UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls
IMPORTANT: |
---|
Appeals must be submitted before the appropriate deadline each semester in order to be considered for financial aid for that semester. Late appeals may be considered at the discretion of the Director of Financial Aid. SAP Appeal Deadlines for each Semester (your form must be received on or before):
Estimate the semester GPA you will need to earn to bring your cumulative GPA back up to the required minimum for financial aid eligibility using the Registrar's GPA Calculator: https://www.uwrf.edu/Registrar/GPACalculator.cfm |
To receive grant, scholarship, waiver or student loan funds, and to remain eligible to work on campus, your academic performance must meet or exceed certain minimum standards each semester. These academic progress standards (listed below) are stricter than what is required to remain eligible to re-enroll for courses each semester. (See Academic Suspension and Probation policy.) You may be allowed to enroll and attend classes even though you are not eligible for the financial aid you need to pay for them! If you are receiving financial aid take extra care to plan your classes to give you the best opportunity to meet or exceed these academic progress standards.
The following is a summary of the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. Find the full policy statement here.
In addition, associate's and first bachelor's degree seeking students must
The following table shows the consequences for each academic progress standard:
Academic Progress Standard | Financial Aid Warning | Financial Aid Suspension |
Academic Standing |
|
Immediately upon being academically suspended |
Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average |
After first semester of not meeting standard |
After two consecutive semesters of not meeting standard |
Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average after 4th semester of enrollment |
Immediately after first semester of not meeting standard |
|
Minimum Credit Hour Completion Percentage |
After first semester of not meeting standard |
After two consecutive semesters of not meeting standard |
Maximum Number of Attempted Credit Hours |
Approximately 1 - 2 semesters prior to reaching maximum allowed attempted credits |
Immediately after first semester of not meeting standard |
A student who has been suspended from receiving financial aid may appeal to have the decision reviewed by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. If the committee finds that the student's failure to meet the published academic standards was due to circumstances beyond the student's control that negatively affected the student's ability to succeed at UWRF and that the student has taken steps to change the situation, then the committee may restore the student's financial aid eligibility with conditions. A student granted reinstatement of financial aid eligibility by the committee will be placed on Financial Aid Probation.
To appeal the suspension of financial aid eligibility a student must fully answer all questions on the Financial Aid Appeal Form and provide independent third-party documentation which supports the student's description of the circumstances encountered.
Decisions by the Financial Aid Appeals committee are final.
When the Financial Aid Appeals committee reinstates a student's financial aid eligibility by placing the student on Financial Aid Probation, the committee will set conditions on the student's financial aid eligibility. The student on probation is expected to meet those conditions at the end of the next semester. The conditions set by the committee will supersede the academic progress standards. A student who is meeting the conditions set by the committee will remain eligible for financial aid probation, for up to a maximum of three consecutive semesters, even though the student is not meeting one or more of the academic progress standards. A student can remain on Financial Aid Probation until:
Example of a successful appeal:
Student A experienced a lengthy illness over the last half of Fall and the beginning of Spring semester which affected the student's grades and ability to successfully complete classes. The student has a cumulative grade point average of 1.20 and has earned only 40% of the credit hours attempted. The Financial Aid Appeals committee reviews the student's appeal explaining the situation and the student's third party documents which consist of a note from the student's doctor and hospital statements showing the periods during which the student was hospitalized. The committee approves the student's appeal and places the student on Financial Aid Probation. The committee requires the student to earn a semester grade point average of 2.66, complete all attempted credits and retake a previously failed class until the student's cumulative grade point average and credit-hour completion rate return to meeting the academic progress standards.
Students who have their eligibility for financial aid suspended can regain eligibility for financial aid by bringing their grade point average or credit hour completion rate back above the minimum academic progress standards. A student who is found to be back in good academic standing at the end of a semester resumes eligibility for financial aid for the following semester.
Shortly after all grades are due for a semester, the Financial Aid Office will review the academic progress of all students who remained enrolled in at least one class after the 6th date of the semester. Students who are found to not be meeting at least one of the academic progress standards will be sent an email to their official UWRF email account notifying them that they have been placed either on Financial Aid Warning or Financial Aid Suspension Status. Students who were suspended or on Probation status and who have resumed good academic standing will be notified that they have returned to good academic standing for financial aid purposes.
Students who continue to meet the academic progress standards will not receive any notification from the Financial Aid Office.