Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations require that all financial aid recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress. To successfully maintain academic progress, students must meet the requirements for credit hour completion, cumulative GPA, and length of enrollment.  Progress is reviewed at the end of each semester, quarter, or summer session.

Probation and Suspension Status

Failure to meet the following criteria will result in a financial aid probation status:
•  Completion of 70% of attempted  hours; 
•  Maintenance of a 2.00 cumulative GPA.

Qualified students are eligible for Financial Aid when on probation. 

Probated students who do not complete 70% of their attempted hours and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or above, will be placed on financial aid suspension the following term.

 

How to remove probation

 
Students on probation are required to successfully complete 70% of attempted hours and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00 in order to have probation status lifted.

 
How to remove suspension

Students are required to successfully complete 70% of attempted hours (a minimum of 6 credits)during one term of enrollment with their own funds and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.00 in order to have suspension lifted.  It is the student's responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office when enough credit hours and 2.0 cumulative grade point average have been successfully completed to lift suspension status  Students may also have suspension lifted if an appeal is granted by the Appeals Committee.  If suspension status is lifted, student will be on financial aid probation for the next term of enrollment.

Transfer hours, military advanced standing credits, CLEP hours, or not enrolling will not lift probation or suspension status at SPC.

 

Review of first-time applicants, Returning Students, or Transfers

When applying for financial aid, all previous hours at South Plains College will be evaluated for possible financial aid probation/suspension status. This includes transfer hours from other institutions.

 

Maximum Time Frame

 
Students are meeting satisfactory academic progress if total cumulative hours attempted are not greater than 150% of the hours required for a degree/certificate in t he program of study (no more than 105 hours for an Associate Degree; no more than 50 hours toward a Certificate Program).  Transfer hours as well as all hours attempted at SPC are included in the calculation; however, when a student changes their program of study, special consideration may be given  Students on suspension for length due to seeking multiple degrees/certificates or changing of major should appeal. The Financial Aid Committee will review all appeals on a case-by-case basis.   As stipulated in the federal regulations, the 150% time limit  includes any semester or quarter a student attempts or completes using their own resources.   Students should view their major code on Campus Connect and update it with their Academic Advisor, if necessary. 
 
 

Review of Failures, Incompletes and Withdrawals

Students who complete less than 70% of attempted hours, because of an F, W, X or I grade, will be placed on probation or suspension. If an Incomplete grade is changed to a satisfactory grade, probation or suspension will be lifted.   Withdrawing from a class, or all classes, before the OFFICIAL CENSUS DAY of the term will not place student on probation or suspension. Students who completely withdraw can be subject to the R2T4 regulations and repayment of funds if the required credit hours for program eligibility is not maintained through the official census day. The official census day is the 12th class day for the fall and spring semesters, the 8th class day for any quarter, and summer dates will vary according to the length of the term.

 

Review of Non-Punitive Grades

Students who receive a grade of PR or P in a class will not be penalized, unless the 150% time limit is exceeded. A grade of PR or P will not affect the students GPA.

 

Review of College-Level Repeated Courses

Repeated courses will be included in the 150% time limit. The financial aid GPA can be improved by earning a higher letter grade in a repeated class.  Earning a lower grade in a repeated class,  could damage the financial aid GPA. 
 
 

Review of Remedial Courses

Remedial hours are included in the cumulative GPA for financial aid purposes, including awarding, disbursement and  calculation of probation and suspension status. Students will be limited to a maximum of 30 hours of remediation while receiving financial aid. Students who exceed 30 hours of remediation will be responsible for paying for remedial courses with their own funds. Financial aid will continue to pay for the non-remedial classes if all South Plains College, state and federal requirements are met. The remedial hours are included in the 150% time limit. The financial aid GPA includes remedial coursework; and the academic GPA includes only college level coursework.

 

Payment after regaining financial aid eligibility

Whether students reestablish their eligibility by enrolling and using their own funds or through the appeal process, the student may be paid Federal Pell Grant, campus-based funds and FFELP Loan funds for the payment period in which the eligibility was regained  Students may not be paid for any period in which Satisfactory Academic Progress standards were not met.

 

How you will be notified

Students placed on probation or suspension will be notified by a letter via the U.S. postal service to the address we have on file from the FAFSA  or an email notification will be sent to the address that is on file with the Admissions and Records Office.