FINANCIAL AID: Policies
Satisfactory Progress Standards For Federal Financial Assistance

All students awarded financial assistance which is college or state controlled and/or through any Title IV* federal program MUST maintain satisfactory progress in terms of (1) semester grade-point average (G.P.A.), (2) number of hours completed each semester and (3) cumulative progress toward completion of program of study within a maximum time limit.

PROGRESS STANDARDS

1. Semester Progress (Grade-Point Average):
   A minimum academic average of 2.0 is required at the end of each semester.
   
   Satisfactory grades: A, B, C, D, or Pass
   Unsatisfactory grades: PR, I, F, W, WD, Audit, DROPPED, NON-CREDIT, or
   No-Pass
   
2. Semester progress (Hours Passed):
   The minimum number of hours each recipient must pass during the academic semester is stated below:
   
   

   Student's FA Classification	Semester Hours Funded	Minimum Earned Hours Per Semester
   Full-Time	12 or more	8
   Three-Quarter Time	9-11	7
   Half-Time	6-8	5
   Less than Half-Time	1-5	1-5 (ALL)

   
   Note: Hours for which student was initially funded is used – not the ending attempted hours.
   
   
3. Cumulative progress (Time Limit):
   A. Degree Program – Financial Assistance is available until a student graduates with a degree or for a maximum of 90 attempted semester hours.
   B. Certificate Program – Financial Assistance is available until a student completes the eligible program or for 150% of the attempted semester hours.

Hours attempted for Remedial/Developmental courses are not considered in these time limits.

If a student is required to take Remedial/Developmental coursework, he/she can receive federal assistance for up to 30 hours of coursework. Eligibility beyond 30 hours attempted will be based on college level course only.

SATISFACTORY PROGRESS ALSO MEANS:

1. Each student will be allowed one semester of financial aid probation in order to re-establish satisfactory progress.
2. After one semester of financial aid probation if the student has not re-established satisfactory progress, he/she will be removed from all college or state controlled and/or Title IV assistance.
3. The student may be reinstated on financial aid (for which he/she is otherwise qualified) after he/she completes six credit hours on their own finances and maintain satisfactory progress.
4. Any eligible student receiving unsatisfactory grades in all courses may be removed from all college controlled and/or Title IV forms of assistance in the subsequent semester of enrollment without probation. **Any student receiving ALL “F’s or PR’s” will be removed from ALL Title IV assistance.
5. Students may appeal in writing their removal from financial assistance to the Scholarship and Financial Aid Committee. Any appeal must be made by the last day of registration as published in the course schedule. The decision of the committee will be final. Documentation must be provided before your appeal will be accepted.
   
   Reasons that may be acceptable for the appeal are:
   
   1. Serious illness or accident on the part of the student.
      
   2. Death or serious illness of the immediate family.
      
   3. Administrative errors by Columbia State.
      
   4. Other extenuating circumstances may be acceptable and will be considered.
6. Transfer students will be governed by the same rules as other students in regard to satisfactory completion of courses. Transferable hours attained at previous institutions will be counted in regard to the maximum allowable time frame for graduation.

Columbia State offers counseling career guidance, testing and academic advising to assist students in their efforts to achieve their educational goals. The Office of Financial Aid encourages all students to use these services to help make their progress toward their degree more successful.

**Title IV federal programs include: Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants, Federal College work-Study, Federal Stafford Student Loans, and Tennessee Student Assistance Award.

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