FINANCIAL AID: Satisfactory Academic Progress
In order to receive Federal Student Aid, the U.S. Department of Education requires that students maintain satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of their degree. Federal Student Aid includes Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National SMART Grant, TEACH Grant, Work-Study, Perkins Loan, Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Grant (LEAP), Stafford Loan (Subsidized and Unsubsidized), and PLUS Loan. Also, other Federal Agencies may require students to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress for their aid programs.
The academic record of all students will be monitored to ensure compliance with the requirements specified below. Therefore, even the academic record of those who have not received Federal Student Aid in the past may impact future eligibility. Failure to meet any one of the following three standards will result in financial aid suspension of eligibility for Federal Student Aid.
1. QUALITATIVE MEASURES
Undergraduate Students:
An undergraduate student must meet minimum
academic progression standards as established by
the South Dakota Board of Regents. These
standards are based on the student’s cumulative
grade point average and system term grade point
average. The system term grade point average is
based on credits earned from the six Board of
Regents universities during a given term. The
cumulative grade point average includes all
credits earned (transfer plus system credit).
All remedial and audited coursework is excluded
from this calculation. Making satisfactory
academic progression is as follows:
1. A student with a cumulative grade point
average of 2.0 or better is considered to be in
good academic standing.
2. If a student’s cumulative grade point average
falls below 2.0 in any academic term (i.e. fall,
spring, summer), the student is placed on
academic probation the following term.
3. While on academic probation, the student must
earn a system term grade point average of 2.0 or
better.
4. When a student on academic probation achieves
a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or
better, the student is returned to good academic
standing.
5. A student on academic probation who fails to
maintain a system term grade point average of
2.0 or better is placed on academic suspension
for a minimum period of two academic terms.
A review takes place at the end of every term (summer, fall, spring). A student placed on academic suspension is also placed on financial aid suspension. Being reinstated academically does not guarantee financial aid reinstatement. The student must separately appeal the financial aid suspension as outlined below (Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension).
Graduate Students:
Graduate students must maintain a minimum
cumulative grade point average of 3.0 each term.
2. QUANTITATIVE MEASURES
All students (both undergraduate and
graduate) must successfully complete 67%
of cumulative attempted credit hours. Attempted
credit hours include all hours that would appear
on a student’s academic transcript at the end of
any given term, including withdrawals,
incompletes, repeated courses, remedial
coursework, and transfer hours. Audited
coursework is not included. Hours that may have
been part of a successful academic amnesty
appeal will still be included.
Successfully completed hours for both graduate and undergraduate students include grades of A, B, C, D and S. A grade of EX for undergraduate students is also considered successful completion. All other grades would not be considered successful completion (such as F (failure), W (withdrawal), U (unsatisfactory), or I (incomplete)).
Evaluation of this standard will be measured
once per year, generally at the end of the
spring term.
3. MAXIMUM ATTEMPTED CREDIT HOURS
The U.S. Department of Education has established a limit on the number of credit hours a student can attempt and still remain eligible for Federal Student Aid. All credits attempted (except audited coursework) are included. This limit is based on 150% of the credit hours needed to complete the degree that the student is pursuing. Evaluation of this standard will be measured once per year, generally at the end of the spring term.
Type of Degree-Maximum Credit Hours Attempted
Associate Degree-96
Bachelor’s Degree (128-hour program)-192
Bachelor’s Degree (150-hour program)-225
Master’s Degree (32-hour program)-48
Master’s Degree (36-hour program)-54
Master’s Degree (48-hour program)-72
APPEAL OF FINANCIAL AID SUSPENSION:
Students who have had their eligibility for Federal Student Aid suspended may submit an appeal form to explain mitigating circumstances. There is no guarantee for approving a financial aid eligibility appeal. Such appeals will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and must be submitted no later than the end of the first week of the term for which the appeal applies. An appeal form is available at the NSU Financial Aid Office or on the NSU web site at www.northern.edu. Based upon the circumstances of an approved appeal, the Appeal Committee reserves the right to place conditions which the student must meet in order to be considered for financial aid on a probationary basis for subsequent semesters.
REINSTATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY:
Students who have lost their Federal Aid eligibility, but have subsequently met the qualitative and/or quantitative standards as stated above, will have their aid eligibility reinstated. Reinstatement will be considered effective with the next term of attendance.
SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGESS AND NON-FEDERAL AID:
There are also non-federal sources of
financial assistance (institutional, local,
private, state), which may require students to
meet satisfactory academic progress standards.
Students who apply for non-federal forms of aid
are advised to review their academic standards
in order to determine or ensure continued
eligibility.
Updated: 02/08
finaid@northern.edu • 1200 S. Jay Street, Aberdeen, South Dakota 57401 • 1-800-NSU-5330