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Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Eligibility

Academic Progress for Financial Aid Eligibility

All students are subject to the academic standards as set forth by the Department of Registration and Records, the Graduate School and the College of Veterinary Medicine.

All financial aid applicants are subject to the Eligibility for Continued Receipt of Financial Aid regulation (REG 02.70.02) in order to be eligible for receipt of financial aid.

The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid reviews each student’s academic performance at the end of the spring term of the academic year to determine Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid eligibility. Students placed on Financial Aid Probation will be evaluated at the end of the financial aid probationary term. Readmitted students will be evaluated at the point of their readmission. Study abroad and consortium hours will be considered at the next evaluation point once the associated transcript has been processed at NC State University. Academic standing will be reviewed at the end of every term to determine if the student is ineligible to continue enrollment.

Undergraduate Degree and Agricultural Institute (AGI) Degree Students

All Undergraduate and AGI students are subject to the Progress Toward Undergraduate Degree (REG 02.05.03) and the Continuation of Undergraduate Enrollment (REG 02.05.01) regulations. More information is available here.

Undergraduate and AGI students applying for financial aid must also meet the following standards in addition to the standards to undergraduate continuation standards:

  • Successfully complete at least 2/3 of all attempted hours
  • Maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 Financial Aid Grade Point Average (GPA) and an academic status that allows for continued enrollment
  • Graduate or be able to graduate before attempting more than 150% of the hours required for the degree program (e.g. maximum time frame of 180 hours for a 120-hour degree program.)

Graduate Degree Students

All graduate students are subject to the Academic Difficulty and Time Limit for Completion of Graduate Degree requirements as outlined in the Graduate Handbook (REG 02.15.09).

Graduate students applying for financial aid must also meet the following standards:

  • Successfully complete at least 2/3 of all attempted hours
  • Maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 Financial Aid Grade Point Average (GPA) and an academic status that allows for continued enrollment and not be placed on an Academic Probation or a Terminated-Reinstated status
  • Graduate or be able to graduate before attempting more than 150% of the hours required for the degree program (e.g. 45 hours for a 30-hour master’s degree program or 108 hours for a 72-hour doctoral program).

Professional Degree Students

All Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) professional students are subject to the academic standards established by the College of Veterinary Medicine.

DVM students applying for financial aid must also meet the following standards:

  • Successfully complete at least 2/3 of all attempted hours
  • Maintain a good academic standing and earn no more than two marginal or non-passing grades in any given term in the annual evaluation cycle
  • Graduate or be able to graduate before attempting more than 150% of the hours required for the degree program (e.g. 253 hours for a 169-hour degree program).

Graduate Certificate Students

All Graduate certificate students are subject to the Academic Difficulty and Time Limit for Completion of Graduate Degree requirements as outlined in the Graduate Handbook (REG 02.15.09).

Graduate certificate students applying for financial aid must also meet the following standards:

  • Successfully complete at least 2/3 of all attempted hours
  • Maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 Financial Aid Grade Point Average (GPA) and an academic status that allows for continued enrollment and not be placed on an Academic Probation or a Terminated-Reinstated status
  • Complete the certificate or be able to complete the certificate before attempting more than 150% of the hours required for the certificate program (e.g. 18 hours for a 12-hour certificate program).

Non-Degree Studies (NDS) Students

All NDS students are subject to the Non-Degree Studies Enrollment rule.

Non-Degree Studies students enrolled in Teacher Licensure or Pre-requisite coursework determined to meet financial aid eligibility requirements must also meet the following standards:

  • Successfully complete at least 2/3 of all attempted hours
  • Maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 Financial Aid Grade Point Average (GPA) and an academic status that allows for continued enrollment
  • Complete coursework or program before exceeding the maximum time frame as set in the Non-Degree Studies Enrollment rule and complete or be able to complete the program before attempting more than 150% of the hours required for the program (e.g. 27 hours for an 18-hour Teacher Licensure program).

Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility

Financial aid applicants who have extenuating circumstances that contributed to their deficient academic performance may submit an appeal for an exception to the policy.

A student’s eligibility for financial aid may be reinstated after the student’s academic progress improves and is measured to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal

Students with extenuating circumstances including, but not limited to, the following may submit an appeal:

  • Extended illness or hospitalization of the student
  • An accident which incapacitates the student for an extended period of time
  • Death or extended illness of an immediate family member
  • Other extenuating circumstances

Note: In some cases, a student will fail both the Continuation of Undergraduate Enrollment AND the Eligibility for Continued Receipt of Financial Aid regulations. In these cases, the student will submit only one appeal for consideration. If approved for continuation, the appeal will then be considered for reinstatement of financial aid.

Appeal Criteria

Student appeals must include the following:

  • Must document why the student failed to make Satisfactory Academic Progress
  • Must document what has changed to be able to achieve Satisfactory Academic Progress in the future; Additional/Supporting documentation is strongly encouraged in all appeals
  • Additional/Supporting documentation is required for students who have previously appealed
  • Additional/Supporting documentation is required for students that cannot meet the cumulative Financial Aid GPA and/or cumulative 2/3 Successful Completion Rate requirement within one term. In these cases, students must provide an enrollment plan that corresponds with a date in which the students will meet the cumulative Financial Aid GPA and/or cumulative 2/3 Successful Completion Rate
  • Addition/Supporting documentation is required for students exceeding the maximum time frame for degree, teacher licensure or graduate certificate program. In these cases, students must provide an approved course plan that corresponds with a graduation or program completion date.
  • Additional/Supporting documentation as requested.

Appeal Process

Students with extenuating circumstances may submit an appeal.

To submit an appeal:

  1. Log into MyPack Portal
  2. Select your ‘Student Homepage’
  3. Select the ‘Planning & Enrollment’ tile
  4. From the left-hand navigation, select ‘Appeal’
  5. Select the term for which you intend to continue enrollment and/or reinstate financial aid eligibility
  6. Complete the appeal as directed*

*Appeal requirements may vary based on the individual student’s circumstances.

Important Appeal Dates

Students who are ineligible to continue their undergraduate enrollment have the opportunity to submit an appeal to continue enrollment for a subsequent term by the posted deadlines.

Students appealing for financial aid eligibility are encouraged to submit the appeal prior to the first day of class for the appeal term.

Appeal Decision

Students are emailed their appeal decision and any requirements the student must meet.

Attempted Hours

Attempted Hours: All hours for which a student is registered as of or after the official census enrollment date for the term, as well as transfer courses attempted for credit towards the NC State degree, teacher licensure or graduate certificate program. Attempted Hours includes withdrawals; grade exclusions; courses dropped after the Census Date; repeated courses; courses with incomplete, late or failing grades; audited or no-credit courses; and remedial courses (if applicable toward degree, teacher licensure or graduate certificate program). All Attempted Hours toward the NC State degree, teacher licensure or graduate certificate program are considered in the completion rate and maximum time frame requirements.

Financial Aid GPA

Financial Aid GPA: Grade Point Average earned, not including grade exclusions for undergraduate students as provided in REG 02.20.16. Grades for transferred courses, late grades, incomplete grades, audit courses, dropped courses or courses with grades S (Satisfactory), U (Unsatisfactory), W (Withdrawn) and NR (No Recognition) do not impact the Financial Aid GPA calculation. Grades changed after the SAP evaluation point will be evaluated at the next SAP evaluation point.