Financial Aid

Website: www.iup.edu/financialaid/

For Title IV Financial Aid related Academic policies, please see the Academic Policies section or the Financial Aid website.

Title IV Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

“In order to receive Student Financial Aid under the programs authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act, as amended, a student must be maintaining satisfactory academic progress in the course of study that he/she is pursuing.” (Federal Register/Volume 48, No. 195/Thursday, October 6, 1983.) Students must be in compliance with both the university’s Academic Standards Policy and the Financial Aid Sufficient Progress Policy (SAP) to demonstrate satisfactory progress.

These Title IV programs include Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work Study Program, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Loans, and Federal Parent PLUS Loan.

A student who is meets the university’s Academic Standards Policy, but who does not meet the Financial Aid SAP qualitative and quantitative standards, may continue in university registration, but will not be eligible to participate in the Federal Title IV aid programs. This happens because the Financial Aid SAP Policy is stricter than the university’s Academic Standards Policy. A full statement of requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress for Title IV Federal Student Aid is available at the Financial Aid office and on the website.

Title IV Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

The Financial Aid Sufficient Progress Policy applies to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the university.

1. Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): To be considered in good financial aid SAP standing, graduate students must maintain a 3.0 CGPA, must successfully complete (pass) at least 67 percent of the cumulative number of their registered credits at IUP, and must complete their degree requirements within an established time frame of no longer than 150 percent of the published length of the program.
   
   Students’ SAP is measured for each academic year at the end of the spring semester (corresponding with the end of the spring payment period), after grade processing has been completed. This measurement determines if students have met the required CGPA, have passed a sufficient percentage of credits, and time frame completion in order to be eligible for Title IV funding in future terms.
   
   Students are notified of their financial aid suspension status via email and USPS direct mail when a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the upcoming academic year is on file in the Financial Aid office. Students are also able to review their SAP status on their MyIUP account.
    
2. Financial Aid Suspension: When students who do not meet CGPA and have not successfully passed the sufficient number of credits, all Title IV aid for that student will be suspended beginning with the next semester of attendance.
   
   A student who is in this financial aid suspension status, however, will be reviewed at the end of the next semester of attendance to evaluate if the percent of progress and CGPA are met. If the percent of progress and CPGA are achieved, then the student’s Title IV financial aid suspension will be rescinded beginning with the next semester of enrollment.
    
3. Time Frame for Degree Completion: In addition to meeting the 67 percent of progress and CGPA requirements, students must complete their degree requirements within an established time frame of no longer than 150 percent of the published length of the program. Since enrollment status may vary from term to term, the maximum period for degree completion is measured in terms of credits attempted at IUP plus any transfer credits. Part-time and fulltime students are treated equally under this policy. For example, undergraduates should complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at the point of having 180 registered credits at IUP (150 percent of the published length of the program).
    
4. Appeal Process: Students who have special circumstances, beyond their control (such as medical emergencies or death of a family member), which cause them to not make SAP, may submit a written appeal to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee for consideration of reinstatement of Title IV aid eligibility. However, a special circumstance does not guarantee an exception to the financial aid SAP regulations. Students who exceed the 150 percent credit guidelines due to change of major or double majors may also submit a written appeal.
   
   The written appeal must specifically outline the reason(s) for the progress deficiency and identify what has changed to allow the student to make SAP by the next evaluation. The appeal must contain sufficient documentation to substantiate the reason cited for lack of progress for instance, supporting documentation from a healthcare provider that clarifies the student’s health situation, an obituary, and/or letters of support from relevant professional individuals (not related to the student) are all acceptable forms of documentation. Letters from third party individuals must be on letterhead and contain a hand-written signature. Electronic signatures are not accepted.
   
   For students who do not appeal or who are denied an appeal for a semester, an appeal for reinstatement of Title IV aid for a subsequent semester will be accepted for review.
   
   After reviewing the written appeal of a student in financial aid suspension, the Financial Aid Appeals Committee may decide to reinstate Title IV financial aid eligibility for specific periods of the next financial aid award year.
    
5. Reinstatement of Title IV Aid Eligibility: In order for students to reestablish eligibility to receive Title IV financial aid, one of the following must occur:
   1. Students must meet the minimum requirements for SAP (at least 67 percent cumulative percent of progress, meet the CGPA requirement (2.0 UG or 3.0 GR), and the time frame for degree completion).
      OR
   2. The Financial Aid Appeals Committee must approve the student’s written appeal (based on documented circumstances).
6. Treatment of Transfer Credits, Audits, Incompletes, and Other Grades:
   1. Transfer Credits: All transfer credits that students transfer into IUP are taken into consideration as part of their attempted and passed credits for purposes of measuring SAP percent of progress as well as time frame for degree completion.
   2. Audits, “S,” and “U” Grades: Because course audits, “S,” and “U” grades carry no credits, they are not reviewed or counted for SAP progress purposes.
   3. Incompletes: Designations of “I,” “L,” “R,” and “*” are treated as credits attempted/zero credits passed, thus have no effect on CGPA. However, these designations are treated as noncompleted (attempted) credits and have an impact in the calculation of the percent of progress measure and time frame for degree completion. (Note: The “*” is an administrative symbol indicating that a grade was not submitted at the time of grade processing.)
   4. “F” Repeat with Replacement: An “F” repeat with replacement is treated as credits attempted/credits passed/with the quality points (QP) of the new grade replacing the 0.00 QP of the original “F” grade. An “F” repeat has a positive effect on the CGPA, but represents an additional number of credits attempted in regard to the percent of progress and time frame for degree completion measurements.
   5. “D” Repeat with Replacement: Repeated classes that are “D” replacements to a student’s record are treated as credits attempted/zero credits passed/with the quality points (QP) of the new grade replacing the 1.00 QP of the “D” grade. A “D” repeat with replacement may improve a student’s CGPA, but represents an additional number of credits attempted in regard to the percent of progress and time frame for degree completion measurements. NOTE: No “D” grade is recognized in IUP graduate work. See Grading System.
   6. Repeats with Averaging: Courses that are repeated with averaging count as credits attempted/credits passed with the quality points for the class averaged into the CGPA. The maximum time frame for degree completion may be impacted by repeat with averaging classes. NOTE: Graduate students are limited to one course C/F repeat. See Course Repeat Policy.
   7. Withdrawals: Designations of “N,” “W,” “Q,” “WP,” or “WF” are treated as registered credits/zero credits passed/no effect on CGPA. Any type of “W” designation is treated as noncompleted (attempted) credits in the calculation of percent of progress and time frame for degree completion measurements.
   8. Pass/Fail Grades: Pass grades are treated as registered credits/credits passed/no effect on GPA. Fail grades are treated as registered credits/zero credits passed/with zero QP averaged into the calculation of GPA. NOTE: Pass is used for thesis/dissertation only. See Grading System.
   9. Noncredit Courses: Noncredit classes, such as those with Continuing Education Units (CEUs), are not used in measuring sufficient progress, since these classes cannot be applied toward degree requirements and no financial aid may be received for enrollment.
   10. Institutional Credits: Institutional credits are counted as registered credits/credits completed. The QP for the course is not averaged into the student’s overall GPA.
   11. Fresh Start Program/Canceled Semester: Students readmitted under the Fresh Start Program, or who have had a canceled semester, must still meet the financial aid qualitative and quantitative SAP requirements (using all previously enrolled semester data). Federal regulations do not permit the financial aid office staff to remove or ignore any academic statistics. NOTE: Canceled semester does not apply to graduate students.

Title IV Verification of Participation in Academically Related Activities Policy

All students shall engage in academically related activities in order to be eligible for federal (Title IV) student aid. All instructors of record shall verify their course rosters at designated times during each semester for such activity. This information will assist IUP personnel in Financial Aid and Student Billing with the calculations of aid that may be awarded and/or returned.

Definitions

1. Withdrawal - To cease attendance in all Title IV eligible classes in a payment period or period of attendance, as applicable. A student is considered to have withdrawn from a payment period or period of enrollment if, in the case of a program that is measured in credit hours, the student does not complete all the days in the payment period or period of enrollment that the student was scheduled to complete.
   1. Official Withdrawal Date - If a student provides written or oral notification of withdrawal to the university’s designated office stating intent to withdraw, the withdrawal date is the date the university receives the notification.
   2. Unofficial Withdrawal Date - In general, if a student leaves the university without the provision of official notification, the withdrawal date is the midpoint of the payment period or period of enrollment, as applicable, or the last known date of an academically related activity in which the student participated.
2. Academically Related Activity
   1. Academically related activities include, but are not limited to:
      1. Physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students.
      2. Submitting an academic assignment.
      3. Taking an exam, an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction.
      4. Attending a study group that is assigned by the university.
      5. Participating in an online discussion about academic matters.
      6. Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.
   2. Academically related activities do not include activities where a student may be present but not academically engaged, such as:
      1. Living in institutional housing.
      2. Participating in the university’s meal plan.
      3. Logging into an online class without active participation.
      4. Participating in academic counseling or advisement.
3. Academically Related Activity for Distance Education Courses - In a distance education context, documenting that a student has logged into an online class is not sufficient, by itself, to demonstrate academic attendance by the student. A school must demonstrate that a student participated in class or was otherwise engaged in an academically related activity. Academically related activities in a distance education course include, but are not limited to:
   1. Student submission of an academic assignment.
   2. Student submission of an exam.
   3. Documented student participation in an interactive tutorial or computer-assisted instruction.
   4. A posting by the student showing the student’s participation in an online study group that is assigned by the institution.
   5. A posting by the student in a discussion forum showing the student’s participation in an online discussion about academic matters.
   6. An email from the student or other documentation showing the student initiated contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.
4. Failing Grade, Earned - Grade awarded to students who generally completed the course period but failed to achieve the course objectives. It is used when, in the opinion of the instructor, completed assignments or course activities or both were sufficient to make normal evaluation of academic performance possible (instructor will record a grade of “F”).
5. Failing Grade, Unearned - Grade awarded to students who did not officially withdraw from the course, but who failed to participate in course activities through the end of the period. It is used when, in the opinion of the instructor, completed assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to make normal evaluation of academic performance possible (instructor will record a grade of “N”, along with the last known date of participation in academically related activities.)

Procedure

All instructors of record must verify in the student system that students on their course rosters have participated in academically related activities immediately after the drop/add period, when mid-term grades are recorded, and when final grades are submitted.

Immediately after drop/add, verification of course rosters affirms that the students listed have been involved in academically related activities associated with the course. For online courses, the faculty member shall advise students to log into the course and begin course activity during the add/drop period.

Mid-term and final grades must be recorded in the student system for all students with earned and unearned failing grades. Instructors must determine if the failure was based on performance (“F”) or non-participation (“N”), respectively, and must also record the last known date of participation in academically related activities if the student receives an unearned failing grade (“N”).

Roles and Responsibilities

Students will be responsible for engaging in academically related activities in their courses. Instructors will record participation at the end of the drop/add period. For students failing the course at mid-term and/or finals, instructors will record whether or not the failing grade was due to performance or non-performance (earned or unearned). If the failure was due to nonparticipation, the last known date of the student’s participation in academically related activities will be reported. IUP personnel in Financial Aid and Student Billing will use the recorded information to determine the amount of Title IV student aid may be awarded and/or returned.