SECTION A.  POLICY OVERVIEW:

Financial aid recipients are expected to make reasonable academic progress to acquire a degree/certificate as a condition to receive federal, state or institutional financial aid. The entire academic history at BGSU (including any transfer, post secondary enrollment options (PSEOP) or consortium agreement credits) are reviewed to ensure timely progression toward graduation requirements. Even if a student was not a financial aid recipient in the past, the entire academic history of the student must be reviewed.

Financial aid satisfactory academic progress is assessed according to a 1) qualitative, 2) quantitative and 3) maximum time frame measures that are described within this policy. Students must be meeting all three measures or risk losing financial aid eligibility. This policy assesses all students equally regardless of enrollment hour status (full time, part time, etc). A paper copy of this policy is available and mailed upon request.

SECTION B.  FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS AFFECTED BY THIS POLICY:

Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Subsidized & Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Direct Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), ACG and Smart Grants, Grad Plus Loans, Nursing Loans, Private Alternative Loan Programs (Depends on the Guarantee Agency), Federal Work Study, State Scholarship & Grant Programs (Examples: Ohio Instructional Grant,Part Time Instructional Grant, Ohio College Opportunity Grant, etc), BGSU Sponsored Scholarship & Grant Programs (Examples: BG Success, Falcon Soars, President’s Achievement, etc), and BGSU Short Term Emergency Loan Programs.

* Eligibility for graduate assistantships, fellowships, as well as dependent or employee fee waivers, are NOT governed by this policy.

SECTION C.  QUALITATIVE MEASURE DEFINED:

The qualitative measure can be summarized as a student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) measured once a year at the completion of spring semester. The minimum GPA students are required to meet depends on if a student is considered an undergraduate, masters, doctorial student, etc. Financial aid is suspended if the qualitative measurement is not met. The minimum GPA required can be found within the “Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average” chart of this policy.

SECTION D.  QUANTITATIVE MEASURE DEFINED:

The quantitative measure for all students can be summarized as the total number of credit hours successfully completed divided by the total number of credit hours actually attempted. For example: If a student has attempted to take 50 credit hours but has only successfully completed 40 out of those 50 credit hours, the completion rate would be at 80% (40/50 = 80%). When these measures are applied, federal regulations require the entire academic history is considered. This includes semesters or terms during which a student did not receive student financial aid. Financial aid is suspended if a student is not meeting the quantitative measurement.

All financial aid recipients must satisfactorily complete at least 67% of all cumulative credit hours attempted. This includes grades of A, B, C, D, F, I, IP, P, S, U, WF, WI, and WP.

Grades of A, B, C, D, IP (for graduate students completing thesis or dissertation), P and S are considered to be satisfactory grades. All other grades such as F, I, U, WF, WI, and WP are considered unsatisfactory grades.

All financial aid recipients must report grade changes to SFA. This is necessary to reassess financial aid eligibility.

* Audited classes (letter grade: AUD) are not counted within this policy. No credit is being offered for an audited class. Therefore, no financial aid can be provided.

SECTION E.  MAXIMUM TIME FRAME DEFINED:

A student is expected to complete a degree/certificate program within a prescribed time frame. There are maximum total accumulated attempted credit hour time frame restrictions to receiving financial aid. Financial aid is suspended if the maximum time frame for the student’s program is exceeded. The maximum time frame limits can be found within the “Maximum Time Frame Credit Hours” chart of this policy.

If a student changes majors, repeats classes, drops classes, etc., this may extend the total amount of time required to graduate. The longer a student stays in school, the more likely the chances of not meeting the satisfactory academic progress policy because of maximum time frame.

SECTION F.  HOW OFTEN IS SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS REVIEWED?:

Financial aid satisfactory academic progress is monitored annually at the conclusion of each spring semester or at the time the student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) record is received by BGSU. If a student is academically suspended between monitoring periods, the student’s eligibility for financial aid will also be suspended and must be reassessed by SFA at the time the student is readmitted to the University.

A student’s academic progress may be monitored on a semester basis by SFA if an appeal to reinstate financial aid has been previously approved. This is necessary to ensure the student is fulfilling the conditions of the appeal. Please see Section K regarding appeals.

SECTION G.  REINSTATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY:

Financial aid eligibility may be regained by eliminating all satisfactory progress deficiencies at the student’s expense until all the requirements of this policy are met or by appealing his/her satisfactory academic progress status. Sections C, D & E describe the three components a student is required to meet in order to receive financial aid at BGSU. Please see Section K regarding appeals. If a student does not enroll for a semester or pays for school at his/her own expense, this does not automatically qualify a student to receive financial aid again in a subsequent semester unless the terms and conditions of this policy are met.

SECTION H.  WITHDRAWING FROM CLASSES & THE IMPACT OF THIS POLICY:

As previously stated in Section A, the entire academic history is reviewed to ensure reasonable progress toward graduation. WF, WI and WP grades are included into the quantitative measurement of this policy. The more classes in which a student withdraws, the more likely the chances of not completing 67% of all hours attempted.

Example I – Fall semester, a freshman student receives the following grades:

This student has successfully completed 12 credit hours of the attempted 12 credit hours. 12/12 = 100% successful completion rate during fall semester.

Example II – Spring semester, the same freshman student receives the following grades:

This student has only successfully completed 3 credit hours of the attempted 15 credit hours for spring semester, 3/15 = 20% successful completion rate spring semester. However, the total academic history for a student is reviewed. The total credit hours completed fall & spring are divided by the total credit hours attempted fall & spring: 15/27 = 55%. In this example, this student would not be meeting the satisfactory academic progress policy because the quantitative measure of 67% is not being met. This student is not progressing toward graduation in a reasonable time frame and financial aid would be suspended.

SECTION I.  POLICY VARIATIONS:

Academic Forgiveness: Academic forgiveness which is granted in accordance with University policy shall be considered within the measures of this policy. It is the student’s responsibility to provide written notification to SFA regarding the granting of academic forgiveness by the appropriate University department.

Post Secondary Enrollment Options Program (PSEOP) & Tech Prep: Course credit taken under PSEOP or Tech Prep programs must be considered within the measures of this policy. More specifically, if the PSEOP or Tech Prep classes were taken at BGSU, the PSEOP or Tech Prep GPA will also be counted within the qualitative measure of this policy.  If the PSEOP or Tech Prep classes were taken at a school other than BGSU, the GPA will not transfer to BGSU and the PSEOP or Tech Prep GPA will NOT be included with the qualitative measure of this policy.

Remedial Coursework: Remedial coursework credits are included within the measures of this policy. Students may only take up to 30 credit hours of remedial coursework before financial aid may have to be reduced.

Repeated Courses: Repeated coursework credits are included within the measures of this policy. Financial aid will be awarded and satisfactory academic progress maintained when a student is permitted by University policy to repeat a course for credit or inclusion in a grade point average calculation.

Credit by Examination: Grades assigned as “P” or “U” through the credit by examination program are counted within the quantitative and maximum time frame components of this policy.

SECTION J.  WARNING STATUS:

If a student is not maintaining financial aid satisfactory academic progress at the end of spring semester, students are allowed an automatic one year warning status. This automatic warning status is for students who are on warning the first time for not meeting the standards of this policy. Students within this one year automatic warning status do not need to appeal and financial aid funds will disburse to the bursar account normally assuming the student has met all other eligibility requirements.

Students will be notified by mail of their warning status. If a student’s academic progress does not improve and the conditions of this policy are still not met after the warning status has expired, financial aid eligibility will eventually be suspended.

SECTION K.  APPEALING YOUR FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY:

A student that has financial aid suspended because his or her one time warning status has expired and is still not meeting the requirements of this policy, has the right to appeal mitigating circumstances to SFA. To initiate an appeal, the student must complete a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form which is linked at the bottom of this page. The student must provide supporting documentation to substantiate mitigating circumstances and demonstrate an academic plan for success. The burden of proof is upon the student to demonstrate claims for not meeting the requirements set forth within the policy.

Students may be paid some federal or state financial aid for the payment period in which the policy standards are met or appeal is approved. The aid includes: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work Study, Federal SEOG, Ohio Instructional Grant, University grants and scholarships (assuming the terms and conditions of the University grant or scholarship are also met).

However, students may be eligible for Federal Direct Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized loans for the entire period of enrollment once the policy standards are met within the same academic year. The student must inform SFA if he/she desires the subsidized and/or unsubsidized loans to be adjusted for prior semesters within the same academic year according to this policy.

Appeal Deadlines: Submit an appeal no later than 15 working days prior to the first day of the semester for which financial assistance is desired. Appeals received after this date will still be processed. However, there may not be enough time to meet the University’s billing schedule for the enrollment period being considered and the student is responsible for any late charges incurred on the bursar bill. A student will be notified by mail regarding the appeal decision.

Appeal’s Committee: Students that are not maintaining the financial aid satisfactory academic progress policy for a fourth or more time will be reviewed by an appeal’s committee if the student elects to appeal. The appeal’s committee has the final authority to determine if financial aid will be extended or denied to a student. The decision of this committee is conclusive and cannot be appealed. The committee will respond to the student by mail of the review decision. The student will not meet with the appeals committee. All correspondence will be conducted by mail.

Appealing Your Aid Hierarchy:

First Appeal: Automatic one year warning extension for students who are not meeting the standards of this policy for the first time. Students within this one year automatic warning status do not need to appeal and financial aid funds will disburse to the bursar account normally assuming the student has met all other eligibility requirements.

Second Appeal: If financial aid is subsequently suspended for future semesters after the student already has had an automatic one year warning extension, the student must appeal to continue receiving federal, state and institutional aid. In general, financial aid may be extended up to one year if approved. A student must also sign a Satisfactory Academic Progress Eligibility Contract with SFA if the appeal is approved. The student must pay the bursar bill and other educational charges at the student’s expense if the appeal is not approved.

Third Appeal:  A student may appeal financial aid suspension utilizing the appeal process as previously described. Financial aid may be extended on a semester basis to ensure the student is meeting the conditions of the appeal assuming approval. The student must sign another Satisfactory Academic Progress Eligibility Contract with SFA if the appeal is approved. The student must pay the bursar bill and other educational charges at the student’s expense if the appeal is not approved.

Four or More Appeals: Students must appeal financial aid eligibility to an appeal’s committee comprised of staff members representing student services offices. A student must sign another Satisfactory Academic Progress Eligibility Contract with SFA if the appeal is approved. The decision of this committee is conclusive and cannot be appealed if the petition is denied. The student must pay the bursar bill and other educational charges at the student’s expense if the appeal is not approved.

•  Graduate students who do not meet the minimum grade point average requirements listed above but whose academic department verifies that they may continue enrollment will be considered to be meeting the minimum cumulative grade point average requirements of this policy
• Please see Student Financial Aid if you are attempting to attain a 3rd BGSU degree/certificate program.
• Transfer GPA's are not included per University policy.

• Please see Student Financial Aid if you are attempting to attain a 3^rd  BGSU degree/certificate program.

 The above limits were based on averages for the University’s certificate and degree programs. When a specific financial aid program has a more limited time frame (example: scholarship programs, athletic grants, etc) individual aid program limits will take precedence when considering continued eligibility for that aid source. Transfer hours and any repeated credit hours shall be included when determining total hours attempted.

Policy revised: 05/16/2005

If you wish to appeal your satisfactory academic progress status, based on the above policy, click here for a copy of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form.