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Office of Financial Aid

Satisfactory Academic Progress

All students who receive federal and state financial aid must meet federal and institutional standards for satisfactory academic progress in order to establish and retain aid eligibility. Students receiving athletic or other University-administered awards must also meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards that have been established by the awarding entity.

Satisfactory Academic Progress for federal and state financial aid programs is based on three measures:

  • Cumulative grade-point average
  • Completion rated based on credit hours completed compared to attempted
  • A maximum time frame for degree completion.

The following describes the University’s standards for each of these three measures, and when these standards are reviewed:

Cumulative Grade-Point Average (GPA)

  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 based on credits at Illinois State University.
  • If you fail to meet this requirement you will either be terminated from your degree program or placed on academic probation by the Graduate School. 
  • Upon recommendation of the department/school, you can be placed on academic probation and provided with a period of time not to exceed two (2) academic terms (including summer if enrolled) or a number of credit hours not to exceed twelve (12) credits, within which to raise the GPA to the required standard. 
  • The Graduate School will terminate a student who fails to bring the cumulative GPA up to a minimum of 3.0 GPA during probationary period from that degree program. The student can receive financial aid during the probationary period.
  • The Graduate School will send a letter of probation/termination to any students who fall below a 3.0 GPA.

Completion Rate

  • Graduate students are required to complete a minimum of 67 percent of the credit hours attempted at Illinois State University.
  • Courses with a grade of “D” or higher, as well as “CR” or “CT”, count as completed.
  • Credit hours attempted include audits, incompletes, withdrawals, and repeated or failed classes.
  • Thesis and dissertation credits are excluded from the completion rate calculation because these two types of credits are not graded.
  • A student who does not complete a minimum of 67 percent of credit hours attempted will be suspended from financial aid eligibility until his or her completion rate improves to at least 67 percent.
  • The completion rate for students readmitted to the University under the New Start program is calculated beginning with the credit hours attempted/completed during the term for which the student was readmitted.

Maximum Timeframe

  • The maximum timeframe for the completion of a degree is limited by federal regulations to 150 percent of the published length of the degree program. 
  • This is equivalent to a maximum number of credit hours that includes transfer credits and all attempted credit hours at Illinois State University.
  • Credit hours attempted include completed credits, audits, incompletes, withdrawals, and repeated or failed classes. 
  • The maximum number of credits allowed for a subsequent degree program at Illinois State excludes the credits from any previous degree(s) earned at Illinois State. 
  • Effective 2007-2008, the University also requires that all students have a declared major upon completion of 75 hours of coursework, including transfer credits. At 75 hours earned, students classified as General Students are not eligible to continue their enrollment or receive financial aid.
  • The maximum number of graduate credit hours for which a student is eligible to receive financial aid is equivalent to 150 percent of the total hours required for the student’s degree program as published in the Graduate Catalog.

Review of Progress Standards

  • Cumulative GPA is reviewed at the end of each period of enrollment — fall semester, spring semester, and the summer session — for both financial aid eligibility and for continued enrollment at Illinois State University.
  • Completion rate is reviewed upon submission of a financial aid application (the FAFSA), and at the end of each period of enrollment, including the summer session. The Financial Aid Office sends a “warning letter” to any aid recipient who has not completed 67 percent of hours attempted at the end of the summer session or fall semester. Aid eligibility is suspended at the end of the spring semester for any aid recipient who does not meet the 67 percent completion standard.
  • Maximum timeframe is reviewed upon submission of a financial aid application (the FAFSA), and at the end of each enrollment period, including the summer session. The Financial Aid Office sends a “warning letter” to any aid recipient who is within 15 hours of reaching the maximum attempted hour for his or her degree program.

Notification/Appeals

  • If financial aid eligibility is suspended as a result of failure to meet the completion rate or maximum timeframe standard, the Financial Aid Office sends a letter to the student including a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form.
  • The Appeal Form must include reasons for the student’s failure to meet the academic standard and any appropriate documentation.
  • Appeal Forms must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office within thirty (30) days of the date of the letter and are reviewed by the Graduate School.
  • For the completion rate standard, the student may also restore aid eligibility by earning enough additional hours to meet or exceed the 67 percent standard.
  • If the student is not meeting the GPA standard, the student also will receive instructions on Academic Probation from the Graduate School.