Student Rights and Responsibilities
Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
In addition to meeting individual financial aid program requirements, students have to make satisfactory academic progress toward completing a degree or certificate program to receive aid.
The Schoolcraft College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy applies to all students who receive financial aid from any program we administer. Federal regulations require that the policy includes reviewing semesters for which students did not receive aid, as well as the semesters students did receive aid.
The following guidelines describe the requirements necessary to maintain financial aid eligibility at Schoolcraft College, however the complete policy and more detailed information can be found in the Satisfactory Academic Progress handout.
1. Eligibility Requirements—A student must:
- Successfully complete at least 67 percent of all Schoolcraft College credit hours attempted or be a first-time student at Schoolcraft College.
- Have a cumulative Schoolcraft College grade-point average of at least 2.0.
- Along with transfer credits, not have attempted more than 90 credit hours or 150 percent of the student’s official Schoolcraft College academic program requirements.
2. Evaluation of Eligibility
Eligibility is determined when a student applies for financial aid each academic year. Satisfactory Academic Progress is evaluated at the end of each semester. Applicants who have not made satisfactory academic progress are notified by U.S. mail.
3. Warning
Financial aid applicants who have attempted fewer than 19 credit hours and do not meet the eligibility requirements will be given a warning and granted aid for one semester. After the completion of the warning semester, the student must meet grade point average and completion ratio standards of progress.
4. Probation and Academic Plan Status
A student whose financial aid has been terminated may appeal in writing. All appeals must include appropriate documentation. Extenuating circumstances considered for appeals include personal illness or accident, serious illness or death of an immediate family member, or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the student. Students in extended credit-hour programs and/or second degree programs, who have attempted more than 90 credit hours, may submit appeals. They must submit a Degree Worksheet with a Course Selection Plan signed by a counselor, and must write a letter explaining their request to the Student Financial Services office.
Acceptable documentation includes letters from a physician, attorney, social service agency, parole officer, or an obituary notice, divorce decree and/or academic records. The student will be notified of the appeal results in writing. Appeals can result in a) denial of reinstatement, b) reinstatement of the student’s eligibility, or c) a probationary period.
Probation will be granted to those students whose SAP appeal was approved by the financial aid office and will meet the over SAP standards after one term of enrollment. If a student is not meeting the overall SAP standards after their one Probation semester, they will need to re-appeal for future aid consideration.
Academic Plan Status will be granted to those students whose SAP appeal was approved by the financial aid office and cannot meet the overall SAP standards after one term of enrollment. Students on an Academic Plan must follow the plan created by their counselor or advisor on the SAP appeal.
If your situation does not fall under this category, you must follow the reinstatement process listed below.
5. Appeals
A student whose financial aid has been terminated may appeal in writing. All appeals must include appropriate documentation. Extenuating circumstances considered for appeals include personal illness or accident, serious illness or death of an immediate family member, or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the student. Students in extended credit-hour programs and/or second degree programs, who have attempted more than 90 credit hours, may submit appeals. They must submit a Degree Worksheet with a Course Selection Plan signed by a counselor, and must write a letter explaining their request to the Student Financial Services office.
Acceptable documentation includes letters from a physician, attorney, social service agency, parole officer, or an obituary notice, divorce decree and/or academic records. The student will be notified of the appeal results in writing. Appeals can result in a) denial of reinstatement, b) reinstatement of the student’s eligibility, or c) a probationary period.
If your situation does not fall under this category, you must follow the reinstatement process listed below.
6. Reinstatement
A student may be reinstated after meeting one of the following conditions. (Classes taken at institutions other than Schoolcraft College are not considered for reinstatement purposes.)
- The student has taken, without funding from the Office of Financial Aid, at least six credit hours and has passed those six credit hours, with a 2.0 or higher. The student can then re-appeal for probationary aid for one semester. Students who successfully complete all registered credits with a 2.0 or higher, and no W, I, or NS grades, may be eligible to have their probation status extended on a term-by-term basis.
- The student has taken, without funding from the Office of Financial Aid, enough credit hours to meet the grade-point average and completion rate requirements. The student will be reinstated without probation.
- The student meets the grade-point average and completion rate requirements after the probationary period. The student will be reinstated without probation.
7. Maximum Time Frame
Students must not exceed more than 150% of the credit hours required for the completion of their program. This includes all attempted credits, including transfer credits, repeat credits, remedial coursework, and classes financed by the student and/or other aid sources.
The following credits are included in the maximum time frame calculation:
- All attempted credits, even if the student withdrew or did not receive a passing grade
- All attempted credits, even if the student was not receiving financial aid
- All credits transferred in from another college
Credit hours attempted include all grades recorded on the transcript of 4.0 through 0.0, W, R, NS and I (W = Withdrawal, R = Repeated course, NS = No Show, I = Incomplete). Repeated courses are identified as R on the transcript and are considered as credit hours attempted. Successful grades are 1.0 through 4.0. Unsuccessful grades are 0.0, W, R, NS and I. Unsuccessful grades are considered attempted and not passed for purposes of determining satisfactory academic progress including withdraw/passing and withdraw/failing.
Students who are meeting the GPA and completion rate components may submit a Degree Completion Appeal.
8. Audit and Credit by Exam
Classes taken for audit or credit earned by exam are not considered when determining financial aid eligibility.
9. Repeat Courses
Students may repeat failed courses or courses in which the student does not attain the minimum grade required for their program. Effective July 1, 2011, per federal regulations (34 CFR Section 668.2), repeated coursework that falls under the following conditions cannot be included in a student's enrollment status for Title IV Federal Aid eligibility, including the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Stafford Loans:
- Repeating a previously passed course more than once. A course is considered passed if the student receives a grade of 1.0 or better.
- Repeating a previously passed course due to failing other coursework.
- Repeating a previously passed course for the sole purpose of gaining eligibility for Title IV aid.
Federal Title IV aid will be recalculated based on the student's adjusted enrollment status. This recalculation will be applied regardless of whether a student received aid for previous course enrollments.
Some courses are repeatable per college policy and are not restricted by these regulations.
Examples
Example 1:
A student is repeating a previously passed three credit hour course for the second time. The student is enrolled in a total of twelve credit hours for the term. Per federal regulations, the repeated course must be excluded from the student's Title IV enrollment status. Only nine of the student's twelve hours can be used to calculate his Title IV aid eligibility. The student's Federal Pell Grant will be reduced to reflect three quarter time instead of full-time enrollment.
Example 2:
A student passes a course with a 1.2. They want to take the course a second time to improve their grade. The second attempt will be counted in the total enrollment hours for Title IV aid purposes. The student will not be eligible to receive aid for that same class on any additional attempt.
Example 3:
A student repeats a previously passed course. The student receives a 0.0 on the second attempt. The student attempts the course for the third time. The third course attempt will not be counted in total enrollment hours for Title IV aid purposes.
Example 4:
A student repeats a previously passed course. The student withdraws (receives a W) from the course on the second attempt. The student attempts the course for the third time. The third course attempt will not be counted in total enrollment hours for Title IV aid purposes.
10. NS (No Show) Grades
The NS grade signifies non-attendance. Financial aid will be reduced or eliminated for courses with an NS grade. The student is responsible for any resulting balance. Please see the Non-Attendance section under Registration for more information.