.
 
*Students only attending ETBU one long semester (fall or spring), will be required to successfully earn at least 9 semesters hours that semester.
 
Students not successfully earning the minimum number of hours each year will be placed on financial aid suspension (FAS), and will not be eligible to receive financial aid funds. FAS will be removed and eligibility reinstated after the following conditions have been met and the student has contacted the Financial Aid Office in writing:
 
1.       Raise the minimum cumulative GPA to at least 2.00
2.       Earn the appropriate number of hours with a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA to satisfy the minimum hour completion requirement
3.       A waiver of financial aid suspension granted by the Admissions & Financial Aid Committee
 
3.      Maximum Time Frame
 
Federal regulations specify that for an undergraduate program, the maximum time frame may not exceed 150% of the published length of the program.  ETBU uses 120 semester hours as a basis for determining the 150% amount for all programs. Therefore, the maximum time frame for a student at ETBU may not exceed 180 attempted credit hours (120 x 150%). All hours attempted will be counted toward the 180 limit, regardless of whether financial aid was received or not. Taking extra (non-degree) courses may exhaust financial aid eligibility prior to the completion of a degree.
 
*         Federal guidelines have specific requirements for ACG & SMART. Both of these programs require the earning of at least 30 hours each academic year with a 3.00 GPA at the end of the spring semester.
 
State Aid
TEG
TEG – Earn at least 24 semester hours each academic year with a 2.50 cumulative GPA
ETBU Scholarships
 
Earn at least 18 hours each academic year with the minimum GPA required by that  scholarship
 

 

Financial aid ineligibility decisions may be appealed, but must be done in writing within 6 weeks of the being placed on financial aid suspension.   Supporting documentation is required with each appeal. The Admissions and Financial Aid Committee will review appeals as needed and will notify the student of its decision. All appeals should be sent to the Financial Aid Office at ETBU.