Satisfactory Academic Progress
ETSU Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
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, percentage of credit hours 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 uses the following satisfactory progress policy:
- PROGRESS STANDARDS: Students must earn a satisfactory grade in at least 66% of the semester credit hours they attempt each semester.
- SEMESTER PROGRESS: Students must, as a minimum, receive a satisfactory grade (*) in the courses they attempt each semester. *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. Audits do not count as attempted hours and are not eligible for financial aid.
- NOTE: Unsatisfactory grades will not be counted as earned credit hours, but will count as attempted credit hours. Satisfactory Academic Progress is required to receive the Tennessee Educational Lottery Scholarship (see "Don't Lose Hope").
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EVALUATION PROCESS
- Academic progress is reviewed at the end of each Spring semester, and students who do not make satisfactory academic progress are notified in writing.
- Students who receive all “I”, “F”, “W”, “WF”, or “U” grades in courses attempted in ANY semester (fall, spring, summer) will become ineligible for financial aid (see below in reference to Regaining Eligibility).
- Repeat courses will be counted in earned credit hours. (Note: ALL courses attempted, except audited courses, 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. However, the appeal limits and maximum eligibility requirement (150%) still apply (see below in reference to Maximum Eligibility).
- Second-degree students will have their satisfactory academic progress calculated from the credit hours attempted beyond the first degree. (Note: Additional credit hours for the second-degree coursework will be limited to the credit hours required to complete the second degree.) A second-degree student is defined as a student with a previous degree at the same classification, either undergraduate or graduate. For example, a student pursues a bachelor’s degree in a new field after earning a previous bachelor’s degree.
- Students classified as “Non-Degree” may be eligible for federal financial aid; check with a Financial Aid Counselor.
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Students classified as “Graduate Non-Degree” (SPG) are eligible for federal financial aid for a maximum of 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 pre-requisite 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.
- CUMULATIVE PROGRESS: Students must, in addition to the above, meet the retention standards of ETSU as outlined in the current ETSU Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs.
- MAXIMUM ELIGIBILITY: Maximum eligibility is checked each semester. Students who have attempted 150% of the required credit hours for their degree will become ineligible for financial aid.
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REGAINING FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY
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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. The appeal must be prepared in writing on the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form, and must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documents. The appeal form can be found below. 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; and
- Other acceptable extenuating circumstances considered
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MAKING UP DEFICIENT CREDIT HOURS WITHOUT AID:
In the event that the student does not qualify for an appeal, he or she may be eligible to have financial aid reinstated by taking the following actions:- Earn at ETSU the number of deficient credit hours (see chart above in reference to Semester Progress for credit hour requirements ) in which aid was received;
- Pay for these hours without federal financial aid;
- Maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA for the term average for those credit hours; and
- Notify the Office of Financial Aid when the deficient hours have been earned.
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SATISFACTORY PROGRESS APPEAL:
- APPEAL LIMITS
The maximum number of appeals any student may normally have granted during an academic career is two (2). Under extreme circumstances, a third appeal may be granted during an academic career, 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 students' 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.