2018-2019 Undergraduate Bulletin > Policies and General Information > Scholarships and Financial Aid > Satisfactory Academic Progress toward your Degree

Satisfactory Academic Progress toward your Degree

CMU students are required to make progress toward their degree to be eligible for federal and most state and university aid sources. Progress is measured in three ways:

1. Length of time to complete your degree. Students must complete all degree requirements within 150% of the minimum number of credit hours required to complete their program of study.
2. Required GPA level. Students must maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA as an undergraduate student and a 3.00 cumulative GPA as a graduate student.
3. Required percentage of attempted credits completed. All students must complete 67% of all CMU credits attempted each semester of enrollment (including the summer semester).

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations (HEA Sec. 484(c)) require that Central Michigan University monitor the satisfactory academic progress of all students regardless if they have received financial aid in previous semesters. These financial aid requirements are separate from students’ academic requirements. To maintain eligibility for federal student aid, as well as most state and institutional student aid programs, there are three distinct criteria that must be monitored and met.

1. Quantitative standard: Students must complete 67% of all CMU credits attempted each semester of enrollment, which includes the summer semester. Attempted hours are based on the number of credits for which the student is registered at the conclusion of the Registrar’s posted “Deadline for Dropping a Class with a Full Cancellation of Tuition.”
2. Qualitative standard: Students must maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA as an undergraduate student and a 3.00 cumulative GPA as a graduate student.
3. Maximum time frame standard: The number of attempted credits in which a student is expected to finish a program cannot exceed 150 percent of the published length of the program. Total credit hour limits apply whether or not the student has actually received financial aid for the entire time at CMU. Transfer credits from previous schools count toward credit hour limits.

Undergraduate students cannot receive financial aid after completing 186 credit hours. The 186-credit-hour limit for completion of a baccalaureate degree is intended to be long enough to allow for changes in a major, loss of credit due to transfer, withdrawn coursework, minors, double majors, etc.; therefore, no extensions of the maximum time frame will be granted for the above mentioned reasons.

Students in graduate programs may not receive financial aid if they have exceeded the published time limits as outlined in the CMU Graduate Bulletin for master, doctoral, or professional programs.

Graduate students working on second baccalaureate degree or post-baccalaureate students working on teacher certification.

Students pursuing a second undergraduate degree or post-baccalaureate students working on teacher certification are limited to 93 credit hours of work between the receipt of the first degree and the completion of the second. Students may not receive financial aid beyond 6 semesters (or the part-time equivalent of 6 semesters) of enrollment in the second undergraduate degree program or teacher certification program.

Satisfactory Academic Progress review is performed at the end of each semester

As a courtesy, the OSFA will attempt to provide students with specific notification regarding their Satisfactory Academic Progress status. If for any reason the OSFA fails to provide an intended notification, this does not relieve the student from the obligation of continuing to maintain satisfactory academic progress or from any other requirements of the financial aid program.

Consequences of unsatisfactory progress.

Students who fail to maintain the required cumulative GPA and/or complete 67% of what they attempt in a semester of enrollment at CMU will be placed on a warning status for their next semester of enrollment at CMU. Students are eligible to receive most forms of aid while on warning, but failure to bring the cumulative GPA up to the required level and/or complete 67% of what is attempted in the next semester of enrollment at CMU will result in financial aid suspension beginning with the next semester of enrollment. A student will remain on financial aid suspension until the cumulative GPA is raised to its required level and/or the student completes 67% of attempted credits within a semester. Only credit hours completed are counted as credits earned. Grades of I (Incomplete), W (withdrawal), X (audit), and Z (deferred) are not counted as earned credit.

Students who reach their time limit without completing their degree will be denied further federal and most state and institutional financial aid as a student at that level. As students near their credit limits they will be placed in a warning status. For example, if as an undergraduate you reach 150 attempted credits you will be placed in a warning status. Once you reach the 186 attempted credit limit, you will be denied further aid until the degree is conferred. You then would regain eligibility for a second undergraduate or a graduate degree. If you are attempting a master’s degree and reach the eligibility limit, you would be denied further aid until the master’s degree is conferred, at which time you would regain eligibility for a second master’s, doctoral, or professional degree.

Appeal process.

Students who have faced extraordinary circumstances may appeal a financial aid suspension, but students are cautioned that appeals are not routinely approved. Students wishing to appeal their financial aid suspension status must complete a CMU Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form for Financial Aid and include all required documentation. Appeal forms are available on the OSFA website and at the Student Service Court in the Bovee University Center.

All appeals should be submitted to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. In most cases a decision will be made within 15 business days of receiving an appeal and the appropriate documentation. Students are notified of appeal decisions in writing or through their CMU e-mail account.

Continuing at CMU after aid is denied.

Students denied financial aid generally may continue attending Central Michigan University using private aid sources such as alternative student loans (https://www.cmich.edu/ess/OSFA/Pages/ALT-LOAN.aspx), or by funding their education themselves. Please note that on the linked Alternative loan list, some loans listed are NOT available to students while on Financial Aid Suspension.