Satisfactory Academic Progress

                                                                                                                                                                         Longwood University Office of Financial Aid

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Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

 

Federal student aid regulations require all educational institutions administering funds to ensure that financial aid recipients are making satisfactory academic progress toward their educational objectives. The regulations apply to all students receiving Federal, State, and Institutional financial aid funds. Questions regarding this policy should be directed to a staff member in the Office of Financial Aid. Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid has been defined as follows:

 

I. Satisfactory Progress Requirements

A. Maintenance of a minimum Longwood University cumulative grade point average.

1. For undergraduates, freshmen (students with less than 25 total credit hours earned) must have at least a 1.80 cumulative Longwood GPA. For all other students, at least a 2.00 cumulative Longwood GPA is required.

2. For graduate students, at least a 3.00 cumulative Longwood GPA is required.

 

B. Attainment of at least a 75% completion rate towards educational objective for hours attempted at Longwood University. 
Students must complete and pass at least 75% of all hours attempted at Longwood University. A student’s completion rate is calculated by dividing hours earned by hours attempted. Grades of F, W, I, and repeated courses count as hours attempted. Transfer hours are not included in this calculation.

 

C. Normal Completion Time

Undergraduate students will be eligible for financial aid for a maximum of 180 attempted credit hours. Transfer hours are included in the total number of credit hours attempted.

Graduate students will be eligible for financial aid for a maximum of 45 attempted credit hours. Transfer hours are included in the total number of hours attempted.

 

II. Satisfactory Progress Levels Defined

A. Satisfactory Academic Progress will be monitored at the conclusion of each academic year (May). To be making satisfactory academic progress a student must maintain the required cumulative grade point average, attain at least a 75% completion rate, and not exceed the normal completion time.

 

B. Students failing to maintain satisfactory academic progress at the end of the spring semester will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension beginning with the following fall semester. Such status will make students ineligible for financial aid until such time as the satisfactory academic progress requirements are met or the student is granted an appeal.  

During the period of Financial Aid Suspension, students may (unless placed on Academic Suspension) attend Longwood University without financial aid. It will be the student’s responsibility to secure other financial resources during this period.

 

III. Satisfactory Progress Appeal Process 

A student who is placed on Financial Aid Suspension may appeal the denial of financial aid. The appeal must be made by submitting a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form (http://www.longwood.edu/ ; click on ‘financial aid’; click on ‘forms’) to the Office of Financial Aid no later than one week prior to the first day of classes. Only one appeal per semester will be accepted. The appeal will be directed to the Appeals Committee whose decision will be final. The decision will be based on demonstration of one of the following situations: 

1.  Error of fact;

2.  Mitigating circumstances. 

 

If the appeal is granted, financial aid will be continued as long as appeal conditions are met each term or until Satisfactory Academic Progress standards are met. The student will be advised in writing of the action on the appeal. If accepted, appeal conditions will be outlined in this letter.

 

Financial Aid Withdrawal Policy

It is the responsibility of any student wishing to withdraw from Longwood to initiate the official withdrawal process with the University. Students wishing to withdraw from Longwood University should contact the Dean’s Office of their respective major to initiate the university withdrawal process. Undeclared students and special undergraduate students should report to the Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The complete Withdrawal Policy may be found in the Longwood University Catalog.

 

I.     Withdrawal from all Classes during a Term

 

A. Withdrawal from all classes during a term may result in a change in institutional charges for the term. Please consult the Longwood University Catalog for the complete Refund Policy.

 

B. Students considering withdrawal from classes should consult the Office of Financial Aid prior to initiating the withdrawal process. Withdrawal can have a significant impact on institutional charges, a current financial aid award, as well as future financial aid eligibility (see the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy).

 

C. Withdrawal from all classes during a term may also result in a change in the financial aid award for that term. The federal Return of Title IV Refunds Policy states that students who withdraw before the 60% point of the term (as calculated by the number of days in the term) will have their financial aid award reduced.

 

1. Upon withdrawal, the Office of Financial Aid will calculate, from the number of days in the term and the number of days of the term that the student was enrolled prior to withdrawal, the percentage of the term that the student completed. This percentage will be applied to the amount of aid received for the term with the student being able to retain only the amount of aid for the percentage of the term actually completed.

 

2. The unearned portion of financial aid award must be returned to the Federal, State, and Institutional programs that have been awarded. If excess financial aid funds have been refunded to the student, a portion of these funds may also need to be returned to the financial aid programs awarded. This may result in large sums being owed to Longwood University or Federal, State, and Institutional financial aid programs or both.

 

 

II.     When a Student Fails to Earn a Passing Grade in Any of Their Classes

A. Students receiving all “F’s” at the end of an enrollment period will be assumed to have unofficially withdrawn from the University unless Longwood can document that the student completed the aid period. Students who are found not to have completed the period will have their aid packages reduced by 50%. The student will be obligated to pay any resulting unpaid charges.


 

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