SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY

COMPONENTS

The GCSU definition of satisfactory academic progress for receiving financial aid includes the following components:

I. QUALITATIVE STANDARDS

GCSU uses the 4.0 grade point average and numerical code:

4.0 = A 1.0 = D

3.0 = B 0.0 = F

2.0 = C 0.0=WF

Students are expected to maintain the following overall institution grade point average (GPA) based on the number of semester hours earned:

A) UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Semester Hours Earned (Exclusive of Learning Support; Inclusive of Transfer work)	Required Institutional Average on GCSU Hours Attempted (No Transfer Grades Included)
0-30	1.40
31-60	1.60
61-over	1.80
Graduation	2.00

B) GRADUATE STUDENTS

Any student who's institutional GPA falls below a 3.0 will be on financial aid probation.

II. QUANTITATIVE PROCESS

Students are expected to successfully complete 67 percent of all GCSU enrolled course work. The Student Financial Aid Office staff will verify enrollment status five days after classes begin according to the following table:

Full-time Three-quarter time Half-time

Undergraduate 12-up 11-9 8-6

Graduate 9-up 8-6 5

III. MAXIMUM TIME FRAME

Students who attended on a full-time basis at GCSU will have the following time frame (subject to individual program regulations) in which to receive consideration for financial aid:

Undergraduate Students: 12 Semesters or 190 Attempted Hours

Graduate Students (Masters Degree): 6 Semesters or 55 Attempted Hours

Graduate Students (Specialist in Education): 4 Semesters or 41 Attempted Hours

The time frame for students who attend other than full-time will be determined on a yearly basis taking into account the enrollment status of the student. Students who begin their education at another institution and then transfer to GCSU will have their standing classified by the appropriate office.

Academic Requirements for Receiving Financial Aid

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, mandates institutions of higher education to establish a standard of satisfactory academic progress for students who receive financial aid. This standard must apply to the student's entire academic history, whether Title IV financial aid was received or not. In order to remain eligible to receive aid at Georgia College & State University, students must meet the standards specified for acceptable academic performance and for satisfactory progress toward the completion of their program of study. The standards are established within the framework of applicable federal regulations specifically for the purpose of determining the eligibility of students to receive aid under the generally funded Title IV programs, including ACG, SMART, Federal Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, Federal Work-Study, Georgia's HOPE Scholarship, and Federal Family Education Loan Programs (Stafford, PLUS). They should not be confused with Probation or Good Standing as defined by academic regulations.

For these students, financial aid eligibility is identical to that of GCSU students with comparable hours. (i.e., Transfer students who are classified as juniors will have the same eligibility as GCSU juniors.) Students who are required to take learning support courses may have their time frame extended. Students may be considered to receive financial aid for learning support and other non-credit coursework up to 30 semester hours provided they meet GCSU requirements for making satisfactory progress in the program.