Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Federal and State regulations require that all students receiving financial aid, including all federal and state aid, must maintain satisfactory academic progress to maintain financial aid eligibility. Academic decisions made by the SAPC (other than dismissal) do not have bearing on students’ financial aid eligibility; nor does financial aid eligibility have bearing on academic decisions. The Office of Financial Aid will monitor students’ academic standing at the end of each spring term.
The standard required length for the MD degree is four years. A student will be permitted a time limit of enrollment beyond the standard required length of study as a full-time student to complete the program, with the understanding that academic or personal difficulties or opportunities for scholarly enrichment may present themselves. The maximum time frame for financial aid eligibility is 150% of the program, or six years in the case of the MD Degree. Students are not eligible to receive financial aid while on leave, but time on leave will be counted toward the maximum time frame for financial aid eligibility.
Students whose financial aid is suspended due to a failure to meet the requirements listed above may apply for a one-time waiver to re-establish eligibility for Federal aid for one semester only. To qualify for this one-time only waiver, the student must submit the following forms to the Office of Financial Aid:
• A signed financial aid waiver for probation form.
• A letter that describes the reasons for the failure to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress
A financial aid hold will be placed on the student’s account until the forms are received. Failure to submit the forms will result in the suspension of the student’s financial aid. If the appeal is approved the student will be placed on financial aid probation until the end of the Spring term at which point status and eligibility for Federal aid will be re-evaluated. Other forms of aid, such as grants or scholarships, may not permit reinstatement.
A student who is granted a financial aid probation must achieve a 100% pass rate standard for all courses for this probationary period, or be suspended from financial aid eligibility in the following semester.