Federal Title IV regulations governing the administration of the federal student financial assistance require schools to establish a reasonable satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy for determining whether an otherwise eligible student is making satisfactory progress in his or her educational program, and may receive assistance under the Title IV, HEA programs.
The satisfactory academic progress policy has three component parts, qualitative (GPA), quantitative (% of completion), and maximum timeframe.
Qualitative: The Cumulative GPA requirement for graduate programs at GCNYC is 3.0.
Quantitative: Students must complete at least 50% of all courses attempted every trimester of enrollment.
Maximum Timeframe: A student cannot receive Title IV, HEA funds at GCNYC if current enrollment may exceed or the student has already exceeded the maximum timeframe of the length of the program of study as defined by the College. The College defines maximum timeframe as 150% of the program, or 54 trimester credit hours. A student exceeding the maximum timeframe has the right to appeal the denial of the federal student aid.
A SAP evaluation for federal Title IV, HEA program purposes will be completed at the end of every spring trimester. Students not meeting the published SAP policy may no longer be eligible to receive the federal student financial assistance unless the student completes the appeals process, and the appeal is approved.
Financial Aid Probation: A student who did not meet the published SAP policy requirements at the end of spring trimester, must file an appeal, and have the appeal approved to continue receiving federal student financial aid assistance. The student is placed on Financial Aid Probation upon approval of his or her appeal. The probation period is for term only. A student may be placed on an Academic Plan as part of the appeal process. Such academic plan must ensure that the student meets the SAP policy in a short amount of time.
Financial Aid Suspension: A student who was placed on Financial Aid Probation as a result of the appeal process, and who did not meet the terms of the approval, and also did not meet the published SAP policy will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. The student will no longer be eligible to receive the federal student financial assistance at the College. To regain eligibility and reinstatement, the student must pay for own College costs, meet the published SAP requirements, then re-appeal for reinstatement.
Maximum Timeframe: A student who has exceeded the maximum timeframe, or will exceed the maximum timeframe with current enrollment will no longer be eligible to receive the federal student financial aid assistance. The student must appeal and state the reason why he or she failed to complete the program by the allowable maximum timeframe period. The appeal must be approved for the student to continue receiving federal student financial assistance.