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The Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended by Congress mandates institutions of higher education to establish minimum standards of "satisfactory progress" for students receiving Federal financial aid. These standards apply to all Federal Title IV aid programs including the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal ACG Grant, National SMART Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loans, Federal PLUS Loans and Federal Work-Study.
Regardless of whether the student had previously received Title IV financial aid, the minimum requirements for undergraduates to meet the University's definition of academic progress for Federal financial aid purposes are as follows:
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Enrollment Status Definition for Purposes of Determining Satisfactory Progress:
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Full Time: Undergraduate students enrolled for at least 12 undergraduate credits and graduate students enrolled for at least 9 credits per semester are considered to be full-time.
Three-Quarter Time: Undergraduate students enrolled for at least 9 but less than 12 credits per semester are considered to be three-quarter time.
Half Time: Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled for at least 6 but less than 9 credits per semester are considered to be half-time.
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PROCESS OF DETERMINING SATISFACTORY PROGRESS:
Each student will be measured for sufficient progress annually in May after Spring grade processing. This evaluation will determine if the student has sufficient progress to be eligible for Title IV funding for the next financial aid award year. Students who have not met the minimum requirements will receive a letter informing them that they are not eligible for continued financial aid.
The standards of satisfactory progress have both a quantitative and qualitative measure that must be met. Slippery Rock University has established the following quantitative and qualitative standards that must be met:
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Quantitative Measure (credits earned) :
- Full time students must complete a minimum of 24 (18 graduate) new credits by the end of each academic year.
- Three quarter time students must complete a minimum of 18 new credits by the end of each academic year.
- Half time students must complete a minimum of 12 new credits by the end of each academic year.
- Students enrolled less than half-time must complete the number of credits for which enrolled by the end of each academic year.
Qualitative Measure (QPA):
- Students who have completed 2 academic years or its equivalent must have at least a 2.0 SRU cumulative quality point average at the end of each academic year.
- Students who have not completed 2 academic years or its equivalent must have at least a 1.5 SRU cumulative quality point average at the end of each academic year.
- Graduate students must have at least a 3.0 SRU cumulative quality point average at the end of each academic year.
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January Admits - If an undergraduate student is admitted in January, that student must complete at least 12 credits for full time study (9 credits for three quarter time study, 6 credits for half time study and all credits for less than half time) and meet the minimum quality point average requirement to have continued financial aid eligibility. If the student is deficient in credits or quality point average, the student will receive a warning letter. Aid will be continued for the Fall Semester, however, at the end of the Fall Semester, the student will be checked for the completion of the appropriate number of credits based upon the enrollment status and appropriate quality point average. Federal financial aid will be continued for those students who have met both requirements. Students who have not met both requirements will be notified of their ineligibility for Federal financial aid and informed of the options to regain eligibility.
Graduate students admitted in January who fail to meet QPA or credit requirements by the end of the Spring Semester will receive the same warning letter as listed above. Aid will be continued for the Fall Semester; however, progress will be evaluated again at the end of the Fall Semester.
Readmitted Students - If a student is readmitted to the University, satisfactory academic progress will be based on the student’s previous attendance at SRU. Students who have not met the minimum requirements will be notified of their ineligibility for Federal financial aid and informed of the options to regain eligibility.
Maximum Time Frame - Undergraduate students may receive Federal financial assistance for no more than 150% of the established length of their program of study. SRU has defined this maximum time frame as 6 years for full time students, 9 years for three-quarter time students and 12 years for half-time students. A year consists of fall, spring and summer. The maximum time frame will be adjusted based on the student’s enrollment status. Credits transferred from other institutions to SRU count toward the maximum time frame. A year for maximum time frame and credits transferred is defined as thirty-six credits. Students changing majors, pursuing a double major or pursuing a second undergraduate degree may be eligible for an extension of time on an individual review basis.
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Special Grades and their use in Academic Progress determination:
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- I - Incomplete - Student will receive no credit for an "I" grade. If, however, the incomplete grade is resolved by the close of the following semester and a passing grade is received, the credits will be counted.
- NC - No Credit - No credits received.
- W - Withdrawal - No credits received.
- Au - Audit - No credits received.
- P - Pass - Student receives credits, but QPA is not affected.
- X - No grade given - No credits received.
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Repeat of Course - The last grade earned is always used in calculating the QPA. If the student failed the course the first time but passes it the second time, the appropriate number of credits will be received after the second attempt. If, however, the student passed the course the first time, repeats it in an attempt to improve the QPA but receives a failing grade, the appropriate number of credits will be deducted from the cumulative credits earned total. Maximum hours earned for any course cannot exceed the number of credits listed for that course in the catalog. If a student is repeating a course that they previously received a passing grade in, the completion of that course cannot be used in making up academic progress deficiency.
Summer School - If a student is deficient in credits and/or QPA at the end of the academic year, the student may use the following summer to eliminate the deficiency. Summer work need not be completed at Slippery Rock; but students should be aware that:
- Transient clearance must be obtained prior to taking any courses elsewhere if the credits are to be transferred back to SRU.
- Only credits transfer back to Slippery Rock, grades do not. If the student's deficiency is in QPA, taking courses at another institution will not make up a QPA deficiency. The Office of Academic Records and Summer School must accept the credits in order to be counted towards satisfactory progress.
If the student chooses not to attend summer school to make up the deficiency, but opts instead to make up the deficiency during a subsequent semester, only credits successfully completed over and above the required minimum number of credits based on enrollment status will work toward eliminating the deficiency, however, financial aid will not be processed for that semester.
Appeal Process - A student with mitigating circumstances may submit an appeal in regard to an adverse satisfactory academic progress determination. In general, mitigating circumstances can include, but are not limited to, illness, injury, death of relative or friend, difficulties with accommodations for students with disabilities, and adversity due to unforeseen events. The Academic Progress Appeal form is available to print CLICK HERE and can be submitted to the Academic Progress Committee c/o SRU Financial Aid Office. Please include all relevant documentation with your appeal and submit this prior to August 1st for the fall semester or before November 1st for the spring semester. You will receive a written response to your appeal. Appeals denied by the Academic Progress Committee may be reviewed upon request by the student by the Associate Provost for Enrollment Services
Regaining Eligibility - If a student does not meet the satisfactory academic progress standards at the beginning of the academic year but later meets the standards at some point during the academic year, the student can be eligible to receive the Federal Pell Grant, FFEL funds, and if available, campus-based program funds beginning with the academic term during which the student first meets the academic progress standards. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office of Financial Aid after they complete course work if it will allow them to regain eligibility for financial aid.
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