In order to receive financial aid, a student must be making satisfactory progress toward completion of a diploma, certificate, or degree. Academic progress is reviewed at the time awards are made, and again at the end of each fall, spring and summer semester. The WNCC financial aid requirements outlined below are designed to comply with Federal regulations.

REQUIREMENTS:

Cumulative GPA: A student must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.000.

Percentage of Semester Credits Completed: During each semester of enrollment, the student must successfully complete a certain portion of the total credits attempted that semester. Attempted credits include any course taken for credit during the semester, with the exception of courses dropped during the free drop period and those taken for Audit. A student must complete at least 70.0% of the credits attempted each semester.

Rate of Program Completion (Maximum Time Frame): Students are expected to complete their program of study within a reasonable time period. A student’s maximum time frame is based on total credit hours attempted at WNCC (plus any transfer credits) and the student’s degree objective. These limits apply regardless of whether or not the student has changed majors or received federal funding. The student’s eligibility will end when the student has attempted 150% of the credits required for his/her specific program of study. For example, if a program requires 64 credits, the student may attempt no more than 96 credit hours before completing the degree or losing financial aid eligibility.

CONSEQUENCES:

Probation: A student will be placed on financial aid probation if he/she:

• Fails to maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.000, and/or
• Fails to complete at least 70% of the credits attempted during the semester.

A probationary semester is a warning semester , so the student may still receive financial aid while on probation. The student’s future financial aid eligibility is dependent upon how well the student does during the probationary semester. If the student completes at least 70% of the attempted hours for the semester and has a cumulative GPA of 2.000 or higher, the student will be removed from probation and restored to good standing. If, however, the student again fails to meet one or both of those requirements, the student will be placed on financial aid suspension. No federal financial aid will be disbursed for the semester following a probationary semester until the Financial Aid Office reviews final grades.

Suspension Following Probation: A student will be placed on financial aid suspension if he/she fails to meet the academic progress requirements at the end of a probationary semester.

REGAINING ELIGIBILITY AFTER SUSPENSION:

A student whose financial aid eligibility has been suspended has two options for regaining his/her eligibility.

• A student may qualify for reinstatement of financial aid eligibility by enrolling at his/her own expense and once again meeting all the necessary academic progress requirements outlined above. This may take one or more semesters, depending on how long it takes the student to be in compliance with this policy. Financial resources other than financial aid must be used to pay for educational expenses during these terms.
  
• If circumstances beyond the student’s control prevented him/her from making the progress required, the student may file an appeal for reconsideration. An appeal must be in writing, and must include supporting documentation of the extenuating circumstances. Appeal forms are available from the Financial Aid Office. Appeals should be submitted as soon as possible following notification of suspension, but no later than mid-term of the semester for which the student is requesting aid.

OTHER INFORMATION:

Credits successfully completed: For this policy, successful completion is defined as earning a grade of D or higher, or a grade of P. (Grades of AU, CR, I, F, NP, W, and WF are not considered successful completion under this policy.)

Incompletes: A student who is placed on probation or suspension solely because of “Incomplete” credits may request that the Financial Aid Office review his/her status once the course has been completed and a passing grade issued. This review will not take place until the revised grade has been changed in the WNCC computer system.

Remedial work: Students may receive financial aid for a maximum of 30 credits of remedial work.

Repeats: All repeated courses are included in the student’s cumulative attempted credit hours. A repeated course counts only once toward completed credits.

(Revised 5/2005)