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Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships

Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements for the Renewal of Financial Aid Resources

Undergraduate Students

In order to continue to receive financial aid, you must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of your degree program. There are three components to satisfactory academic progress for federal and RIT-sponsored financial aid: qualitative (grade point average), quantitative (pace), and maximum timeframe. Minimum requirements for financial aid renewed for the 2011-2012 financial aid year are detailed as follows:

Academic progress requirements for federal aid programs

Federal regulations require financial aid recipients to maintain minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) for continued receipt of federally sponsored aid. All students receiving federal assistance must maintain matriculated status in a degree program. Regulations require a maximum time frame for degree completion, a quantitative measurement (credits attempted versus earned toward a degree) and a qualitative measurement (cumulative grade-point average). The annual review of academic progress considers all terms of enrollment, including terms in which no federal aid was received.

Full-time students who have never attended another college are allowed a maximum of six academic years (18 full-time academic quarters) to attain the bachelor’s degree. Those pursuing associate degrees are allowed three academic years (nine academic quarters) for degree completion.

Students enrolled in eligible certificate or diploma programs in colleges other than NTID must complete credit hours on a fulltime equivalent basis. Certificate/diploma program students are allowed a maximum of 150 percent of the published number of quarters required to complete their program.

Academic progress is reviewed at the end of spring quarter each year and includes a review of cumulative grade-point average and degree credits completed. Minimum cumulative grade-point average standards for full- and part-time students enrolled in RIT or NTID programs are as follows:

Completion of first quarter-minimum cumulative GPA = 1.0
Completion of second quarter-minimum cumulative GPA = 1.2
Completion of third quarter-minimum cumulative GPA = 1.4
Completion of fourth quarter-minimum cumulative GPA = 1.6
Completion of fifth quarter-minimum cumulative GPA = 1.8
Completion of quarters 6 to 18-minimum cumulative GPA = 2.0

Full-time students in colleges other than NTID are expected to complete 30 degree credits after every three academic quarters, as detailed below:

Completion of first academic year (three academic qtrs.)-30 degree credits required
Completion of second academic year (six academic qtrs.)-60 degree credits required
Completion of third academic year (nine academic qtrs.)-90 degree credits required
Completion of fourth academic year (12 academic qtrs.)-120 degree credits required
Completion of fifth academic year (15 academic qtrs.)-150 degree credits required
Completion of sixth academic year (18 academic qtrs.)-180 degree credits required

Part-time students must accumulate credit hours on a full-time equivalent basis.

Students enrolled in certificate, diploma, or associate degree programs at NTID must meet the same GPA standards required for other RIT colleges. However, for NTID programs, the qualitative standard is based on successful completion of 66 percent of annual credit hours attempted. In addition, the maximum time frame for program completion is equal to attempting a maximum of 150 percent of the published credit hours required for a particular NTID certificate, diploma, or degree.

Additional eligibility requirements

Transfer students

Cumulative grade-point average requirements are the same as for non-transfer students (i.e., students must obtain a 2.0 GPA at the end of six academic quarters). Transfer students also are expected to accumulate 30 degree credits for each three-quarter academic year.

However, the maximum number of quarters allowed for full-time students to accumulate remaining degree credits may be reduced. For every 10 credits, or fraction thereof, granted as transfer credit by RIT, the maximum number of quarters to accumulate remaining degree credits is reduced by one. For example, a student transferring from another college and granted 30 transfer credits would have 15 rather than 18 quarters to accumulate remaining degree credits; the same student transferring to an associate degree program would be allowed six rather than nine quarters to complete the degree. The calculations used in the reduction in maximum quarters allowed for degree completion apply to both federal aid programs and RIT sponsored awards (18 academic quarters maximum).

Part-time students

Students registering for 6 to 11.5 credits per quarter and receiving federal financial assistance must meet the same grade-point average requirements as full-time students (i.e., attainment of a 2.0 GPA after six academic quarters). The established time frame for part-time students is 12 academic years (36 half-time quarters) for completion of bachelor’s degree requirements. Associate degree candidates are allowed six academic years (18 half-time quarters) for degree completion. At the end of each three-quarter academic year, 15 credits must be accumulated toward the degree. Quarters in which a student is registered for less than 6 credit hours will be counted on a prorated basis.

Repeated course work

Students repeating a course previously passed may do so only once. A course repeated more than once will not be included when determining enrollment status for federally sponsored financial aid. The federal standards of satisfactory academic progress listed are applicable to the following aid programs: Federal Work-Study, Federal Pell and SEOG grants, and Federal Perkins, Direct Subsidized, Direct Unsubsidized, and Direct PLUS loans. Student loan recipients also should note that all Federal Direct Loan Programs have specific annual and cumulative maximum amounts. The loan limits are listed in the Undergraduate Financial Aid Programs 2011-2012 chart and in the U.S. Department of Education Student Guide. Copies of the guide are available in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Notification and appeal

Students whose academic progress is not in compliance with federal regulations will be notified of the deficiency. Students who do not meet minimum SAP standards may continue to receive federal aid during a probationary period, not to exceed one academic year, and not to exceed the 150% timeframe for degree completion, as the result of a successful appeal. Students may appeal due to special circumstances such as death of a relative, or injury or illness of the student. The following information must be provided to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to be considered for receipt of federally sponsored financial aid during a probationary period:

Academic progress requirements for RIT grants and scholarships

Academic progress requirements for RIT need-based grants are the same as the requirements for federal aid programs. Academic requirements and award duration for merit or special-purpose scholarship programs sponsored by RIT may differ from those used in RIT’s need-based programs. Recipients are advised of merit scholarship terms and conditions at the time awards are made.

Student responsibilities

Recipients of financial aid are responsible for reporting any significant changes in their financial situation during the year to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for review. These changes may require a revision to the applicant’s financial aid.

Academic progress requirements for state aid programs

New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

In order to receive a TAP grant, an individual must be admitted as a full-time matriculated student, meet New York state residency and income requirements, pursue the program of study in which he or she is enrolled, and make satisfactory progress toward completion of his or her program of study.

Standard of Satisfactory Progress for the Purpose of Determining Eligibility for New York State Student Aid

Associate Degree-Quarter System
Before being certified for this payment 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
a student must have accrued at least this many credits 0 3 9 20 32 44 56 68 80
with at least this grade point average 0 .50 .75 1.00 1.20 1.30 2.00 2.00 2.00
Bachelor’s Degree-Quarter System
Before being certified for this payment 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th
a student must have accrued at least this many credits 0 3 9 20 32 44 56 68 80 92 104 116 132 148 164
with at least this grade point average 0 1.10 1.10 1.20 1.20 1.30 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00

TAP academic requirements are current as of the 2011-2012 year. Standards are subject to change by legislative action. In addition to accruing degree credits and earning a minimum grade-point average, TAP recipients must:

  1. Complete 6 credits per quarter to receive TAP payments two to four
  2. Complete 9 credits per quarter to receive TAP payments five to seven
  3. Complete 12 credits per quarter to receive TAP payments eight to 12

Completion of a course is defined as meeting course requirements and receiving a letter grade of A, B, C, D or F.

State regulations mandate that if a student repeats a course in which a passing grade acceptable to the university was previously received, the repeated course does not count toward the minimum 12-credit hour course load required for TAP and other state programs.

In addition, an accelerated TAP payment cannot be received unless the recipient completes a minimum of 36 RIT credit hours in the previous three quarters. An accelerated quarter is the fourth consecutive quarter of enrollment at RIT.

Waiver of academic progress standards for TAP

Students who have been denied TAP benefits due to failure to maintain satisfactory standards of academic progress may request a one-term waiver of those standards. State regulations require that these waivers be granted only under extraordinary circumstances. Students failing to meet satisfactory progress standards will be given the opportunity to contact an institutional representative in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to discuss their situation. The institutional representative will require documentation as appropriate and establish deadlines for submission of this documentation.

Under the regulations established by the Commissioner of Education, the decision of the institutional representative will be final. Students who, in the judgment of the institutional representative, satisfactorily meet the criteria for the waiver may have one waiver at the undergraduate level. One waiver also may be granted at the graduate level. Those wishing to apply for waivers must do so during the quarter in which notification of TAP denial was sent.

Reasons for which a waiver may be granted include the following:

  1. Verifiable illness of the student or member of the student’s immediate family during the quarter in which academic standards were not met
  2. Death of a member of the student’s family during the quarter in which standards were not met
  3. Divorce/separation within the student’s immediate family creating a demonstrable financial/emotional disruption sufficient to affect progress
  4. Circumstances that the student feels were extenuating; applicants must explain why circumstances were extenuating and beyond their control

These regulations are subject to legislative change.