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satisfactory academic progress Policy

In accordance with he Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, students must be making satisfactory academic progress, both in quality and quantity, to qualify for, and continue to receive Title IV Federal Financial Aid.  The satisfactory academic progress standards for federal financial aid recipients at Valdosta State University are as follows:

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Qualitative: All students are expected to maintain the academic standards outlined in the Official Bulletin for Valdosta State University.

Any student who fails to meet these standards will be placed on academic suspension. A student receiving financial aid who is placed on academic suspension will have his/her financial aid terminated.  A financial aid applicant who was place on academic suspension at the end of his/her last semester of attendance is not eligible for financial aid.

Quantitative: In addition to maintaining the specified grade point average, a student must complete his/her degree within a maximum time frame and successfully complete minimum time frame and successfully complete a minimum percentage of hours each academic year.

  1. At Valdosta State University the maximum time frame allowed is 150% of the number of quarter hours required to earn the degree.  For example, if you are pursuing a degree which requires 120 semester hours, you may not receive financial aid after you have attempted 180 hours.
  2. A student must successfully complete 67% of the courses for which he/she registers during the academic year.  The grades of A,B,C,D or S count as the successful completion of a course.  The grades of F,W,WP,WF,WH,WY,I,IP,U,NR,NC, or V do not count as the successful completion of a course.  At the end of each Spring Semester, those students who have not successfully completed 67% of their courses during the last three terms (Summer, Fall, Spring) will have their financial aid terminated effective the next Fall Semester.

GRADUATE STUDENTS: All graduate students are expected to maintain the academic standards outlined in the Official Graduate Bulletin for VSU. Graduate students must not be dismissed from their program of study and must maintain a cumulative grade point average of not less than 2.5 to be eligible for financial aid.

REMEDIAL COURSEWORK: No student may receive financial aid for more than 30 semester hours of remedial course work, which includes all College Preparatory Curriculum and Learning Support courses.

MONITORING OF SAP: Qualitative academic requirements will be checked at the end of each semester, and at the time the student applies for financial aid. The limitation on total hours attempted and the 67% completion requirements will be checked at the end of each Spring Semester. Any student not completing 67% of their courses will have their aid terminated effective the next Fall Semester. Students who apply during the academic year will have their academic progress status checked before an award is made. 

SUMMER SEMESTER: Courses taken during a Summer Semester are treated as any other semester and are counted in the maximum hours attempted to obtain a degree and GPA and are considered in the 67% rate requirement along with the following fall and spring semesters.

TRANSFER STUDENTS: Until transfer credits from other institutions are accepted, students will be treated as incoming freshmen for the initial disbursement of aid. Only grades earned at Valdosta State University will be used to determine the grade point average for financial aid eligibility.

Repetition of Courses, Remedial Coursework, Withdrawals and Incompletes: Students should be careful in repeating courses as all attempts at a course are counted in the maximum hours allowed to obtain a degree. Students are also reminded that withdrawing from a course does not count as successful completion and does not count toward the required 67% completion rate.  Incompletes also do not count as the successful completion of a course and excessive incompletes can result in the termination of financial aid. A student can receive financial aid for no more than 30 hours of remedial course work (including Learning Support courses and CPC courses); however, students who are required to take remedial course work will be eligible to have their maximum time frame extended by the number of remedial hours taken, up to a maximum of 30 hours.

REINSTATEMENT OF AID (Pending Availability):

  1. A student terminated from financial aid due to academic suspension or failure to complete 67% of his/her courses, may apply for reinstatement of aid after he/she has completed 9 or more semester hours, with a grade of “C” or better in each course at his/her own expense, at Valdosta State University and is in good academic standing.
  2. A student terminated form aid for failure to exit Learning Support may apply for reinstatement of aid when he/she has exited Learning Support.

APPEALS:  Any student wishing to appeal may do so by filling out a Satisfactory Progress Petition and presenting it to the Office of Financial Aid, along with any supporting documentation.  The Financial Aid Office staff may take into consideration illness or death in the immediate family or any other extenuating circumstances. The student will be notified in writing, of their decision.

A student wishing to appeal the decision of the Office of Financial Aid may do so, in writing to the Student Financial Aid Committee.