Losing Financial Aid for Unsatisfactory Academic Progress (2024)

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Financial Aid

Can you lose your financial aid just for getting bad grades? Yes -- learn more.

Kathryn Knight Randolph

December 14, 2023

Losing Financial Aid for Unsatisfactory Academic Progress (1)

Find out why getting Cs and Ds could lead to a loss of financial aid.

Some students in college have found out the hard way that getting good grades literally pays. In the world of higher education, academics and financial aid go hand-in-hand. One must keep their grades satisfactory in order to maintain their financial aid package.

Satisfactory versus Unsatisfactory Grades

To be eligible for federal student aid and college financial aid, a student must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). This generally consists of maintaining at least a 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (i.e., at least a C average) and passing enough classes with progress toward a degree. About one in ten college students will have a cumulative GPA that is less than 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

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Scholarships also have satisfactory academic progress requirements. Oftentimes, these requirements are even stricter than university policies. Many private scholarships require recipients to maintain a higher GPA.

Implications of Unsatisfactory Academic Progress (i.e., Bad Grades)

If a student loses financial aid for a failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress, the student may be able to regain eligibility by getting better grades. Until then, however, the student will be ineligible for financial aid and will have to pay for the college costs on his or her own.

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The student will be ineligible for all forms of federal student aid, including all types of federal education loans. Some students who are ineligible for federal student aid will borrow from private student loan programs, but this can be rather expensive.

Exceptions to the Rule

In some cases a student may be able to appeal for a temporary waiver of the satisfactory academic progress rules. These circ*mstances include when the failure to make satisfactory academic progress was due to injury or illness of the student, death of a relative of the student, or other special circ*mstances.

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The appeal should not only document the special circ*mstances (e.g., a letter from the student’s doctor) and explain how the circ*mstances affected the student’s performance, but also explain what has changed which will allow the student’s performance to improve.However, these are the only circ*mstances in which a student may fight to regain financial aid eligibility. A family’s financial circ*mstances will not help alleviate the suspension. Students lose eligibility for federal student aid if they are no longer maintaining satisfactory academic progress, regardless of financial need. There are no special exceptions to the satisfactory academic progress requirements for low-income students.This is unfortunate, because low-income students often lack the resources to continue paying for college on their own without financial aid, not even for a semester or two. Low-income students are also unlikely to qualify for private student loans. Students should always file an appeal if the failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress is due to extenuating circ*mstances. If a low-income student cannot afford to pay for tuition without financial aid, the student should ask the college about taking classes at a local community college. If these classes are accepted for credit by the student’s college, it will help the student regain eligibility at much lower cost.There is also a loophole in the rules concerning satisfactory academic progress that may allow a student to regain eligibility for financial aid by changing majors or degree programs or by transferring to another college. Depending on the college’s policies, classes that don’t count toward the new major may be excluded from the determination of satisfactory academic progress. This can effectively reset the student’s eligibility for federal student aid.

What You Should Know Before Going to College

It is a good idea to start by reading the college’s satisfactory academic progress policy, which can be found on the college’s website or course catalog. The college’s financial aid office can also provide a copy of the policy upon request. It’s also important for students to know the best practices of their school before they begin classes. For instance, at a larger school, attendance is rarely taken. However, at smaller schools, attendance is not only taken each meeting; it’s part of the letter grade. It doesn’t matter how well a student performs on tests or essays, if he or she is rarely in class, it will bring their grade – and their GPA – down.Being prepared with what your school expects of you ahead of time will lessen the chances of you falling below unsatisfactory academic progress and losing financial aid or scholarships. So far as you can help it, work hard to keep your academic standing and attendance within the acceptable range. Most importantly, ask for help if you feel like your grades or understanding are slipping. Colleges are dedicated to helping their students become better; your school will not hesitate to help you find what and who you need in order to perform successfully!

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Losing Financial Aid for Unsatisfactory Academic Progress (2024)

FAQs

Losing Financial Aid for Unsatisfactory Academic Progress? ›

If a student loses financial aid for a failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress, the student may be able to regain eligibility by getting better grades. Until then, however, the student will be ineligible for financial aid and will have to pay for the college costs on his or her own.

Does unsatisfactory affect financial aid? ›

But these funds do have academic eligibility requirements, as outlined in your school's satisfactory academic progress (SAP) guidelines. So if you fail to meet the SAP requirements set by your school's financial aid office, you could be cut off from future aid.

What happens if you don t meet satisfactory academic progress? ›

If you don't make satisfactory academic progress, the school may give you a financial aid warning. You'll still receive financial aid during the warning period, which typically lasts for one academic term. If you don't catch up by the end of your warning period, your federal financial aid can be suspended.

Can you lose financial aid for bad grades? ›

One of the many requirements you need to meet to keep your financial aid is maintaining a certain GPA set by your school. If your grades dip below that or you have an incomplete class or withdrawal, it could cause you to lose access to all financial aid, including federal loans.

Do you lose financial aid on academic warning? ›

If the grades earned during the student's Warning term do not allow the student to meet all SAP components, they will be placed to Not Meet for their next semester of enrollment and lose aid eligibility for future semesters at that time.

How many classes can you fail before you lose financial aid? ›

*SAP allows financial aid to be awarded ONLY to students who have NOT attempted more than 150% of the units required to complete their degree. For an undergraduate student, SAP cumulative limit is exhausted at 270 attempted units.

What disqualifies you from getting financial aid? ›

Other reasons for financial aid disqualification include: Not maintaining satisfactory progress at your college or degree program. Not filling out the FAFSA each year you are enrolled in school. Defaulting on a student loan.

Can I regain my financial aid eligibility? ›

If your grades slipped due to extenuating circ*mstances, such as a death in the family, an illness or other reasons outside of your control, you may be able to appeal your financial aid office's decision and regain your eligibility.

What are the 3 criteria for meeting satisfactory academic progress? ›

SAP measures academic performance based on three standards: cumulative grade point average (GPA), pace, and maximum timeframe.

What is the 150 rule for satisfactory academic progress? ›

If a student attempts more than 150% of the credits required for their degree then they will fail SAP and become ineligible for any further federal financial aid. Appeals for exceeding the 150% maximum time frame are only granted in very extenuating cases. Example: 120 credit Bachelors' degree x 150% = 180 credits.

How do I get my financial aid back after failing? ›

If your grades start slipping and you lose access to federal student loans, you may be able to get them back. You can file an appeal directly with your school explaining why your grades slipped. In extenuating circ*mstances, such as an illness or death in the family, the school can reestablish your eligibility.

Will I lose financial aid after one bad semester? ›

Students lose eligibility for federal student aid if they are no longer maintaining satisfactory academic progress, regardless of financial need. There are no special exceptions to the satisfactory academic progress requirements for low-income students.

Do I have to pay back financial aid if I fail a class? ›

Pell Grants also require satisfactory academic progress, and your school sets that standard. If you fail a class, then you may lose your grant or need to pay it back. If your GPA was high enough before you failed a class, then you might still be in the clear.

At what point do you lose financial aid? ›

Some of the most common ways to lose student aid eligibility include defaulting on a federal student loan or not maintaining satisfactory academic progress.

Will I lose financial aid if I'm on academic probation? ›

While on probation, you are still eligible to receive financial aid. However, if your GPA also falls below the university's guidelines for maintaining satisfactory academic progress (SAP), you may become ineligible for Federal Student Aid (FSA).

What is satisfactory academic progress for financial aid? ›

Satisfactory academic progress is the process a school uses to determine if a student is meeting all of his or her educational requirements and is on target to graduate on time with a degree or certificate. This process may vary across schools. Was this page helpful?

Does financial aid go down if you fail a class? ›

Pell Grants also require satisfactory academic progress, and your school sets that standard. If you fail a class, then you may lose your grant or need to pay it back. If your GPA was high enough before you failed a class, then you might still be in the clear.

Will I lose financial aid if I fail my classes? ›

To maintain your eligibility for financial aid, you must meet specific academic requirements throughout your time in school. If you fail classes or need to complete more credits, you may lose your scholarships, grants or loans.

How does failing affect financial aid? ›

If you do not maintain an overall Pace of at least 67%, federal aid eligibility can be lost. Find out more on our Satisfactory Academic Progress page.

What can you do if you are unhappy with your financial aid decision? ›

Reach Out to the Admissions Office

A school's financial aid office only handles need-based aid, so contact the admissions office for appeals related to merit aid. Most additional awards granted by schools are scholarships. "I see a lot of appeals for merit scholarships that are really need-based appeals," Kendall says.

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