Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy & Procedure

Financial Aid Eligibility

Satisfactory Academic Progress

To be eligible for federal, state, and institutional funding students must meet both the qualitative and quantitative criteria outlined below.

Qualitative Requirement Undergraduates

Each student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0

Qualitative Requirement Graduate Students

Graduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0

Quantitative Requirement

All students must complete at least 67% of hours attempted. Academic progress is measured at the end of each term by dividing the cumulative hours successfully completed (including transfer hours) by the cumulative number of hours attempted. All attempted hours are counted whether or not financial aid was received, coursework was successfully completed, or any class was repeated.

Maximum Timeframe

Students may not receive financial assistance for more than 150% of their program length as measured in credit hours. All attempted hours (including transfer hours) are counted whether or not financial aid was received, coursework was successfully completed, or any class was repeated.

Example: If your degree requires you to complete 120 credit hours, your maximum timeframe would be 120 hours x 150%=180.

Your maximum timeframe to complete your degree would be 180 attempted credit hours.

Remedial Coursework: Remedial Coursework does not factor into GPA or SAP and does not count towards graduation.

Grades in Determining Academic Progress

The successful completion of a credit attempted and earned is credit for which a grade of A, B, C, D or P is received. An incomplete grade (I) counts as credit attempted but will not count as credit earned until the recording of a passing grade. A grade of W (withdrawal) will count as credit attempted but will not count as credit earned. A grade of K will not count as credit attempted or earned.

Financial Aid Warning and Probation

Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements are measured at the end of each term. Students who fail to meet either or both of the qualitative and quantitative requirements are placed on financial aid warning their following term and will receive a letter informing them of this warning status, the consequence of such status, and the requirements necessary to have the warning resolved. Students may continue to receive financial aid during this warning term. If a student does not meet both requirements at the end of the warning term, the student will be placed on financial aid probation and all financial aid will be suspended until he/she once again meets both requirements. Students who are removed from financial aid warning or probation but are subsequently placed on them in future terms will be ineligible for aid.

Appeals

Students ineligible to receive financial aid due to financial aid probation may appeal such action on a term-by-term basis. Letters of appeal must be submitted to the Office of Student Financial Services no later than two weeks before the beginning of the affected semester. Students may email their appeals to sfs@queens.edu or bring them to the office. Appeals must include an explanation of the circumstances contributing to the unsatisfactory performance and how these circumstances have been resolved. Supporting documentation, such as letters from physicians or counselors should be included when relevant. Appeals must also include an academic plan set forth by both the student and their academic advisor. Undergraduate students should contact Amanda Barrier (barriera@queens.edu) to set up a meeting. Graduate students should schedule a meeting with their academic advisor. The academic plan must outline how the student will achieve satisfactory academic progress and the time frame in which they will achieve progress. Academic plans must be signed by both the student and their academic advisor. Students will be notified in writing of the appeal decision. If the appeal is granted, financial aid eligibility is restored for that term only. If the appeal is denied, the student remains ineligible for aid for the affected term and will be re-evaluated at the end of the term.