Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards for Financial Aid
Federal regulations require students receiving financial aid to maintain satisfactory academic progress and be working toward a degree, certificate or transfer program according to the PCC catalog.
All terms of attendance, including those in which financial aid was not received, are considered when determining your satisfactory academic progress.
Financial Aid Enrollment Status
| Enrollment Status | Credits |
|---|---|
| Full-time | 12 or more credits |
| 3/4 time | 9 to 11 credits |
| 1/2 time | 6 to 8 credits |
| 1/4 time | 1 to 5 credits |
Determination of Enrollment Status
Your financial aid enrollment status will be based on your actual enrollment at the end of the second week of the term, or at the time your funds are disbursed if you return your signed award notification after the end of the second week. Your financial aid award may change if you add or drop classes before the end of the second week of the term.
As a general rule, you are responsible for satisfactorily completing the minimum number of credits for your enrollment status as of the end of the second week of the term. If you do not, you may be disqualified for further financial aid. Read on for more information.
Eligible Credit Hours
- Credits that apply toward your degree, certificate or transfer program
- Credits in English as a non-native language up to a maximum of 45 credits
- Credits in developmental education up to a maximum of 45 credits
Non-eligible Credit Hours
- Adult Basic Education, GED, High School Completion, or continuing education units or credits
- Repeated courses unless replacing a grade of less than "C"
- One-credit workshops and special topics courses that exceed degree requirements as listed in the PCC catalog
- Credit from challenge exams
- SC classes, PE 10, Math classes below MTH 20, NUR 9420
Grades and minimum grade point average (GPA) requirements
- Satisfactory grades that are counted toward completed credits are: A,B,C,D and P.
- Unsatisfactory grades that are not counted toward completed credits are: F, NP, I, CIPR, CIP, AUD, W and NG. Dropped classes also do not count.
- You must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA each term. Failure to maintain a term GPA of at least 2.0 has the same effect on your standing as completing less than the required credits for your enrollment status. At the end of your second year at PCC, your cumulative GPA must be at least 2.0 or you will be placed in “disqualified” status.
Determination of Satisfactory Academic Progress Standing
Satisfactory academic progress will be determined when you first enroll at PCC and at the end of each term based on your enrollment status, the number of credits you satisfactorily complete, and your grade point average. You are eligible for financial aid if your status is “good standing,” “warning,’ or “probation.” You are not eligible if your status is “disqualification.”
When you are in good standing:
| If you are enrolled: | and successfully complete: | you will be placed in: |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Time | 12 or more | Good Standing |
| Full-Time | 1-11 | Warning |
| Full-Time | 0 | Disqualification |
| 3/4-Time | 9-11 | Good Standing |
| 3/4-Time | 1-8 | Warning |
| 3/4-Time | 0 | Disqualification |
| 1/2-Time | 6-8 | Good Standing |
| 1/2-Time | 1-5 | Warning |
| 1/2-Time | 0 | Disqualification |
| 1/4-Time | All credits | Good Standing |
| 1/4-Time | More than zero but less than all credits | Warning |
| 1/4-Time | 0 | Disqualification |
When you are in warning:
| If you are enrolled: | and successfully complete: | you will be placed in: |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Time | 12 or more | Good Standing |
| Full-Time | 0-11 | Disqualification |
| 3/4-Time | 9-11 | Good Standing |
| 3/4-Time | 0-8 | Disqualification |
| 1/2-Time | 6-8 | Good Standing |
| 1/2-Time | 0-5 | Disqualification |
| 1/4-Time | All credits | Warning |
| 1/4-Time | Less than all | Disqualification |
Removal from Probation or Warning Status
Successful completion of a term of at least half-time enrollment will improve your satisfactory academic progress status as shown above. You may appeal “warning” status only if you have received a late grade or a grade change.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Process
Disqualified students are not eligible for financial aid but may appeal by completing a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form. Appeal forms are available at any PCC Financial Aid office and require written explanation of mitigating circumstances. If your appeal is approved, your financial aid eligibility will be reinstated, and you will be placed on Warning. If your appeal is denied, you must complete a term at PCC with your own resources, completing 6 credits or more successfully. You may appeal this decision in writing explaining why you believe your appeal should be re-evaluated, addressed to the Director of Financial Aid and submitted to any PCC Financial Aid Office.
Stafford and Unsubsidized laon funds are disbursed based on the level of enrollment at the time you receive other finanical aid funding. If you drop credits which will result in your status being disqualified at the end of the term any loan funds you have not received will be returned to your lender. You are not eligible to receive these funds.
Repayment/Refund Policy
Students who withdraw, drop out, stop attending classes, or otherwise fail to complete the period of enrollment for which they are charged and receive financial aid funds are subject to federal financial aid repayment/refund regulations. If you are someone who received your financial aid but did not successfully complete any credits for the term, you should consult the Policy on Return of Title IV Funds and make sure your instructors have documented your last dates of attendance.
Time-frame Limit
You are expected to complete your degree, certificate, or transfer program within a specific time-frame limit. When you reach the time-frame limit, you will not be eligible for financial aid unless a time-frame extension appeal is approved. All attempted credits are counted toward your time-frame limit. This includes all courses for which you have received passing, non-passing, or audit grades and courses from which you withdraw.
- One-year program limit: 78 attempted credits
- Two-year program limit: 135 attempted credits
The time-frame limit is extended to 160 attempted credits for the following two-year programs:
- Automotive service technology
- Biotechnology laboratory technician
- Civil engineering technology
- Electronic engineering technology
- Graphic design
- Machine manufacturing technology
- Mechanical engineering technology
- Medical laboratory technology
- Microelectronics technology
- Nursing
- Multimedia
- Sign language interpretation program
- Veterinary technology
The time-frame limit is extended to 177 attempted credits for the following two-year programs:
- Aviation maintenance technology
- Radiography
Credits transferred from other colleges that are accepted by PCC toward your program of study and credits attempted using your own resources are included in the calculation of your time-frame limit.
Time-frame Appeal Process
If you have mitigating circumstances that have prevented you from completing your degree, certificate or transfer program within the established time-frame limit, you may complete a Time-frame Extension Request form. Forms are available online and at any PCC Financial Aid office. Time-frame extension requests are reviewed by the director of financial aid or by the financial aid advisory committee. Decisions made by the committee are final.
We recommend that you consult an academic advisor for appropriate courses to achieve your degree, certificate, or transfer program requirements. For more information or clarification, please contact the Financial Aid office at any PCC campus.