Fort Valley State University

In accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, the students must maintain satisfactory academic progress, both in quality and quantity, to qualify for, and continue to receive Title lV Federal Financial Aid. The Satisfactory Academic Progress standards for financial aid recipients at Fort Valley State University are as follows:

Undergraduate Students

Qualitative

All students are expected to maintain the academic standards outlined in the “Official Bulletin for Fort Valley State University.”

Any student who fails to meet these standards will be reviewed by the OSFA. A student receiving financial aid and placed on academic suspension will have his/her financial aid terminated. A financial aid applicant placed on academic suspension at the end of his/her last semester of attendance is not eligible for financial aid.

• Freshman: 0-30 Credit Hours - 1.7 GPA
• Sophomore: 31-59 Credit Hours - 1.9 GPA
• Junior: 60-89 Credit Hours - 2.0 GPA
• Senior: 90-187 Credit Hours - 2.0 GPA

Quantitative

In addition to maintaining the specified grade point averages, a student must complete his/her degree within a maximum time frame (187 attempted hours) and successfully complete a minimum percentage (67% of hours each academic year.)

1. Maximum attempted credit hours allowed for undergraduate students are 187 hours. Maximum for graduate level students is 72.
2. Students should successfully complete 67 percent of credit hours attempted during the academic year. Grades of A,B,C,D,or S count as the successful completion of a course.
3. The grades of F,W,WP,WF,I,IP,U do not count as successful completion of a course.

Monitoring of Satisfactory Progress

At the end of each spring semester, students not successfully completing 67 percent of their credit hours during the previous academic terms (summer, fall, spring) will receive a notice from the FAO regarding their status. Students eligible for appeals will receive necessary forms and information on deadlines for the appeals process.

Graduate Students

In addition to the quantitative standards required for undergraduates, graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to be eligible for financial aid.

Remedial Coursework

No student may receive financial aid for more than 30 semester hours of remedial course-work, which includes all College Preparatory Curriculum, Learning Support course, and RGTE 0199 or RGTR 0198 or RGTE 0198 and RGTE 0199 and CPC courses; however, students who are required to take remedial course work will be eligible to have their maximum time frame extended by the number of remedial hours taken, up to a maximum of 30 hours.

Summer Semester

Courses taken during a summer semester are treated as any other semester and are counted in the maximum hours attempted to obtain a degree and included with calculation of GPA and the 67 percent credit hour completion rate requirement.

Transfer Students

Grades earned at Fort Valley State University will be used to determine the grade point average for financial aid eligibility. Hours transferred to Fort Valley State University will be counted as total hours attempted.

Repetition of Courses, Withdrawals and Incompletes

Students should be careful in repeating courses as all attempts at a course are counted in the maximum hours allowed to obtain a degree. Students are also reminded that withdrawing from a course does not count as successful completion. Excessive Incompletes can result in the termination of financial aid. The University allows a maximum of 18 credit hours for withdrawals. Any withdrawal exceeding this maximum will receive a grade of “WF”.

Reinstatement of Aid

This information supersedes any previous FVSU publication concerning reinstatement of financial aid.

1. Students failing to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements at the end of their first academic semester will be placed on financial aid warning. The OSFA will continue to provide aid during the Warning period. Students on Financial Aid Warning are required to register with the Counseling Center to complete a contract. While registered with the Counseling Center, students will attend workshops on Study Skills and Time Management. Failure to meet the terms of the contract will result in Financial Aid Suspension.
2. Students failing to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements after being placed on Financial Aid Warning and successfully completing a contract will be placed on Financial Aid Probation and are required to appeal to the OSFA.
3. Students not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress after an approved appeal or if an initial appeal is denied, will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. Theses students must return to the university and complete six (6) credit hours at their own expense and earn a minimum of 2.5 GPA. The same applies to students who appeal to return to FVSU after an Academic Suspension.
4. Once a student has attempted 187 credit hours, they are no longer eligible to receive Federal Title IV Financial Aid. There is no appeal to receive aid beyond the maximum time frame.
5. A student terminated from aid for failure to exit Learning Support may apply for reinstatement of aid when he/she has exited Learning Support.

Appeals

1. Any student wishing to appeal may do so by filling out a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form. A brief explanation along with any supporting documentation must be provided. The OFSA may consider the death of an immediate family member or documented medical emergencies.
2. Students will be notified in writing of the decision of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Committee. The decision of the Committee is final and will be recorded in the student’s financial aid record.