This Replaces File 220.31 220.31 Date 7/1/03 4/13/01

ORIGINATOR: Associate Vice President, Financial Aid

SUBJECT: Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress - Graduate Students

I. Introduction

1. These guidelines have been developed in accordance with Federal financial aid statutes and regulations governing student eligibility. Students who receive financial aid must demonstrate financial need and make satisfactory academic progress as determined by University of Maryland University College pursuant to Federal law.

2. Financial aid recipients are required to be in good standing and to maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward their degree requirements for each semester/period of enrollment in which they are enrolled. In addition to meeting the academic standards outlined in UMUC Policy 158.00 - Academic Levels of Progress, financial aid recipients are required to meet the SAP standards outlined in this Policy. Satisfactory academic progress for financial aid recipients, as described below, is evaluated three times annually, in January, June, and August. Failure to maintain SAP, as described below, may result in cancellation of financial aid awards, and the student may have to repay any funds already received.

II. Minimum Standards for Graduate Students

1. UMUC's institutional requirements for minimum SAP requirements for financial aid recipients are defined as follows:

1. Minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA).
   The student must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

2. Minimum passing grade.
   The minimum passing grade for a graduate student is a B grade for each course. A graduate student may not receive a grade of C or below for a course in the most recent semester/period of enrollment and be considered to meet the minimum academic standards for a financial aid recipient.

3. Minimum completion rate.
   The student must maintain a minimum cumulative completion rate of two-thirds of credits attempted (67%).

4. Maximum Timeframe to Completion.
   Federally mandated maximum timeframe to complete the program/degree. The student must complete his or her educational program within a time frame no longer than 150% of the published length of the educational program, as measured by credits attempted and including transfer credits (for example, complete his or her program after attempting a maximum of 54 credits for a 36 credit program).

2. Federal regulations require that we track the academic progress of financial aid recipients from the first date of enrollment at UMUC, whether or not financial aid was received. Credits transferred from all other credit sources will be considered as attempted and completed credits in the evaluation of the completion rate standards.

3. Students who do not earn their degree within with the Maximum Timeframe to Completion, outlined above, will be placed on Financial Aid Denial, not Financial Aid Probation. No financial aid will be disbursed for the student during subsequent semesters/periods of enrollment unless the student has made an appeal of the Financial Aid Denied status and the appeal is granted.

III. Treatment of W, I, AU, F, S, P, RT, H & G Grades, No Grade Reported, and Repeated Course Work

1. Course withdrawals (W) after the drop/add period are not included in the GPA calculation, but are considered a non?completion of attempted course work.

2. Incomplete (I) grades are not included in the GPA calculation, and are considered a non?completion of attempted course work until the Incomplete grade is replaced with a permanent grade and academic progress can be re?evaluated.

3. An audit (AU) grade or a Course Taken Out of Sequence grade (H) is not considered attempted course work. It is not included in the GPA calculation or completion rate determinations.

4. A satisfactory grade (S), a passing grade (P), or a Repeat Through Transfer grade (RT) is treated as attempted credits which are earned, but is not included in calculation of GPA.

5. F-grades will be treated as attempted credits that were not earned, and so will be included both in the calculation of GPA and minimum completion rate. This is true for both Fa grades (failed - academic) and for Fn grades (fail due to non-completion).

6. If a G-grade (grade pending) or no grade is assigned, for any reason, it will not be included in the GPA calculation, and will be considered a non?completion of attempted course work until a grade is assigned and academic progress can be re?evaluated.

7. The highest grade earned in a course that is repeated will count in the GPA computation, but every repeated attempt will be included in the completion rate determinations. No financial aid can be disbursed for a repeated attempt if the student already has achieved a passing grade for that course.

IV. Financial Aid Probation Status

1. Graduate students who fail to meet the minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average standard or fail to complete at least two-thirds of cumulative credits attempted or who receive a grade of C or below for a course in the most recent semester/period of enrollment will be placed on Financial Aid Probation for the subsequent semester/period of enrollment.

2. Financial aid is received during the probationary period. Financial aid disbursements for the subsequent semester/period of enrollment will be held until the grades and course completions have been reviewed for the probationary semesters/period of enrollment.

3. Graduate students receiving financial aid for the first time will be placed on Financial Aid Probation if they do not meet the minimum grade point average or course completion standards as noted in this Policy in previous semesters/periods of enrollment at UMUC.

V. Financial Aid Denied Status

1. Graduate students who, while on Financial Aid Probation or on Financial Aid Denied status, fail to maintain the minimum completion rate of 67% and/or fail to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and/or receive a grade of C or below for a course in the most recent semester/period of enrollment, will be placed on Financial Aid Denied status for subsequent semesters/period of enrollment. No financial aid will be disbursed for future semesters/periods of enrollment until the student is removed from Financial Aid Denied status.

2. Graduate students who do not earn their degree within the Maximum Timeframe to Completion will be placed in Financial Aid Denied status. No aid will be disbursed during subsequent semesters/periods of enrollment unless the student has made an appeal and the appeal is granted for that semester/period of enrollment (refer to Section VII of this policy for appeal procedures). There are no exceptions to this requirement.

VI. Reinstatement of Aid After Financial Aid Denied Status

1. Reinstatement of financial aid after a student is placed in Financial Aid Denied status is achieved in one of the following ways:

1. The student submits a written letter of appeal in accordance with the appeal process and the Financial Aid Appeals Committee grants the appeal. The student is placed on Financial Aid Probation for the semester/period of enrollment rather than in Financial Aid Denied status.

2. The student attends UMUC, pays for tuition and fees without the help of student financial aid, and does well enough in the course work to satisfy all the satisfactory academic progress standards. The student regains aid eligibility in a probationary status. Students who are in Financial Aid Denied status for failure to graduate within the Maximum Timeframe to Completion cannot regain eligibility this way. Students who are beyond the Maximum Timeframe to Completion cannot regain financial aid eligibility except on a semester/period of enrollment by semester/period of enrollment basis through the appeal process.

VII. Appeal Process

1. The student must submit an appeal of Financial Aid Denied status in writing to the Associate Director of Financial Aid by the date specified in the Financial Aid Denied notification letter.

2. The Financial Aid Appeals Committee will review the appeal and notify the student in writing of their decision within 14 working days after the Appeals Committee meets and makes its determination.