Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Eligibility

To receive funds administered by the Financial Aid Office at West Virginia University, students must be making measurable academic progress toward completion of an eligible degree or certificate program. Federal regulations require evaluation of both quantitative and qualitative academic progress.

1. Guidelines for Academic Progress

2. Warning vs. Suspension

3. Appeal Process

4. Four Levels of Appeal

5. Important Note

The academic year at West Virginia University consists of fall/spring/summer enrollment periods. The measurement of academic progress is made annually at the conclusion of the spring semester. In cases where the student is determined to be ineligible for aid, s/he may attend summer school sessions immediately following the determination of financial aid suspension and receive financial aid. The determined status is effective with the following fall semester.

Students enrolling at West Virginia University for the first time (including transfers) will be considered initially to be meeting academic progress. The measurement of academic progress will be made at the conclusion of the spring semester and will include any transfer credit that the academic record contains.

1. Guidelines for Satisfactory Academic Progress:

A. Required Cumulative Grade Point Average

B. Successful Completion of at Least 70% of All Attempted Credit Hours

This calculation is made as follows: Earned Hours / Attempted Hours = Percentage Completed (this result will be rounded to the closest whole number). Courses with grades of “W”, “I”, or “F”, all transfer hours, and courses taken under the “D/F” repeat rule are included in attempted credit hours but are not included in completed credit hours.

C. Completion of Stated Degree Objective Within 150% of the Number of Hours Required for the Degree

As an example, for a baccalaureate program of 128 hours, students must complete within 192 attempted credit hours (128 X 1.50 = 192). Undergraduates enrolled in a five-year degree program have an additional 32 attempted credit hours to complete the program. Students pursuing a second undergraduate bachelor’s degree will have an extension of 60 attempted credit hours to complete their work. For an associate program of 64 credit hours, students must complete within 96 attempted credit hours. Students pursuing a second associate’s degree will have an extension of 30 attempted credit hours to complete their work. For a certificate program of 32 credit hours, students must complete within 48 attempted credit hours. Graduate students in a master’s degree program have a maximum of 54 attempted credit hours to obtain the degree objective. Graduate students pursuing a second master’s degree have a maximum of 54 attempted credit hours to obtain the second degree objective. Doctoral students have a maximum of 108 attempted credit hours (including master’s degree work.

Financial eligibility is limited at each level to no more than two associate degrees, two undergraduate degrees, two master’s degrees, and one doctorate. Students who wish to pursue additional degrees beyond these limits may do so but without federal financial assistance.

2. Warning vs. Suspension of Financial Aid

A student who fails to meet the above standards (excluding item C) will be placed on a “warning” status and will remain academically eligible for financial aid for the next enrollment period. At the conclusion of the “warning” year, the student must meet the standards of progress in order to remain academically eligible for financial aid. In those instances where the student does not, s/he is placed on “financial aid suspension” and loses eligibility with the next enrollment period (excluding the summer immediately following the determination) until such time as the standards are met.

Students who exceed the maximum number of credits for their stated degree objective (see item C above) lose eligibility for aid immediately.

3. Appeal Process

Financial aid recipients/applicants who are not meeting standards of academic progress and who are placed on “financial aid suspension” may appeal to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. Appeals may be granted due to hardship based on extenuating circumstances such as death of an immediate family member; personal injury or illness of the student or other documented circumstances as explained by the student and approved by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee.

Requirements for Appeal:

• Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form must be submitted. It is available in the Forms link in this website or the Financial Aid Office itself.
• Documentation items such as a death certificate/notice, a physician’s statement, academic degree plans, or other documents deemed appropriate by the Appeals Committee are required
• Academic Transcript must be attached to the Appeal Form and can be printed by the
• Meet the Deadline
  • Fall Term Appeals must be in by September 15th (if this date falls on a weekend, then the deadline will be the last business day prior to this date)
  • Spring Term Appeals must be in by February 15th (if this date falls on a weekend, then the deadline will be the last business day prior to this date)

4. Four Levels of Appeal Only

There are four levels of appeal possible. Applicants who appeal and are denied at the 1st thru 3rd levels have the right to further consideration as follows:

Each level may be used only one time. If an appeal is denied at the President’s Office (4th Level), the student is not eligible for any further financial aid from WVU until such time that the student becomes compliant with the satisfactory academic progress guidelines.

5. Important Note:
Students who have lost eligibility and do not enroll at WVU for a period of time are not automatically reinstated to financial aid upon return to the institution. Those students are required to submit an appeal to the appropriate level of review.*