Newly Admitted Transfer Student Eligibility
Satisfactory academic progress status is based on the student’s entire academic record, at all schools attended, regardless of whether financial aid was received or not. Transfer students
are required to supply academic transcripts from all previously attended postsecondary institutions and meet applicable “Satisfactory Academic Progress” standards as acknowledged by the OFA before any financial assistance is awarded. Satisfactory Academic Progress for a transfer student will be based on the GPA, 67% progression rate and the number of credit hours towards a program of study.
Newly admitted transfer students who did not meet SAP requirements including earning a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and/or not completing 67% of the credit hours attempted at their
prior schools will be placed on Warning Status for their first semester at HCU. If the OFA is made aware of a transfer student’s financial aid suspension at his/her prior college during their
last term of attendance, that suspension will be recognized by HCU and the student will not be eligible for funding until satisfactory progress is met. Students who are ineligible for federal student aid may continue to attend HCU at their own expense and being liable for all educational costs.
Warning Status
When a student fails to meet the eligibility standards for either completion rate and/or cumulative GPA, an automatic WARNING status is enforced. The student will be notified by email of the change of eligibility status and the potential impact it may have on aid eligibility. If a student in WARNING status fails to meet either completion rate or cumulative minimum standards at the next evaluation period, he/she becomes ineligible for aid.
Financial Aid Suspension
A student in WARNING status who has failed to meet the either completion rate or cumulative minimum standards at the end of the next evaluation period will be placed on
immediate financial aid Suspension and will no longer be eligible for any federal aid until SAP eligibility standards are met.
Reinstatement of Aid Eligibility
A student may apply for a re-determination of eligibility through the APPEAL process. A student may submit an appeal on the basis of (1) mitigating circumstances or (2) after successfully rehabilitating the cumulative GPA or better and completion rate of 67%.
Appeal Procedures
Reinstatement of aid is never automatic. A student must apply for re-determination of aid eligibility by completing an HCU Financial Aid Appeal form. Appeals may be considered if a student’s failure to comply with one or more standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress is due to events beyond the student’s control.
Events that may be considered include extended illness, serious illness or death in the immediate family or other significant life experience that has impacted the student’s emotional and/or physical health. The mitigating circumstances must be appropriately documented for the specific semester(s) in which the deficiency occurred.
Students will be allowed one appeal after failing SAP minimums. A student may use the appeal process to petition any financial aid action that the law allows. Appeals are made through the Office of Financial Aid on the official form and will require the following:
- Explanation and documentation regarding the mitigating circumstances that are the basis for the student’s failure to make SAP.
- Statement and documentation as to what has changed in the student’s situation that would allow the student to meet SAP in future terms. Appeals referred to an Appeal Committee.
Appeals are approved for just one semester of Probation – if the student does not meet SAP at the end of the probationary semester, they will be returned to Financial Aid Suspension. Appeals for a second probationary term are only considered if the reason is different than the first appeal, and are only approved in rare circumstances by the Office of Financial Aid.
Probation Status
- Successful appeals will allow a student to be placed in PROBATION status for one semester. Students must meet any conditions outlined in the appeal decision. Letters or
notifications of reinstatement will give the conditions the student must meet. Enforced conditions may include the following:
- Reporting to their academic advisor to discuss any problems that may be a hindrance to academic progress and seeking assistance in defining and implementing a plan to meet future educational goals
- A limitation of 12 credit hour (undergraduate) 9 credit hour (graduate) course load during the probation period
- Signing a statement of understanding and agreement to compliance.
Incomplete Appeals
Incomplete appeals will not be reviewed. All documents received with the appeal form become the property of the Office of Financial Aid. Students are advised not to submit
originals. The Associate Director of Financial Aid will send written notification to students as to the result of their appeal (approved and placed on probation or denied) within (20) days.
Appeals may be denied, approved with conditions, or approved unconditionally. The appeal decision of the Office of Financial Aid is final. Appeals must include all necessary documentation to support the existence of the circumstances described and evidence that the circumstances have been resolved. Appeal forms are available in the Office of Financial Aid or online.
Appeal Deadline
The deadlines for filing appeals will be established each year for the upcoming semester and will be set for the last day to add/drop for that particular semester. Appeals received after the established deadline for a semester will be reviewed for the following semester.
Repeat Course Policy for Financial Aid
All W’s (withdrawn) are treated as attempted hours. Any semester in which a student withdraws for any reason will be counted as a semester of attendance and will count towards the number of semesters allowed to participate in the financial aid programs. If a student receives a grade of “I” (incomplete) in any course, the “I” will be treated as if it were an “F” for financial aid purposes. If the grade changes to a “D” or above, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the Office of Financial Aid to have his/her transcript reviewed to determine financial aid eligibility. Students can receive Title IV aid for failed courses until that course is passed. However, a student is allowed only 1 repeat of a course that is passed.
Effective July 1, 2011, due to changes in federal regulations, a student may receive federal financial aid for a repeated course only once if the course was previously passed (credit has been received). The policy allows a student to receive financial aid under the following situations:
- To repeat any failed course until a passing grade is received.
- To repeat one time any course in which the student previously received apassing grade.
Regardless of the grade received, courses are not eligible to be covered by financial aid after a 2nd attempt has been made for a course that has at any time previously earned a passing grade.