Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Recipients

CCSU is required by federal law to establish, publish and apply reasonable standards for measuring whether a student is maintaining satisfactory academic progress toward a degree objective, and to ensure progress toward the degree for all periods of enrollment, whether or not the student has received financial aid. These standards are applicable to all financial aid recipients at CCSU and affect eligibility for all federal and state aid, including grants, student loans, and work-study.

SPECIAL NOTE: For 2012-2013 financial aid eligibility: All Students must accomplish a passing rate of 67.5% by the end of spring 2012 during the 2011-12 academic year to be eligible for 2012-13 financial aid.

Degree Objective-Specific Minimum CCSU GPA

• Doctoral, Masters: 3.0
• Credential/certification:  2.5
• Undergraduates:
  Junior/Senior (54+ credits):    2.0
  Sophomore   (26-53 credits): 2.0
  Freshmen      (0-25 credits):  2.0

Completion of 67.5% of Attempted Units with Passing Grades

Students must complete at least 67.5% of the credits attempted with a passing grade of A, B, C, D, P.    For example, a student who enrolls in 30 credits for an academic year must complete at least 20 credits (30 x .675 = 20). Non-passing grades of F, INC, NC, U, W, and AU will lower a student's completion rate.

All attempted credits resulting in either an academic grade or administrative transcript notation will be included in the quantitative calculation.  Incomplete courses, course withdrawals, course repeats and non credit remedial courses will be included in this assessment.  Transfer credits will be counted as attempted and earned credits in the calculation for determining satisfactory academic progress.

Eligibility Limit - Credit Hour Cap

Students must complete their program within 150% of their program's required credit hours. For example, a student in a 120 credit hours program must receive his/her degree within 180 credits. All graded coursework will be counted, including transfer credit hours, repeats, and withdrawals. Up to 30 remedial credits may be excluded.

Financial Aid Warning

Students will be placed on warning status (can receive aid) at the end of the academic semester if any of the following applies:

• CCSU GPA falls below their objective-specific GPA
• Completion rate of attempted units with passing grades falls between 50% and 67.5%.

WARNING STATUS is LISTED under the Financial Aid tab on Central pipeline

• GPA - Warning Failed GPA, Credits OK  (did not make the necessary GPA requirement of 2.0)
• CREDIT - Warning Failed Credit requirement, GPA OK (did not complete 67.5% of attempted credit hours)
• COMBO - Warning Failed Credit and GPA (did not make the necessary GPA requirement and did not complete 67.5% of attempted credit hours)

Federal Regulations require students who have reached Junior or Senior status to maintain at least a 2.0 CCSU Grade Point Average.

Financial Aid Probation

Students will become disqualified from receiving financial aid if any of the following applies:

• Student is in any Financial Aid warning status for two consecutive academic semesters;
• Student completes fewer than 67.5% of their attempted credits with passing grades;
• Student fails to complete their program within 150% of their degree program required units.

 PROBATION STATUS is LISTED under the Financial Aid tab on Central pipeline

• NOSAP - FA Probation - Appeal required (student is not making Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress and must appeal to the Registrar's Office).

Financial Aid Appeal

Students who become disqualified from receiving financial aid will be notified on their CCSU e-mail account and will be provided instructions on the financial aid appeal process. Appeals will be evaluated based on the student's extenuating circumstances.

Regaining Eligibility

Students who are disqualified due to low GPA or low credit hour completion will regain financial aid eligibility once they achieve the required GPA or credit completion as long as they have not completed more than 150% of their program requirements. Undergraduate students who are disqualified due to exceeding the 150% of the required units for their program will regain eligibility after they become a master's or credential student after their bachelor's degree is posted. Students who meet this condition before the spring semester may submit a SAP Appeal Form to request their eligibility be reinstated; otherwise progress will be reviewed after spring grades have posted.

How to Contact the Financial Aid Office

If you have any questions about financial aid, just contact us. We're here to help.