Satisfactory Academic Progress

NOTE: Please review this policy carefully to determine your eligibility for continued financial aid!

In order to receive financial aid from any of the Federal, State of Alaska, or UA funds, a student must be fully admitted into an eligible degree or certificate program. The student must also maintain satisfactory academic progress toward his/her educational goal as defined below.

Minimum requirements | Review | Probation | Continuing probation | Academic
Performance more than 5 years ago | Grades | Freshmen and Transfer Students | Maximum Credits | Terms without Aid | Incompletes | Repeat Courses | Remedial Courses | Telecourses and Distance Delivered Courses | Challenge and 500-Level Courses | Withdrawals | Institutional Funds | Other Sources of Aid | Suspension | Reinstatement | Disbursements

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Minimum requirements

A student must be admitted to an undergraduate, graduate, or certificate program without any conditions (missing transcripts, missing test scores, etc.)

1. Full-time undergraduate students (taking 12 or more credits) must successfully complete at least 12 credits each term with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. See Probation.
2. Three-quarter time undergraduate students (students enrolling for 9, 10 or 11 credits) must successfully complete at least 9 credits each term with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
3. Half-time undergraduate students (students enrolling for 6, 7 or 8 credits) must successfully complete at least 6 credits each term with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. 
4. Full-time graduate students (students enrolling for 9 or more graduate credits) must successfully complete at least 9 graduate credits each term with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. 
5. Half-time graduate students (students enrolling in 6, 7 or 8 graduate credits) must successfully complete at least 6 graduate credits each term with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. 

6. All students who are attending less than half-time during any term must successfully complete at least 1 credit each term with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (3.0 for graduate students).

Review

Academic progress will be reviewed at the end of each semester to ensure that the student has maintained the minimum cumulative GPA and has completed the required minimum number of credits.

Probation

• Students in section A of Minimum Requirements above, who complete at least 9 credits in a term will be placed on probation for their next term and will be eligible to receive financial aid during their term of probation.
• Students in section B above, who complete at least 6 credits in a term and students in section D who complete at least 6 graduate credits in a term will be placed on probation for their next term and will be eligible to receive financial aid during their term of probation.
• Students in sections C, E, and F have no probation period if they fail to complete the minimum number of credits.
• Undergraduate students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0, but who complete the required number of credits, will be placed on probation for their next term. Failure to regain good standing status within the one semester of probation will result in the suspension of financial aid.

Continuing probation

Undergraduate students who are placed on probation and who complete the required number of credits within the one semester of probation with a semester GPA of 2.0 or higher, but whose cumulative GPA is still below 2.0, will continue on probation for the next term of attendance.

Academic performance more than 5 years ago

If a student’s ineligibility is based on academic performance at the University of Alaska that is more than five academic years in the past, then the student will be placed on probation for their first term of re-attendance. Failure to reestablish good standing status within the one semester of probation will result in the suspension of financial aid.

Grades

Grades of AU, DF, F, I, W, NB, NC and NP indicate unsatisfactory completion of courses for financial aid purposes. DF grades assigned for thesis work in progress will be allowed as satisfactory for one term only. Failure of a student to satisfactorily complete the required number of credits during the academic year will result in the suspension of most types of financial aid.

Freshmen and Transfer

First-time freshmen and transfer students with no prior academic history within the University of Alaska system are considered to be making satisfactory academic progress for the first semester of enrollment.

Terms without aid

Satisfactory academic progress must be maintained even during terms in which aid is not received.

Maximum credits

The maximum number of credits for which a student may receive financial aid is 150% of the published credit requirements of his/her educational program. Usually 180 credits for a bachelor’s degree and 90 credits for an associate’s degree comprise 150% of the basic graduation requirements. The credit count starts from the very first credit attempted, regardless of whether or not the student received financial aid. Any course for which a student receives credit, including transferred courses, repeated courses, and challenged courses, are included in this calculation.

Incomplete grades

Incomplete courses will not be considered complete until official confirmation has been received in the Financial Aid Office showing satisfactory completion of the incomplete with a passing grade.

Repeat courses

Repeated courses that are required for a student’s degree program count toward the minimum credit hour load required for aid during a given semester (see Maximum Credits).

Remedial coursework

Students who enroll in remedial coursework (less than 100 level) may receive financial aid. Note : some remedial coursework, such as MATH 054 at UAS, is not considered to be at least secondary level and is NOT fundable by any of the federal aid programs. Consult your financial aid office for specific information.
Consult your financial aid office for specific information.

Telecourses and Distance Delivered courses

These courses count toward the credit hour load and may be used to fulfill credit hour requirements for financial aid if the courses are required for a student’s degree program. Note : Students are still required to complete these classes within the term that they enroll (year-long correspondence courses are NOT eligible for financial aid).

Challenge courses and 500-level courses

These courses are NOT fundable by any type of financial aid .

Withdrawals

Students who totally withdraw from the university, after receiving financial aid, will be suspended from receiving future financial aid and may be liable for refunds and/or return of Title IV funds.

Institutional Funds

Students receiving scholarships, grants, or tuition waivers from UA are expected to meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements listed in this document. Please be advised, however, that some scholarships and waivers require a higher GPA for continued receipt; requirements for scholarships will be stipulated in the UA scholarship information packet.

Other sources of aid

Students receiving scholarships or financial aid from such sources as BIA, regional and village corporations, civic groups, and private organizations are expected to meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements of UA unless the agency or group instructs the Financial Aid Office, in writing, to waive our requirements for these specific funds.

Financial aid suspension

Financial aid suspension will result from failure to:

1. Complete the minimum number of credits required during the term.

2. Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 for undergraduates and 3.0 for graduates

3. Graduate prior to exceeding the maximum number of credits allowed for the student's program ( see Maximum Credits).

4. Meet the requirements of an appeal approval. A student who is suspended again after failing to meet these requirements, MUST attend on his/her own without financial aid and earn the required cumulative GPA in order to regain eligibility. ( See Makeup). Subsequent appeals may be considered if a student has experienced unusual, extenuating circumstances

Reinstatement

1. Appeals:
   A student whose financial aid has been suspended may appeal that decision. Appeals should be directed to the Financial Aid Office. Appeal forms are available in the Financial Aid Office, or they can be downloaded or submitted online.

   Written documentation is required for appeals for financial aid reinstatement. The Financial Aid Office will review all appeals to determine whether reinstatement of aid will be granted. If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on financial aid probation for one semester and the student must meet the condition(s) of her/his appeal. Failure to regain good standing status within the probation semester will result in the suspension of future financial aid. Consult your Financial Aid Office for specific information on the appeal process.

2. Makeup:
   A student who does not wish to appeal or whose appeal has been denied may regain eligibility by attending course(s) during a subsequent term, at the student’s expense. A student must complete the number of credits for which s/he received aid and must earn the required cumulative GPA. This process may take no more than two consecutive semesters. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office when makeup is complete. 

Disbursements

Funds cannot be disbursed for prior semesters when a student had failed to maintain satisfactory academic progress. Approval of appeals is for the semester of the appeal only and not for a preceding term. Download the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

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