ACADEMIC PROGRESS FOR FINANCIAL AID RECIPIENTS

To be considered for all Title IV student financial aid programs (Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Perkins Loan, Stafford Loan, Parental Loans for Undergraduate Students, Supplemental Loan for Students, and College Work Study Program) the University requires the students to maintain satisfactory academic progress.

Minimums requirements for undergraduates to meet the University's definition of academic progress for financial aid purposes are as follows:

Quantitative Standards (credits earned):

• Full-time undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 24 new credits by the end of the academic year.  (three/quarter time students must complete 18 new credits;  half-time students must complete 12 new credits)

Qualitative Standards (QPA):

• Students who have not completed 2 academic years or its equivalent must have at least a 1.5 cumulative QPA at the end of each academic year.

• Students who have completed 2 academic years or its equivalent must have at least a 2.0 cumulative QPA at the end of each academic year.

Academic progress for Federal financial aid is measured annually in May after Spring grade processing. Undergraduate students may not receive Federal financial assistance for more than 6 years of full-time enrollment.  Credits transferred from another institution to SRU count toward the maximum time frame limits described above.

    *Half-time attendance requires 6 credits; three-quarter time, 9 credits; full-time, 12 credits.

Appeal Process for Extenuating Circumstances

If a student's aid is terminated and if the student feels that the academic deficiency is a result of extenuating circumstances (illness, injury, etc.) a written appeal may be submitted to the Academic Progress Appeal Committee, c/o Associate Director of Financial Aid.  The Committee may, if the circumstances  warrant, grant an exception to a student who does not meet the academic progress requirements.

Regaining Eligibility

A student who has been denied financial assistance due to lack of academic progress will regain eligibility at the end of the semester in which the credit and/or QPA deficiency is eliminated.

General

In order to receive Title IV assistance, a student must be making satisfactory progress regardless of whether or not he or she previously received Title IV aid.  If the student withdraws from the University during the course of a semester and chooses to accept financial aid for the semester, it will affect future eligibility as that semester will be included in the semester count used to measure academic progress.  If the student does not accept aid for that semester, it will not be counted.

All students are encouraged to review the entire academic progress policy for financial aid which is detailed on the financial aid website at www.sru.edu/pages/628.asp.  Additional information is detailed in the policy including requirements for graduate students and the impact of summer school on progress requirement.

Academic progress requirements for the Pennsylvania State Grant differ from those above for federal financial aid.  The state grant progress requirements are mailed to students with their state grant notification from the Pennsylvania Higher Education assistance Agency (PHEAA).