Federal regulations require that all students receiving federal Title IV, state, and institutional need-based financial aid are meeting satisfactory academic progress standards, in order to maintain eligibility.

Students may be impacted by other academic progress policies, including institutional and departmental academic standards, as well as academic progress policies for other types of aid, including, but not limited to institutional merit scholarships, athletic aid, and veterans benefits.

Students must take responsibility to clarify the academic progress policies that impact them.

Components of financial aid satisfactory academic progress

The following standards will be monitored to determine eligibility for financial aid:

  • Qualitative Standard – Cumulative grade point average
  • Quantitative Standard  - Maximum time frame and Cumulative pace
Student Minimum Grade Point Average PACE Maximum Time Frame

Initial Bachelor Degree Candidates

2.00 cumulative college coursework

1.66 cumulative TRS (remedial level) coursework

67%

180 attempted credits

Post-bac Teacher Licensure and
Post-bac Degree Candidates

 

2.75 cumulative

 

80%

 

180 attempted credits

Prerequisite Students

2.00 cumulative

67%

12 consecutive months

Masters of Arts in Education Candidates

3.00 cumulative

100%

60 attempted credits

Cumulative grade point average

To remain eligible to receive financial aid, students must have a cumulative grade point average as specified below when evaluated at the end of the spring and summer payment periods. Students who do not meet the standard will be placed on financial aid suspension.

  • Initial Bachelor Degree Candidates – cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher in courses numbered 100 and higher and cumulative grade point average of 1.66 or higher in courses numbered 001-099 (remedial/TRS courses);
  • Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure and Post-Baccalaureate Degree Candidates – cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher in courses numbered 100 and higher;
  • Prerequisite Students– cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher in courses numbered 100 and higher;
  • Master of Arts in Education Degree Candidates – cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher in courses numbered 600-700.

The impact of grades of A, AU, AW, B, C, CW, D, F, I, MW, NC, NG, S, SW, and W on the cumulative grade point average are specified in the Catalog of Courses published on the Fort Lewis College website. The impact of grades for repeated courses is also specified in the Catalog of Courses.

Maximum time frame

To remain eligible to receive financial aid, students must not have attempted more than the specified number of attempted credits for their academic program. Students who exceed maximum time frame will be placed on financial aid suspension.

  • Initial Bachelor's Degree Candidates - 180 attempted credits
  • Post-Bac Teacher Licensure and Post-Bac Degree Candidates - 180 attempted credits
  • Prerequisite Students - 12 consecutive months;
  • Master of Arts in Education Degree Candidates - 60 attempted credits.

For Initial Bachelor's Degree, Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure and Post-Baccalaureate Degree Candidates, all credits attempted in courses numbered 100-499 at Fort Lewis College and at other institutions, except those taken under the audit option, are included in the calculation of maximum time frame. Also included in the calculation are the number of credits earned through credit by examination and credits from extended off campus programs. For Master of Arts in Education Degree Candidates, all credits attempted in courses numbered 600-700 at Fort Lewis College and in graduate courses at other institutions, except those taken under the audit option, are included in the calculation of maximum time frame.

Bachelor's Degree Candidates who have not previously been awarded a bachelor's degree who are pursuing more than one major, a minor, or a dual degree, and Bachelor's Degree Candidates pursing a second or subsequent bachelor's degree receive no additional allowances for maximum time frame. Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure and Post-Baccalaureate Degree candidates receive no additional credit allowances for deficiency requirements or additional endorsements. Master of Arts in Education Degree Candidates pursuing a second or subsequent master's degree receives no additional allowances. Post-Baccalaureate Graduate Program Prerequisite students will not receive any additional allowances.

Pace

To remain eligible to receive financial aid, students must meet the cumulative pace standards specified for their academic program. Cumulative pace is calculated by dividing the cumulative number of credits earned by the cumulative number of credits attempted. Students who do not meet cumulative pace standards will be placed on financial aid suspension. For example:  Susan has earned 24 credits at Fort Lewis College and has 60 credits that were transferred in as earned credits.  Her total earned credits are 84 credits.  She has attempted 24 credits at FLC and had attempted 90 credits at her previous school.  She has a total of 114 attempted credit hours.  Her pace rate would be 84/114 =74%.

  • Initial Bachelor's Degree Candidates – 67% of the number of credits attempted in courses numbered 100 and higher, excluding those taken under the audit option;
  • Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure and Post-Baccalaureate Degree Program Candidates – 80% of the number of credits attempted in courses numbered 100 and higher, excluding those taken under the audit option;
  • Prerequisite  Students- 67% of the number of credits attempted in courses numbered 100 and higher, excluding those taken under the audit option;
  • Master of Arts in Education Degree Candidates – 100% of the number of credits attempted in courses numbered 600-700, excluding those taken under the audit option;

For included coursework, completed credits for Initial Bachelor's Degree Candidates and Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure and Degree Program Candidates are courses taken at Fort Lewis College that earned a grade of A, B, C, D, S, or P in all enrollment periods, including those for which financial aid was not received, plus credits in courses earned through the transfer of credit, credit by exam, and evaluation of prior learning credit processes. For Master of Arts in Education Degree Candidates, grades of D are excluded from completed credits.

For included coursework, attempted credits for Initial Bachelor's Degree Candidates, Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure and Degree Candidates, and Master of Arts in Education Degree Candidates are courses taken at Fort Lewis College that earned a grade of A, AW, B, C, CW, D, F, I, MW, NC, NG, P, S, SW, and W in all enrollment periods, including those for which financial aid was not received, plus the number of credits that were earned through the transfer of credit, credit by examination, and evaluation or prior learning processes.

Review of satisfactory academic progress

Students receiving financial aid are evaluated against standards after the spring and summer payment periods after grades have been officially posted by the Registrar's Office, with the following exceptions:

  • Students on financial aid probation with or without SAP Plans will be evaluated after the fall, spring, and summer payment periods after grades have been officially posted by the Registrar's Office.
  • Students who were enrolled during a payment period in an off-campus program will be evaluated when the grades associated with that program have been officially posted by the Registrar's Office or at the end of the subsequent payment period, whichever occurs first.
  • Students who were enrolled during a payment period at another institution under a consortium agreement will be evaluated when grades from that institution have been officially posted by the Registrar's Office or at the end of the subsequent payment period, whichever occurs first.
  • Students receiving a grade change will be re-evaluated for the relevant payment period when the grade change has been officially posted by the Registrar's Office.
  • Students who present transcripts from other institutions showing attempted and/or earned credits not previously accounted for will be re-evaluated for the relevant payment period when the attempted credits have been officially posted by the Registrar's Office.
  • Students receiving a late disbursement for a previous term will be evaluated at the time of disbursement.
  • Prerequisite Students will be evaluated after the fall, spring, and summer payment periods after grades have been officially posted by the Registrar's Office.

Financial aid status

After evaluation, students will be assigned a status of good standing or suspension. Students reinstated from suspension through the appeals process will be assigned the status of probation.

  • Good standing - A student is in good standing and eligible to receive additional financial aid if the student has not completed degree and program requirements and has met the cumulative grade point average standard and the cumulative pace standard and has not exceeded the maximum time frame standard.
  • Suspension - A student is suspended from financial aid if the student is on a financial aid plan and the student completed degree and program requirements or did not meet the cumulative grade point average standard and/or the cumulative pace standard and/or exceeded the maximum time frame standard. Students on financial aid suspension will be notified by an individual email to their Fort Lewis College email account that they are not eligible to receive financial aid unless they re-establish eligibility through the appeals process or by achieving standards attending the college without benefit of aid.
  • Probation - Students are on probation or probation with a financial aid plan if they were reinstated from suspension through the appeals process. Students on probation are eligible to receive aid and are expected to return to meeting standards by the end of the following term. Students on probation with a financial aid plan are eligible to receive aid as long as they meet the conditions of their plan, as specified by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee.

Appeal procedures

A student unable to meet cumulative grade point average and/or cumulative pace standards because of illness or injury of the student or a family member, death of a family member or another unforeseen circumstance may appeal for re-establishment of eligibility to receive aid. Students who have exceeded maximum time frame may also appeal for reinstatement if they have a plan for degree completion.

Students who have already completed all the coursework required for their program/degree are not eligible to receive financial aid and therefore, cannot appeal to have it reinstated.
The required documents for students who were unable to meet cumulative grade point average and/or cumulative pace standards are:

  • Financial Aid Suspension Appeals Form – complete and signed
  • Personal Statement – explaining reason for not meeting satisfactory academic progress standards and what will be changing that will allow these standards to be met in the future and;
  • Documentation – supporting the basis of the appeal, such as a letter from a medical or mental health professional licensed or certified to provide diagnosis and treatment, obituary/death certificate, police report, insurance claim, or social services agency statement.

The required documents for students who have exceeded the maximum time frame are:

  • Financial Aid Suspension Appeal Form – complete and signed (available on Office of Financial Aid website);
  • Personal Statement – explaining reason for exceeding maximum time frame and plan to graduate and;
  • Documentation – semester-by-semester program/degree plan signed by a Professional Academic Advisor in the Office of Student Success showing how the degree or program will be completed. Only the courses required to complete a program or degree may be included in the plan. Courses for a minor, certificate, second majors, etc. cannot be included on the plan.

Students make the appeal by submitting required documents to the Office of Financial Aid. The deadlines to submit these documents are published on the Office of Financial Aid website.

Appeal review

In order for the student's appeal to be considered by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee the student must not have any financial or registration holds.

The Financial Aid Appeals Committee will consider appeals on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration the appeals package submitted by the student and the student's academic, financial, and disciplinary records.

Students will be individually notified of the committee's decision by email to their Fort Lewis College account.

Students suspended because they failed to meet cumulative grade point average and/or cumulative pace standards, who were denied on appeal, who did not appeal, or who rejected an Academic Plan must re-establish eligibility for aid by meeting satisfactory academic progress standards by attending the college without benefit of financial aid. It is the responsibility of the student to appeal as an "earn back" when standards have been met. Students approved as an "earn back" will return to good standing.

Students who were approved through the appeals process and placed on probation must meet all SAP standards by the end of the following term or they will return to financial aid suspension beginning the following term.

Students who were approved through the appeals process and placed on probation with a plan must follow the plan exactly or they will be placed back on financial aid suspension beginning the following term.

Definitions:

Initial Bachelor's Degree Candidates - Undergraduate students pursuing their first bachelor's degree and post-baccalaureate students pursuing a second or subsequent, non-duplicative, bachelor's degree who are attending less than half time, half time, three quarters time, or full time.

Graduate Coursework - Courses that fulfill degree requirements for the Master of Arts in Education Degree. These are numbered 600-700.

Master of Arts in Education Degree Candidates - Graduate students pursuing their first master's degree or pursuing a second or subsequent, non-duplicative, master's degree, who are attending less than half time, half time, three quarters time, or full time.

Off-Campus Programs - Approved educational experiences that occur off-campus, most typically independent study abroad and participation in National Student Exchange.

Prerequisite Student – Approved students pursuing prerequisites to enter a specific program who are attending less than half time, half time, three-quarters time, or full time.

Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure and Post-Baccalaureate Degree Candidates - Post-baccalaureate students pursuing teacher licensure and/or Post-Baccalaureate students pursuing another undergraduate degree who are attending less than half time, half time, three-quarters time, or full time.

Prior Learning - Credits awarded for military service and independent study.

Remedial Coursework - Courses below college-level. These courses are numbered 001-099.

Undergraduate Coursework - Courses that fulfill requirements for a Bachelor's Degree, Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure Program, or graduate program prerequisites. These courses are numbered 100 and higher.