How to remain academically eligible to receive financial aid

All recipients of Federal and/or State aid are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in their courses of study.  SAP will be evaluated at the time an application (FAFSA) is received and at the end of every semester. All enrollments at ESCC and all eligible transfer credits will be considered whether or not aid was rewarded or received. If eligibility for financial aid is suspended for lack of Satisfactory Academic Progress, a student has the right to appeal. Use the ESCC SAP Appeal Form  to start the process.

The following 3 Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress must be met:

1. Cumulative GPA Requirements (GPA Rule)

Students must meet minimum cumulative grade point average requirements based on a progressive scale. Only non-remedial courses with grades of A, B, C, D, and F are included in this calculation.  Transfer credits are not included in this calculation.  In order to graduate, a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 is required.

2. Completion Rate (67% Rule)

Students must, at a minimum, receive satisfactory grades in 67% of cumulative credits attempted. This calculation is performed by dividing the cumulative total number of successfully completed credits by the cumulative total number of credits attempted. All credits attempted at the College (except audits, which must be entered as such by the class census date) are included. Developmental coursework is included in this calculation.  All credits accepted in transfer count as both attempted and successfully completed credits. This evaluation will be made prior to aid being awarded and after grades are posted at the end of each semester a student is enrolled at the College. Credits with satisfactory grades at the College are those for which a grade of A, B, C, D, S, or P is earned.

3. Maximum Timeframe (150% Rule)

In order to continue receiving financial aid, a student must complete his/her program of study before attempting 150% of the credits required for that program.  Developmental coursework is excluded in this calculation. Attempted credits from all enrollment periods at the College plus all accepted transfer credits are counted.  All terms of enrollment at the College are included whether or not the student received financial aid and regardless of the age of the coursework.

Developmental Coursework

Students may receive financial aid for a maximum of 30 semester hours of Developmental Studies courses as long as the courses are required as a result of placement testing, the student is in an eligible program of study, and SAP requirements continue to be met.

Automatic Warning Period

Students who fail to meet satisfactory academic progress for the first time (excluding students who have already attempted 150% of the credits required for their programs of study) will be automatically placed in a Warning Status for one (1) term and are expected to meet SAP requirements by the end of that term. Students who fail to meet satisfactory academic progress requirements at the end of the warning status term will lose their eligibility for financial aid. However, with a successful SAP appeal, those students will be placed on Financial Aid Probation and will retain financial aid eligibility.

Financial Aid Probation

Students who have successfully appealed the loss of their financial aid are placed on probation.  Students on probation are eligible to receive financial aid for one (1) semester, after which they MUST be meeting all of the satisfactory academic progress standards or the requirements of an academic progress plan that was pre-approved by the College Financial Aid Appeal Committee.

Repeated Coursework

Students can repeat courses with financial aid until successfully completed.  There is no limit assuming all other SAP requirements are met.  Students may only repeat a passed course once.  Repeated coursework will be included in the evaluation of completion rate and maximum timeframe.