Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Federal regulations require all students receiving federal financial aid (Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work Study, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, ACG, or Alabama Student Assistance Programs) must make satisfactory academic progress toward completion of a degree or certificate.  Academic progress must be monitored for all terms of enrollment, whether or not financial aid was received.  Students receiving financial aid are evaluated once during the academic year.  A student will be evaluated each time he/she applies for financial aid which will be at least annually.  If a student requests an additional award of federal financial aid within the current award year, the Satisfactory Academic Progress will be evaluated before the additional award is processed.   Satisfactory progress is not to be confused with “good standing”.  A student can meet the LBWCC requirements of “good standing” and be allowed to enroll but not meet the minimum standards to receive financial aid while enrolled.

According to 34 CFR 668-16(e), there are two major components of satisfactory academic progress:  the qualitative component (cumulative GPA) and quantitative component (timeframe of completion).

Qualitative Requirement (Cumulative GPA) – Students must meet or exceed the following minimum cumulative GPA’s based upon total hours attempted:

Semester Credit Hours Attempted                                   Cumulative GPA
              12-21                                                                             1.50
              22-32                                                                             1.75
              33 or more                                                                     2.00

Quantitative Requirement (Timeframe for Completion) – Eligible students may receive federal financial aid for a period of time not to exceed 1.5 times the normal length of his/her program of study.  Students enrolled in the Associate in Arts degree and the Associate of Science degree may receive financial aid for a maximum of 90 semester hours attempted.  Credits transferred into a program of study will be counted toward the maximum number of hours attempted.  

Each student on federal financial aid must earn two-thirds (67%) of all the hours he/she attempts in order to complete a program in the normal length of time allowed.   Students who have not passed the required number of hours will be suspended from receiving federal financial aid.  Financial aid is reinstated when the student has achieved the minimum cumulative GPA required and earned the required minimum number of credit hours.  

If a student repeats a course which was previously successfully completed, the hours obtained the second time the course is attempted do not count toward the minimum number of academic hours required for program completion.  Failing grades, withdrawals, incompletes and/or repeated classes may result in suspension of financial aid because these classes are considered as attempted hours not successfully completed (these hours are included in the maximum number of hours attempted).

Developmental Courses – A student receiving federal financial aid may not enroll in the same developmental (remedial) course more than three times and continue to receive federal financial aid.  A federal financial aid recipient may not receive aid for more than 30 semester hours of developmental work.  Credit hours attempted for developmental courses are included when determining a student’s qualitative or quantitative progress for financial aid, including the maximum time frame requirement.  

Academic Suspension – When a student who is eligible for federal financial aid is suspended, whether the student serves the suspension or is readmitted upon appeal, the student is not eligible to receive financial aid until he/she achieves the Cumulative GPA required for the number of credit hours attempted at the institution or the student’s GPA for the semester is 2.0 or above (based on at least 12 semester credit hours or above attempted at the institution).   Approval of the student’s appeal to the admissions committee for readmission does not reinstate the student’s eligibility for financial aid.

Financial Aid Suspension – Academic progress will be assessed at the time a student applies for financial aid, and reviewed each academic year.  The student is placed on financial aid suspension when the Qualitative Requirement (Cumulative GPA) and/or the Quantitative Requirement (Timeframe for Completion) have not been met.  Financial Aid will be reinstated when the student attends college at his/her own expense and meets the minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress or if the Financial Aid Appeal Committee reinstates eligibility.

Change in Program – A student may receive federal financial aid for 1.5 times the normal length of the selected program of study.  If a student changes programs, he or she will be allowed to continue to receive federal financial aid for 1.5 times the normal length of the second program of study minus hours transferred from the first program of study.  A student may change programs of study more than once but will not be allowed to receive federal financial aid for more than 180 credit hours attempted.  

Appeals Process – If a student wishes to request consideration for re-instatement of federal financial aid due to mitigating circumstances, the student must complete a Financial Aid Appeal form.  A student may submit a request to reinstatement federal financial aid one time.  A written explanation regarding the mitigating circumstances and supporting documentation must be included with the Financial Aid Appeal form and submitted to the Financial Aid Appeal Committee within two weeks of receipt of the notice of suspension.  The student will be notified in writing of the decision by the Financial Aid Appeal Committee.  The decision of the Financial Aid Appeal Committee is final.

Enrollment Status for Pell Grant Recipients

Degree Programs – A student must register for an appropriate number of credit hours in order to qualify as outlined:

 Enrollment Status                                     Required Credit Hours       
      Full-time                                                                  12       
Three Quarter-Time                                                     9-11       
      Half-Time                                                                 6-8       
Less than Half-Time                                                    1-5    


Certificate Programs – A student must register for an appropriate number of credit hours and contact hours in order to qualify as outlined:
 
Enrollment Status                                        Required Credit Hours                                      Required Contact Hours       
Full-time                                                                    12                                                                       24       
Three Quarter-Time                                                 9-11                                                                   18-23       
Half-Time                                                                   6-8                                                                     12-17       
Less than Half-Time                                               1-5                                                                      1-11