Satisfactory Academic Progress

On-Line Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form

Students applying for, and those receiving Federal and State of Colorado financial aid from UCCS are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward a degree. This policy deals with required completion rate, maximum semester hours that are fundable and minimum grade point average.

I. Introduction

Continuing Students Applying for Aid for the First Time

The Higher Education Act of 1965 (amended by Congress) mandates that institutions of higher education establish minimum standards of "Satisfactory Academic Progress" toward their degree for student financial aid applicants whether or not they have previously received aid. Therefore, students at UCCS applying for all institutionally awarded funds, the Federal Stafford Loan (Subsidized and Unsubsidized), and the Federal PLUS Loan, as well as all state and federal financial aid funds must meet the University's policy.

Students who do not meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements are not eligible for financial aid including loans. Eligibility appeals are reviewed by the Financial Aid Advisory Committee. Please see the section on appeals.

II. Qualitative Standards

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The Financial Aid Office will use the cumulative University of Colorado GPA (available through Admissions and Records) for continuing students applying for aid for the first time.

Qualitative analysis will be performed at the conclusion of each term.

A. Undergraduate students must maintain a minimum of 2.0 cumulative grade point average in the CU system.

If an undergraduate drops below the minimum GPA requirement for the first time (but not to below a 1.0 cumulative GPA), then that student will be placed on Financial Aid probation at UCCS for the following semester. The student will be given a chance to correct the problem without further penalty. A warning letter will be sent to the student explaining the situation, and advising the student to seek assistance at the Student Success Center. If the student does not raise the cumulative GPA to at least the minimum requirement within the probationary semester, or falls to below the minimum GPA again in the future, the student will be placed on Financial Aid suspension for the next term. At this point, in order to be considered for any further Financial Aid, the student must raise the cumulative GPA to at least the minimum requirement at their own expense. The student may appeal the suspension to the Financial Aid Committee. If the appeal is approved, Financial Aid may be reinstated according to the conditions of the Financial Aid Advisory Committee.

B. Graduate students must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average in the CU system.

There is no probationary term for graduate students. If a graduate student drops to below the minimum GPA requirement at any time, then that student will be placed on Financial Aid suspension. The student must raise the cumulative GPA to at least the minimum requirement at their own expense or may appeal the suspension to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee.

III. Quantitative Standards

Attempted and Completed Hours

Quantitative analysis will be performed at the conclusion of each term.

NOTE: Hours attempted at UCCS are defined as the class hours a student is enrolled for on the day following the census date (as published in each semester's class schedule).

Withdrawals after the census date, repeated courses, failures, and incomplete courses all count as hours attempted at UCCS.

All transfer credit hours are included together with hours attempted at UCCS as the sum total of hours attempted. Transfer credit hours affect maximum hours (see B below), but do not affect the cumulative completion percentage requirement (see A below).

A. Both undergraduate and graduate students must complete at least 75 percent of all class hours attempted at UCCS.

If an undergraduate falls to below the 75 percent completion rate requirement for the first time, then that student will be given a probationary semester in order to correct the problem. A warning letter will be sent to the student explaining the situation, and recommending that the student seek assistance at the Student Success Center. The student must then complete 100 percent of attempted hours until the cumulative completion rate is at least 75 percent or, if applicable, the student must (during the probationary term) complete as many attempted hours as are necessary to bring the overall completion rate to at least 75 percent. If an undergraduate student completes 100 percent of attempted hours during the initial probationary term, but the cumulative completion rate remains below 75 percent, the student will be given an additional probationary term in order to raise the completion rate to at least 75 percent. As long as the student continues to complete 100 percent of all attempted hours, he or she will be given additional probationary semesters as long as necessary to raise the overall completion rate to at least 75 percent.

If during the probationary semester the student does not complete either 100 percent or the attempted hours, or the percentage of attempted hours necessary to raise the completion rate to at least 75 percent, the student will be placed on Financial Aid suspension. If future aid is to be considered, the student must make up the hours at their own expense, or appeal the suspension to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee.

If an undergraduate student falls to below the 75 completion rate requirement for more than one term, the student will be placed on Financial Aid suspension until the student raises their overall completion rate to at least 75 percent at their own expense, or appeals the suspension to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee.

There is not a probationary term for graduate students. If a graduate student falls to below the 75 percent cumulative completion rate requirement at any time, the student will be placed on Financial Aid suspension. The student must raise the overall completion rate to at least 75 percent at their own expense or may appeal the suspension to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee.

B. Undergraduate students may receive Financial Aid for a maximum of 150 percent of the class hours normally required to complete their degree program. There are no exceptions to this limit.

All transfer credit hours and all class hours attempted at UCCS count toward maximum hours.

IV. Financial Aid Advisory Committee

Students who are ineligible for financial aid or who have been suspended from financial aid may appeal such decisions to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee.

The Financial Aid Advisory Committee will be made up of at least three members to include at least one student, one faculty, and one staff. None of the members of the Committee will be employees of the Office of Financial Aid/Student Employment. The Committee will, in addition, have as a member a non-voting Facilitator who will be a staff member in the Office of Financial Aid/Student Employment.

The Facilitator will be responsible for supervising the Financial Aid Advisory Committee- made up of students, faculty, and staff from outside the Office of Financial Aid/Student Employment- which will also be concerned with scholarship and other Financial Aid matters as well as those related to appeals of suspension of aid.

The recommendations of the Financial Aid Advisory Committee to approve or deny appeals will be forwarded to the Director of Financial Aid. The student will be notified in writing of the final decision of the appeal. If the student wishes to appeal further after following the appropriate appeal procedures, an appeal may be made to the Dean of Student Life.