Federal regulations require that all student financial aid recipients make satisfactory academic progress toward achieving a degree. Progress is measured by the student’s cumulative grade point average and credits earned in relation to those attempted and the length of the academic program. In order to assure that students make progress toward the degree both in terms of number of hours completed and cumulative GPA, East Tennessee State University will utilize the following satisfactory progress policy:

• PROGRESS STANDARDS
  • FALL/SPRING PROGRESS: Students must, as a minimum, receive a satisfactory grade (*) in the courses they attempt fall and spring semesters as outlined below:
    
    

    When student receives financial aid based upon total Fall/Spring Enrollment of:		The student must complete satisfactorily, between fall/spring, a total of:
    24 or more credit hours		21 credit hours
    18 - 23 credit hours		15 credit hours
    12 - 17 credit hours		9 credit hours
    6 - 11 credit hours		6 credit hours
    Less than 6 credit hours attempted		Complete all credit hours attempted

    
    
    (*) For purposes of financial aid, satisfactory grades are A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, S, SP or P. Unsatisfactory grades are F, W, WF, U, or I. Unsatisfactory grades will not be counted as earned credit hours, but will count as attempted credit hours.
    
  • SUMMER SEMESTER: All standards contained in this brochure apply to summer semester as well as spring and fall. When the satisfactory academic progress review is conducted at the end of spring semester, all students who have failed to meet the satisfactory academic progress standards will be placed on financial aid hold. Students on hold for satisfactory progress who attend summer school must have an appeal approved to be eligible to receive financial aid for summer. Students who receive financial aid for summer and do not earn any hours in summer will be placed on financial aid hold for fall. Summer terms include the complete session, pre-summer session 1, pre-summer +1, dual session, and session 2.
  • CUMULATIVE PROGRESS: Students must, in addition to the above, meet the retention standards of ETSU as outlined in the current ETSU Catalog.
  • MAXIMUM ELIGIBILITY: Attempted credit hours: Students who have reached 150% of attempted credit hours toward their degree will become ineligible for financial aid.
• EVALUATION PROCESS
  • A review will be made at the end of the spring semester and students who did not make satisfactory academic progress will be notified.
  • Students who receive all “I”, “F”, “W”, “WF”, or “U” grades in courses attempted in ANY semester (fall, spring, summer) will be removed from financial aid, until the student has regained financial aid eligibility (see section III).
  • Repeat courses will be counted in earned credit hours. (Note: ALL courses attempted count in total credit hours attempted.)
  • Transfer courses recognized by ETSU will be counted in attempted and earned credit hours.
  • All distance education, telecommunications, television, and web-based courses are considered in total attempted hours.
  • Academic Fresh Start (See Admissions) students will have their satisfactory academic progress evaluated on work attempted after returning to the University under the Academic Fresh Start Policy.
  • Second-degree students will have their satisfactory academic progress calculated from the credit hours attempted beyond the first degree. Additional credit hours for the second-degree coursework will be limited to the credit hours required to complete the second degree.
  • Students classified as “Undergraduate Special” (SPU) may be eligible for federal financial aid; check with your Financial Aid Counselor.
  • Students classified as “Graduate Non-Degree” (SPG) are only eligible for federal financial aid for up to one year if they are enrolled in classes that are:
    • Required for a teacher certification program (the loan limit is that of a fifth-year undergraduate);
    
    
    OR
    
    
    • Necessary as prerequisite courses for enrollment into a graduate program (the loan limit is that of a fifth-year undergraduate).
  • Students may receive aid for no more than 30 attempted hours of remedial coursework. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are included in the 30 credit hours.
• REGAINING FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY
  • SATISFACTORY PROGRESS APPEAL:
    Students who fail to meet these standards and lose eligibility for financial aid can appeal that decision to the Office of Financial Aid within two weeks of notification. The appeal must be prepared in writing on the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form, and be accompanied by appropriate supporting documents. Reasons that may be acceptable for the appeal are:
    • Serious illness or accident on the part of the student
    • Death, accident, or serious illness in the immediate family
    • Class cancelled by ETSU
    • Other extenuating circumstances may be acceptable and will be considered
  • MAKING UP DEFICIENT CREDIT HOURS WITHOUT AID:
    In the event that the student does not qualify for an appeal, he/she may be eligible to have financial aid reinstated by taking the following actions:
    • Enroll in and earn at ETSU the number of deficient credit hours (see chart in Section I) in which aid was received;
    • Maintain a mininum 2.0 GPA for the semester average for those credit hours; and
    • Notify the Office of Financial Aid when the deficient hours have been earned.
• APPEAL LIMITS
  The maximum number of appeals any student may normally have granted is two.
  
  Under extreme circumstances, a third appeal may be granted, provided that the student has documented proof of the circumstances. In the case of a student who files a third appeal, the reasons for the student’s two previous appeals will be reviewed and considered when making a decision. Additionally, the student’s progress within the academic program will be a determining factor in third appeals.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form

Bursar's Office Refund Policy