* The information stated below is subject to change.
The United States Department of Education, the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana, and Ball State University require that students applying for federal, state, and some institutional funds demonstrate satisfactory academic progress. Satisfactory academic progress is defined as proceeding toward successful completion of degree requirements.
The programs at Ball State University affected by the satisfactory academic progress policy are:
Graduate or undergraduate students receiving aid from or intending to apply for aid from any of these programs must demonstrate satisfactory academic progress or face denial of aid from these sources.
The new 2011-12 satisfactory academic progress policy (which went into effect July 1, 2011) is outlined below. This change will affect students when our office checks satisfactory academic progress after May 2012.
Continuing or returning students applying for aid from these programs for the first time must have demonstrated earlier progress in order to receive aid. Progress is checked each academic year at the end of spring semester (summer is considered a semester and is calculated with the following fall and spring semester). The exception to this policy is for a few educational programs which are one year or less in length. These programs must be reviewed after each semester. In addition, the number of hours attempted is checked at the end of each semester for undergraduate students to ensure students have not reached their maximum time frame. No financial assistance, including Stafford Loans and PLUS Loans, will be reinstated for prior terms in which the student was not in compliance with this policy. Academic clemency does not apply to financial aid.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Satisfactory academic progress for financial aid is defined as maintaining a grade point average consistent with university graduation requirements (see university academic progress policy), staying on pace to graduate and completing a degree within a maximum time frame.
A student is required to earn 67% of cumulative hours attempted to stay on pace to graduate. Pace is calculated by dividing cumulative hours earned by cumulative hours attempted.
Students who receive grades of incompletes because of studying abroad, independent learning courses or for other reasons may fall below the 67% pace requirement. As a result, they may lose their financial aid eligibility until grades have been earned for those courses.
Example 1: A student enrolled for 12 hours both fall and spring semester for a total of 24 attempted hours. The student earned 14 hours for the academic year and had a GPA consistent with university graduation requirements. Although the necessary GPA was maintained, the student is now ineligible for financial aid because pace was not maintained (14 cumulative hours earned divided by 24 cumulative hours attempted equals 58%).
Example 2: A student enrolled summer for 6 hours, fall 15 hours, and spring 14 hours for a total of 35 attempted hours. The student earned 6 hours summer, 10 hours fall and 12 hours spring for a total of 28 hours for the academic year and has a GPA consistent with university graduation requirements. This student has the necessary GPA and has maintained pace (28 cumulative hours earned divided by 35 cumulative hours attempted equals 80%). This student can continue to be eligible for financial aid.
Example 3: A student enrolled 10 hours fall and 12 hours spring for a total of 22 attempted hours but has a GPA not consistent with university graduation requirements. This student earned all 10 hours fall and 9 hours spring. Although this student has maintained pace (19 cumulative hours earned divided by 22 cumulative hours attempted equals 86%), the GPA has fallen below university standards. This student would not be eligible for financial aid.
Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree or associate’s degree are expected to complete degree requirements within a maximum time frame based on attempted hours (including transfer hours and advanced standing hours). Students will be ineligible for financial aid once they reach their maximum time frame or it has been determined they cannot complete their degree within this time frame. This time frame is 180 attempted hours for students seeking a bachelor's degree and 90 attempted hours for students seeking an associate’s degree. Therefore, eligibility for aid from sources listed previously is limited to the same time frames. Exceptions: Indiana Frank O’Bannon Grant, Indiana National Guard Supplement and Indiana Twenty-First Century Scholars Award are limited to eight semesters for students who are working on a bachelor’s degree. The Indiana Child of Veteran and Public Safety Officer Supplemental Grant is limited to 124 attempted hours. Graduate students need to complete their degree within the time frame specified by their academic department.
Students enrolled in a second undergraduate degree program who have reached their maximum time frame will need to appeal. If an appeal is granted, only the hours required to earn the second degree will be used in extending the maximum time frame.
Incompletes (“I” grades) will not count toward progress until such time as the grade and hours earned are posted. At that time, hours completed will count for the period of original registration. If you are denied financial aid due to not maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress, you may not receive aid retroactively for the term(s) you are attending while finishing the incomplete. You will need to contact The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid when the final grade is posted by the Registrar's Office.
Grade Changes need to be reported by the student to The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid once the grade has been posted by the Registrar's Office.
Withdrawals (“W” grades) will not count toward progress and as a result, will negatively affect a student’s pace, as well as count against the maximum time frame.
Course Repetitions will count toward progress without penalty but will not extend the maximum time frame established for undergraduate students.
Add/Drop hours are locked in at the end of the add/drop period for purposes of satisfactory academic progress. The add/drop period for the Fall, Spring, and Summer Semester ends the fifth day of the semester. The add/drop period for First Summer Semester and Second Summer Semester ends the third day of the semester.
Independent Learning (IL) hours will be added to regular enrollment hours when determining total enrollment status. Non-completion of IL courses may result in being denied financial aid. Although the School of Extended Education allows nine months to complete some IL courses, you are required to complete all IL courses in the semester in which you received aid for those courses. If an IL course is completed after the semester ends, it is your responsibility to contact our office once the final grade is posted by the Registrar's Office. These courses will count toward progress and will be included in the maximum time frame.
Transfer and Advanced Standing Hours will count toward both earned and attempted hours. Attempted hours are used in calculating the maximum time frame.
Denial Policy
Students who are denied financial aid due to GPA and/or pace can regain their financial aid eligibility once they have raised their GPA to be consistent with university graduation requirements and/or have earned hours to put them back on pace to graduate (earned 67% of cumulative hours attempted). Students can also regain their financial aid eligibility through the appeal process explained below.
Students who have reached their maximum time frame can only become eligible for financial aid again if they have an appeal granted.
Students who were academically dismissed from the university and have been reinstated by the Registrar’s Office are still ineligible for financial aid and must submit an appeal to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.
Appeal Procedure
Students who are denied financial aid may appeal if they have documented extenuating circumstances such as an illness, a death in the family or other personal and family difficulties. If an appeal is granted, the student is put on a probationary status for one semester. The student has this one semester to raise the GPA to be consistent with university graduation requirements and/or to be back on pace to graduate. An appeal is not likely to be granted if it is not mathematically possible for the student to regain eligibility in this probationary semester. Receipt of aid is contingent upon funds being available at the time of the request for reinstatement of aid. To file an appeal, complete the “Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal” and submit it to our office. The priority date for fall semester appeals to be submitted is July 1. The priority date for spring semester appeals to be submitted is November 15.
Note: Beginning with Summer 2012, Satisfactory Academic Progress will be checked after each semester.
*To view the previous 2010-11 Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, click here.