In order to receive federal financial aid or other need-based aid, a student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) must meet the minimum requirement as defined below:

Undergraduate Students

 II. Minimum Credit Hour Completion Rate (PCT)

All students (graduate and undergraduate) must earn a minimum of two-thirds or 66.6% of the credit hours that they have attempted at UNC Charlotte (does not include transfer credit hours).  To determine a student’s credit hour completion rate, divide the total earned credit hours at UNC Charlotte by the total number of credit hours attempted at UNC Charlotte.  This information is found on the academic transcript, available through the student’s Banner Self-Service account online under Student Records (see example A below).

Example A: The student below has earned 73 credit hours at UNC Charlotte and has attempted a total of 76 credit hours.  Divide 73 (earned credit hours) by 76 (attempted credit hours).  This student’s credit hour completion rate is 96%.

Example B: After the spring 2008 semester grades were reported, the student had attempted a total of 48 credit hours during his entire attendance at UNC Charlotte.  In order to meet the minimum credit hour completion rate requirement and be eligible for financial aid for future semesters including summer, the student must have earned 32 of those credit hours (48 x 0.666 = 32).

Further Information regarding Earned Hours: To earn hours at UNC Charlotte, a student must receive a grade of A, B, C, D, H, P or S.   All other grades, including F, I, IP, W, AU, NR, U, or N do not earn hours.

If a student withdraws from a class after the drop/add period, those credit hours for which the student earns a grade of “W” are counted as attempted but not earned credit hours.  Therefore, withdrawing from classes after the drop/add period will negatively affect the student’s ability to satisfy the minimum credit hour completion rate requirement.

If a student repeats a course, both the original and the repeated courses will count toward the earned and attempted credit hours.

Courses for which a student earns a grade of incomplete (I) are counted as attempted but not earned credit hours.  If a student receives a grade in place of an incomplete after his/her academic progress has been evaluated, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the Office of Student Financial Aid by submitting an appeal.

Courses taken for audit for which no additional credit is earned are included in determining academic progress.  Audited courses are included in attempted hours but the course does not earn credit or affect GPA*****

III. Completion of a Degree or Program of Study within a Maximum Number of Credit Hours (HRS)

Each student has a maximum time frame during which they can receive financial aid.  To remain eligible for financial aid at UNC Charlotte, students must complete their degree program requirements within 150 percent of the published length of their degree program.  All attempted hours are counted, including transfer hours, whether or not financial aid was received, or whether or not the coursework was successfully completed. 

Undergraduate Example:

If an undergraduate degree program requires 120 semester credit hours to complete, then a student is eligible for financial aid during the first 180 attempted credit hours as an undergraduate. 

(120 x 150% = 180 maximum attempted credit hours for financial aid eligibility)

 

Graduate Example:

Graduate students must complete their degree within the maximum time frame as determined and monitored by the Graduate School.

Regaining Eligibility for Financial Aid

Students who have failed to meet one or more of the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements are not eligible for financial aid; however, financial aid eligibility may be regained if:

The student raises his/her cumulative GPA to the minimum standard as defined in the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy requirements through hours earned at UNC Charlotte within the student’s program of study (without financial aid);

And, the student’s credit hour completion rate has been brought up to the standard as defined in the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy requirements by successfully completing coursework within the program of study at UNC Charlotte or at another institution (without financial aid).  However, if enrolling elsewhere, the student must complete the appropriate transient study forms from the University Registrar’s office and have the coursework pre-approved by UNC Charlotte prior to enrolling at the other institution;

Maximum Time Frame.  Once the time limit has been exceeded, then aid eligibility ends, even if the student is in compliance with the other two standards. 

However, students admitted to a second degree program or who have changed majors creating a need for additional earned hours beyond the typical requirement may submit an appeal.  The request must be in writing, using the appeal form, and must include the student’s estimate of additional hours needed for graduation as approved by the academic department or major advisor.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals

Federal regulations allow for certain cases in which the university may waive the standards.  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. 

Appeals must include a detailed description of the extenuating circumstances that occurred during the specific semester in which the student failed to meet the standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress.  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 financial aid office or online here.  

Once all required documentation is submitted, students will be notified electronically of the outcome of their appeal.  Appeal decisions will be updated on the Banner Self-Service system.  Students can view their status by checking their “Overall Status of Financial Aid” online and find information about their appeal under “Active Messages.”  Incomplete appeals will not be reviewed.  All documents received with the appeal form become the property of the Office of Student Financial Aid.  Students are advised not to submit originals.  Appeals may be denied, approved with conditions, or approved unconditionally.

The deadlines will be established each year for the upcoming summer, fall and spring 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.

Appeal Deadlines for Summer 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009