Effective Summer 2006
RADFORD UNIVERSITY FINANCIAL AID OFFICE
Beginning with the Summer 2006, a REVISED Satisfactory Academic Progress policy will become effective for financial aid recipients. Coursework for semesters prior to Summer 2006 will be included in the evaluation. Federal regulations require that financial aid recipients must be making progress toward a degree in addition to meeting the minimum cumulative grade point average. Financial aid affected by this policy includes grants, loans, Federal Work Study, Federal Parent Loans (PLUS), and some Alternative Loan programs.
Students who enroll for a semester, receive financial aid covered by this policy, and withdraw from all classes before the end of schedule adjustment will be ineligible to receive financial aid, unless an appeal is approved through the RU Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress appeal process. Summer classes will be considered in relation to all summer terms. For example, if a student receives financial aid in Summer I and Summer III and withdraws from the Summer 1 class before the end of schedule adjustment, the student is considered not to have withdrawn from all summer classes.
Students who do not meet the Standards of Progress for financial aid recipients, may appeal their eligibility if extenuating circumstances have occurred. See “Satisfactory Progress Appeal” below. Students may regain eligibility for financial aid upon meeting the Standards as outlined below.
Satisfactory Academic Progress will mean that the student has to meet three measures:
SAP MEASURE |
SAP REQUIREMENT |
UNDERGRADUATE REQUIREMENT |
GRADUATE REQUIREMENT |
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Maximum Study |
150% of program requirements as published in the Radford University catalog. |
Cumulative hours attempted may not exceed 150% of program requirement. For example, a program requires 120 hours to complete. The student will only be eligible to attempt 180 maximum hours. The student will be ineligible for financial aid when his/her cumulative attempted hours (including transfer hours) exceeds 180. |
Cumulative hours attempted may not exceed 150% of program requirement |
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Qualitative |
Students must meet a minimum grade point average. |
Undergraduate students are required to meet the University’s Academic Suspension Policy:
Any new (freshman or transfer), full-time (as of Census date) student who has a GPA below a 1.25 at the conclusion of the first semester of enrollment will be suspended and will not be allowed to continue in the next full semester (Fall or Spring).
For continuing students, academic suspension occurs when such students have attempted a minimum of 30 credits at Radford University and have less than a 2.0 cumulative GPA on all courses taken at Radford University.
See the Radford University Undergraduate catalog for details and exceptions. |
3.0 cumulative grade point average |
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Quantitative |
Minimum number of hours a student must complete each year to show progress toward their degree. *See below. |
*See the “Definition of attempted hours” below.
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75% of the Yearly Hours attempted must be completed. *See below.
Students within 6 semester hours of meeting this requirement are granted an automatic probationary period. See below. |
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Assessment Frequency |
At least once per academic year. |
At least once per academic year. Typically, after Spring grades are posted and (if the student attends summer school) at the end of summer session. |
At least once per academic year. Same as for undergraduates. |
*Students must meet all 3 measures of progress – maximum length of study, qualitative standard, and quantitative standard, as outlined above. Periods of enrollment during which no financial aid was received will be considered as well as ones in which financial aid was received, when evaluating a student’s academic progress. Transfer hours are included in the Cumulative Hours Attempted when evaluating academic progress for financial aid eligibility. The financial aid year that will be evaluated will be the time period that includes Fall, Spring, and all summer sessions.
Students who received financial aid disbursements or whose loans were certified during the Fall semester and who are placed on academic probation at the end of the Fall semester will be permitted to continue to receive financial aid for the Spring semester.
Progress will be evaluated before financial aid is awarded for the upcoming academic year. (Students must reapply each year for financial aid.) For students who attend summer school, progress will be re-evaluated at the end of Summer II. Students who have already received financial aid awards for the upcoming academic year and who become ineligible for the awards at the end of Summer will have their financial aid awards for the upcoming academic year cancelled.
The number of class hours that will be accepted as satisfactory completed are those for which a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or P is received. Courses with letter grades of F (failure), I (incomplete), R (repeat), W (withdrew), or A (audited) will not be counted as satisfactorily completed.
WITHDRAWAL FROM ALL CLASSES
Students who enroll for a semester, receive financial aid covered by this policy, and withdraw from all classes before the end of schedule adjustment will be ineligible to receive financial aid. Students who withdraw from all classes after the end of schedule adjustment will be ineligible to receive financial aid based on the quantitative component of progress described above (registered for hours and completed 0 hours). Summer classes will be considered in relation to all summer terms. For example, if a student receives financial aid in Summer I and Summer III and withdraws from the Summer 1 class before the end of schedule adjustment, the student is considered not to have withdrawn from all summer classes. Students may be granted a probationary period based on the outcome of an appeal. See “Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal” below.
DEFINITION OF ATTEMPTED HOURS
Attempted hours include:
Students who are readmitted to Radford University under the academic renewal provision are not automatically eligible for financial assistance. Federal regulations require that all coursework must be considered for financial aid recipients. To be considered for financial aid, academic renewal students must submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal to the RU Financial Aid Office.
The Appeal will be reviewed and the student will be notified of the results. The student’s previous coursework will be taken into consideration in determining eligibility for financial aid each semester at RU, even though it may not be considered toward university academic progress.
MILITARY SERVICE ACTIVATION
Students called to active duty that results in withdrawal from all classes will be granted Probation upon submission of documents verifying activation. Students must meet the Financial Aid Standards of Progress at the time of military activation to be granted automatic probation.
AUTOMATIC FINANCIAL AID PROBATION
Students who are granted a probationary semester by the university as a result of the Academic Suspension Policy will also be granted the same probationary period for financial aid eligibility.
Students who are within six semester hours of meeting the quantitative requirements listed above, will be automatically granted a probationary period of the following Summer/Fall/ Spring semesters. If the student does not meet the Financial Aid Standards of Academic Progress at the end of the Spring semester, the student will be ineligible to receive financial aid. In some circumstances, a student may be granted an extension of probation if an appeal is approved. See below.
A student has a right to appeal the termination of his/her financial aid due to unsatisfactory academic progress. The appeal should document, on his/her behalf, any relevant circumstances wherein it can be shown that the unsatisfactory progress was due to unforeseeable or extenuating circumstances beyond his/her control. Also, it may be shown that such progress is not indicative of the general pattern of grades previously established. Financial need is not sufficient criteria on which to base an appeal of the termination of financial aid. Examples of extenuating circumstances include illness or death in the family. Students who have changed majors or who are pursuing additional degrees that have resulted in failure to meet the Financial Aid Standards of Progress will be considered only through the appeal process.
A Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form is available from the university’s Financial Aid Office, Room 225, Martin Hall. Students may also download the progress appeal form from our website at: http://www.radford.edu/~finaid/forms.html .
A student, who submits a satisfactory academic progress appeal, shall be notified in writing by the Financial Aid Office about the appeal decision as soon as possible. Should additional questions or concerns remain after the appeal decision is made known, the student should address these to the Director of Financial Aid and then to the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Some Alternative Loan programs are available to students regardless of academic progress. Contact the Financial Aid Office for additional information.
REGAINING FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY
Students who do not meet the Financial Aid Standards of Academic Progress may regain eligibility through one of the following methods:
Some Alternative Loan programs do not require that the student meet the Financial Aid Standards of Progress. For information about these loans, visit the RU Financial Aid website at www.radford.edu/~finaid.
01/11/2007