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OFA - Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Educational institutions are required to limit financial aid to those students who, according to institutional standards, are in good standing and are making satisfactory academic progress toward their program of study. In accordance with this federal policy, the Office of Student Affairs and the Financial Aid Office at Swainsboro Technical College have developed the following standards of satisfactory academic progress that a student must achieve in order to maintain federal and/or state financial aid eligibility:

For purposes of determining financial aid eligibility, transfer students will be considered to be maintaining satisfactory academic progress during their first quarter of enrollment. After the first quarter, the student will be fully responsible for meeting all Swainsboro Technical College satisfactory academic progress requirements.

To maintain eligibility for receipt of financial aid at Swainsboro Technical College, students must complete at least 67 percent of the credit hours attempted each quarter and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0. Students who fail to meet the required minimum hours or cumulative GPA at the end of any quarter will be placed on financial aid probation during the following quarter of enrollment and may receive financial aid for the quarter they are on probation.

Students who fail to bring their cumulative GPA up to the required 2.0 and/or complete the required 67 percent during the probationary quarter will have their financial aid suspended. Students may have their financial aid reinstated after they complete an additional quarter at their own expense AND meet satisfactory academic progress requirements during that quarter.

Courses in which the student receives grades of F, F*, IP, W, WP and WF are not considered completed hours but are counted as coursework attempted. If a course is repeated, all hours attempted will be counted for purposes of the two-thirds requirement (67 percent) and maximum time frame. If aid has been terminated because of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, the student must pay all educational expenses until he or she is eligible for reinstatement.

Students accepted as Learning Support Admits are not eligible for PELL Grant or Federal Work-study. Grades assigned for Learning Support classes do not count in the calculation of GPA but do count in hours attempted.

Students must complete their educational objective within a maximum time frame of 150 percent of the published length of the program in which they are enrolled. This means that students will no longer be eligible to receive federal financial aid once they have attempted one-and-one-half times the minimum number of credit hours required for graduation in the program in which they are enrolled. Satisfactory academic progress determinations will be made quarterly, prior to the disbursement of quarterly awards.

Appeals Process

Students have the right to appeal a finding that they are not making satisfactory academic progress if they have extenuating circumstances that prevented them from meeting the specified requirements. Appeals must be made in writing to the Director of Financial Aid within 10 days of notification of failure to make satisfactory academic progress. The appeal must specifically address the extenuating circumstances and should include pertinent documentation. The Director of Financial Aid will present the appeal to the appeals committee. A copy of the decision of the appeals committee will be mailed to the student within 30 days. Failure to receive written notification of Financial Aid Suspension does not, in and of itself, excuse the student from Financial Aid Probation or Suspension, nor does it exempt a student from appealing in a timely manner. Students should review their Satisfactory Academic Progress standing each quarter by logging into their BannerWeb account.

Reinstatement of Aid

Students may request that their Financial Aid be reinstated after they meet satisfactory academic progress.