Satisfactory Academic Progress and Appeal Process
Georgian Court University is required by federal law (34 CFR 668.34) to define and enforce standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). All students receiving financial aid from federal, state and/or university sources must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress at Georgian Court University to establish and retain eligibility for student financial aid. Enrolled students applying for financial aid for the first time must demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress prior to applying for financial aid and must continue to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.
SAP is reviewed after fall, spring, and summer grades are posted. The student’s academic progress is measured using both qualitative and quantitative measures of academic progress. The first time a student does not meet the minimum requirements for the two components, the student is placed on financial aid warning for the subsequent semester and will be notified of the warning via registered mail. Students failing to achieve satisfactory status following their warning semester are placed on financial aid suspension and notified by e-mail that their aid has been cancelled for subsequent terms. Students may appeal their suspension of financial aid based on extenuating circumstances (i.e., student injury or illness, death of student’s relative, and/or other circumstances resulting in undue hardship to student). See the appeal process below under Financial Aid Suspension Notification.
Qualitative Measures of Academic Progress
The qualitative measure of academic progress is based on a grading scale of 0.00 to 4.00 and the students’ enrollment classification.
| Classification | Grade Point Average |
|---|---|
| Graduate Students | Minimum 3.00 GPA |
Incoming graduate students are considered eligible for financial aid upon admission to the university.
Quantitative Measures of Academic Progress
Students must successfully complete at least two-thirds (66%) of their attempted credit hours at Georgian Court University. The following table provides an example of the number of credits a full-time student must attempt and successfully complete each semester:
| Semester | Credits Attempted | Minimum Credits Completed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | 6 |
| 2 | 18 | 12 |
| 3 | 27 | 18 |
| 4 | 36 | 24 |
| 5 | 45 | 30 |
| 6 | 54 | 36 |
| 7 | 63 | 42 |
| 8 | 72 | 48 |
| 9 | 81 | 54 |
| 10 | 90 | 60 |
| 11 | 99 | 66 |
| 12 | 108 | 72 |
Hours completed do not include the following grades; however, these hours are included in hours attempted:
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| U | Unsatisfactory |
| INC | Incomplete |
| W | Withdrawal from course |
If a grade other than U, I, and W is received, courses that have been repeated will be counted for each enrollment as hours attempted as well as hours completed.
Graduate students will be ineligible for aid if they do not meet their degree objectives after carrying the maximum number of credit hours listed below (whether or not they have received aid for all terms):
| Classification | Total Attempted Hours Including Transfer Credit | Ratio of Completed Hours to Attempted Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate & Professional | 100 hours beyond bachelor’s degree | 66% |
Financial Aid Suspension Notification
The GCU Office of Financial Aid reviews satisfactory academic progress (SAP) for each student at the end of each term. If the student is not making satisfactory academic progress, notification is sent registered mail informing the student of their noncompliance. A student may apply for financial aid reinstatement by submitting a satisfactory academic progress appeal. The satisfactory academic progress appeal allows the student to explain extenuating or unforeseeable circumstances that may have hindered the student’s academic progress. Appeals based on extenuating circumstances (i.e., student injury or illness, death of student’s relative, and/or other circumstances resulting in undue hardship to student) should be accompanied by documentation of the extenuating circumstances and a description of what has changed that will allow the student to make SAP. See Appeal Form for exact guidelines.
Step 1: Student must begin the financial aid reinstatement process by downloading the Financial Aid Appeal form from the Office of Financial Aid web page. Appeals based on extenuating circumstances (i.e., student injury or illness (on the physician’s letterhead), death of student’s relative, and/or other circumstances resulting in undue hardship to student) should be accompanied by documentation. Students indicating that stress or depression was the cause of their satisfactory academic progress not being met must provide medical documentation on the physician’s letterhead and signed by the physician.
Appeal Forms should be received by the Office of Financial Aid within 14 days from the day you receive your Satisfactory Progress letter or August 1, whichever comes first. Late appeals may be denied.
Step 2: The Financial Aid Review Committee will normally review the appeals provided within 10 days of submission. The committee may render one of the following decisions:
| Decision | Description |
|---|---|
| Pending | Additional information is needed to render a decision |
| Financial Aid Probation | Student may continue to receive student financial aid for one semester. |
| Student must have the minimum credits and required GPA at the conclusion of the next semester as determined by the committee. | |
| Continued Suspension of Aid Eligibility | Student's financial aid will be suspended until the student regains satisfactory standing at the student's expense. |
Step 3: The Office of Financial Aid will communicate the committee’s decision to the student via e-mail.