Financial Aid Policies for Graduate Students

To be eligible to receive financial assistance under any Federal Title IV or University assistantship, scholarship, grant, loan or work program, students must demonstrate minimum qualitative and quantitative academic measurement standards. The qualitative and quantitative standards used to measure satisfactory academic progress are cumulative and encompass all enrollment periods, including periods of enrollment during which the student did not receive federal or University aid.

A. Qualitative Measurement

The qualitative measurement standard is expressed as a minimum cumulative grade point average (CUM/GPA) which must be demonstrated prior to each semester of enrollment. The following chart illustrates the minimum CUM/GPA requirement:

Semester of Attendance: 1
Minimum CUM/GPA: 0

Semester of Attendance: 2 or more
Minimum CUM/GPA: 3.0

B. Quantitative Measurement

The quantitative measurement standard has two concepts: a maximum time frame in which the student is expected to finish a degree program; and a comparison of the number of credit hours the student attempted with the number of credit hours the student successfully completed to determine whether the student is progressing at a rate which will allow the student to finish the program within the maximum time frame. The is referred to as the minimum completion ratio.

Maximum Time Frame

The maximum time frame in which the student is expected to finish a graduate degree program is defined as 150% of the published length of the program, according to the Alfred University Catalog, measured in attempted credit hours. For example, if a graduate program requires 30 credit hours to complete a degree, the maximum time frame for which the student may be eligible for aid is the period during which the student attempts 45 credit hours (30 x 1.5 = 45).

Minimum Completion Ratio

The percentage of attempted credit hours a student must successfully complete to demonstrate SAP is the minimum completion ratio. For all graduate degree programs at Alfred University, this percentage is 67%. The minimum completion ratio is determined by dividing the program credit hours required for graduation by the maximum time frame credit hours. The application of the completion ratio is cumulative. Therefore, a student must successfully complete 67% of all credit hours attempted to demonstrate SAP for federal & University aid. For example, if a student attempted 30 credit hours during the first two semesters of enrollment, this student would need to demonstrate at least 20 successfully completed credit hours to satisfy the SAP minimum completion ratio requirement (30 x .67 = 20.1).

C. Evaluation Periods and Frequency of Measurement

The review of a student's SAP is done at the end of each semester, after final grades are posted by the Registrar. All students are reviewed regardless of the student's enrollment status or number of semesters attended during the academic year.

D. Cumulative Grade Point Average (CUM/GPA)

The CUM/GPA is the CUM/GPA as determined and recorded by the University Registrar on the student's official Alfred University academic record. Grades earned at other institution's for transfer credits are not considered to determine the student's Alfred University CUM/GPA or SAP CUM/GPA requirements.

E. Attempted Credit Hours

For purposes of SAP, a credit hour is considered attempted unless the student's academic record demonstrates one of the following grade designations for the course credits: CH, AU or EX. Classes/courses which carry a designation of 0 credit hours are not considered attempted credits. Transfer credits are also considered attempted credits. See G below, "Transfer Credit Hours."

F. Earned Credit Hours

A credit is considered successfully completed and earned if the student's academic record demonstrates a P, HP or A through D grade for that credit hour. Classes/courses which carry a designation of 0 credit hours are not considered earned credits. Transfer credits are also considered earned credits. See G below, "Transfer Credit Hours."

G. Transfer Credit Hours

Credits transferred into Alfred University are considered as both attempted credit hours and earned credit hours for the SAP quantitative measurement standards, maximum time frame and minimum completion ratio.

H. Failure to Demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress

Loss of Aid Eligibility

Students who fail to meet one or more of the SAP standards become ineligible to receive further Federal Title IV and University aid payments at Alfred University.

Right to Appeal

Students determined to be ineligible for Federal Title IV and University aid programs have the right to appeal. Appeals must represent extenuating circumstances which occurred to cause the student to fail achieving SAP. Appeals must be made in writing (a letter or email), authored by the student, presented to the director of financial aid within 15 days of the date on the letter notifying the student of the lack of SAP and supported by appropriate documentation. Appeal decisions are made by the director of financial aid.

All appeals must include an academic plan which, if followed, will ensure the student is able to meet SAP standards within one or two semesters of additional attendance. Academic plans must be approved by the student's college/school dean and identify specific actions and academic performance criteria the student will satisfy during and at the end of each semester in the academic plan.

Students are provided specific, detailed guidance for appeal letters, allowable appeal circumstances and academic plans when notified of SAP noncompliance.

Financial Aid Probation

If a student's appeal is approved, the student will be placed on financial aid probation for the next semester attended. Students may receive aid payments during the probation. At the end of the probation semester, the student must satisfy all SAP standards and/or their academic plan requirements to be eligible for continued aid payments the following semester.

I. Reinstatement of Aid Eligibility

Students who do not satisfy the SAP requirements may reinstate their aid eligibility by correcting the SAP deficiencies without the benefit of Federal or University aid or submitting a successful appeal and satisfying SAP standards after a probation period.

Rev. 4/2019