Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Progress Standards

The following regulations apply to all students receiving federal student financial assistance.

Financial aid recipients must maintain the following cumulative grade point average to be considered making satisfactory progress in order to retain Federal Title IV Student Financial Assistance.

**Cumulative GPA for Satisfactory Progress**
Total Hours Atempted	Minimum Required GPA
0 - 14	No minimum
14.1 - 26	1.0
26.1 - 40	1.4
40.1 - 48	1.7
48.1 - 56	1.9
56.1 and above	2.0

Financial aid recipients will be evaluated each semester based on their grade point average as defined above.
1. Financial aid recipients who fall under the academic probation category will be considered to be on financial aid probation and may continue to receive financial assistance.
2. Financial Aid recipients who fall under the academic probation category for two successive terms will not be considered to be making satisfactory progress and will not be eligible for continued financial aid. In order to restore their eligibility for financial aid, students must attend school on their own (paying their own expenses) and achieve satisfactory progress.
3. An "I" grade will be viewed as an "F" until the class is completed.
Students who are suspended from Southwest Tennessee Community College will not be eligible for any student financial assistance during the time of suspension. Suspended students who are readmitted to Southwest Tennessee Community College will be ineligible for federal student financial aid for the returning semester and until such time as satisfactory academic progress has been established.
Students who receive a 0.0 grade point average (due to all "F" grades) for a semester will not receive federal or state financial aid the following term. In addition, students will be asked to repay Southwest Tennessee Community College the federal financial aid funds received for the semester based on the last documented date of attendance.
Financial aid recipients who fail to complete any credit hours (due to all "W" grades) will not be eligible to receive federal or state financial aid the following term. If a student is determined to have achieved satisfactory academic progress at the end of the subsequent term of attendance, then student financial assistance can be continued for the following terms.
At the end of each award year the financial aid recipients will be evaluated to determine if minimum acceptable program progress has been achieved in meeting the requirements of their degree. Minimum acceptable program progress is defined as passing two-thirds of the hours or classes attempted during the award year. "I" grades and "W" grades do not count as passed courses in the two-thirds calculation, but are counted as courses attempted. All grades are defined in the Southwest Tennessee Community College catalog.
Once students lose eligibility for financial aid because of not meeting satisfactory academic progress standards, they may restore their eligibility by attending on their own (paying their own expenses) and achieving satisfactory progress. Students desiring to attend the term immediately after making unsatisfactory progress should be prepared to pay their own fees at registration. If a student on unsatisfactory academic progress believes he or she has mitigating circumstances, he or she may present a written appeal to the Director of Financial Aid within seven days of grades being posted. If the appeal is granted, the student may continue to receive student aid. If the appeal is not granted, the decision of the Director of Financial Aid may be appealed to the Executive Director of Enrollment Operations.
In order to insure that a student completes his or her degree within a reasonable time period, a maximum time frame has been established by Southwest. Students are expected to complete their designated program of study in 150 percent of the time normally required for graduation.

Definitions

All F, I, and W grades for Term (FANDW)

You earned all F's, I's or W's for the current or last term attended. This circumstance also applies if you earned an I grade in at least one of your courses.

Fail Cumulative GPA (GPA)

You have not met the minimum GPA requirements for the total number of attempted course hours. (See the table under Satisfactory Progress Standards)

Fail Maximum Hours (MAXHRS)

You have exceeded the number of hours allowed for your particular program of study (major). Each program has a maximum number of hours allowed in which a student can receive federal aid. Once the student has exceeded those number of hours, he/she is no longer eligible to receive federal aid. You must submit this appeal form along with a signed degree audit from your academic advisor to be considered for continued financial aid.

Completed Less Than 2/3 (TWOTRD)

You must complete (earn A, B, C or D grades) two-thirds (67 percent) of your enrolled courses. If you complete less than 67%, you must complete a financial aid appeal.