The Federal Government, the States, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale have invested large sums of money in order to provide financially needy students the opportunity to attain a post-secondary education. Financial aid recipients are responsible for using the funds provided in an acceptable manner. Therefore, a classified graduate student who wishes to benefit from the receipt of financial aid funds must maintain satisfactory progress as defined in this policy.

The Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended and the final regulations set forth by the Department of Education in 34 CFR 668 require that institutions of higher education establish reasonable standards of satisfactory progress. A classified graduate student who does not meet these standards is not eligible to receive applicable federally-funded and/or state-funded financial aid. Southern Illinois University Carbondale shall make these standards applicable to the following federal aid programs: Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Work-Study, and the Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program. Applicable state programs are identified by the state agencies. Unclassified graduate students are only eligible to be considered for a Federal Direct Stafford Loan during one twelve-month period while preparing for a classified program of study.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale requires that a classified graduate student be making satisfactory progress toward a degree if that student wishes to receive financial aid funds. A classified graduate student is making satisfactory progress toward a degree if successfully meeting three basic academic standards. First, a classified graduate student is given a maximum time to graduate. Second, a classified graduate student must complete a reasonable number of credit hours attempted each academic year in attendance. Third, a classified graduate student must maintain a scholastic standing, derived from grades, that allows for continued enrollment at the University under current academic guidelines. The following parameters will be used to define these basic academic standards:

1. Maximum Time to Graduate: A student's eligibility is terminated after the academic year in which a cumulative total of 75 masters hours - 90 hours for the Master of Fine Arts degree - or 100 doctoral hours is attempted.
2. Credit Hours Completed: A graduate student must complete at least 75% of the credit hours attempted during any year. The student's progress will be measured annually after Spring Semester to determine the progress made for the last academic year of attendance.
3. Grades: A student must be in compliance with the University's policy concerning academic standing, grades, and grade point average as defined under the topic "Retention" and all other provisions in the current Graduate Catalog Bulletin. A graduate student who is academically suspended from the Graduate School is not making satisfactory progress.

A classified graduate student who does not meet 2 and 3 set forth above and has been provided a probationary period or who cannot show mitigating circumstances is not maintaining satisfactory progress toward a degree and is no longer eligible to receive federal financial aid funds. (See Appeal for Mitigating Circumstances)

Nothing in this policy shall be construed as a reduction of external requirements by other federal, state, public, or private agencies when they award or control financial aid. Examples of such agencies are: Veterans Administration, Vocational Rehabilitation, and the NCAA.

Credit Hours Attempted

Credit Hours Attempted shall be defined as those credit hours for which a student is registered and will receive a grade from SIUC.

 

Credit Hours Completed

Credit Hours Completed for the purpose of the policy shall be defined as the total number of academic credit hours for which a graduate student receives any grade from SIUC other than incomplete, failing, withdrawal, unsatisfactory, or audit. Deferred grades count as credit hours completed.

 

Eligible Students

Eligible Students shall be defined as those classified graduate students who are admitted to the Graduate School and to a specific degree program.

 

Grade Point Average (GPA)

Grade Point Average (GPA) is defined in the Graduate Catalog Bulletin under the topic "Retention."

 

It shall be the responsibility of the Graduate School to publish this policy and to notify by letter any graduate student who is no longer eligible to receive financial aid funds. Said notice shall be addressed to the graduate student's most current permanent address on file with the University. IT SHALL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STUDENT TO INFORM THE UNIVERSITY OF A CORRECT PERMANENT ADDRESS AT ALL TIMES. The Financial Aid Office will provide the Graduate School with a list of graduate students who are no longer eligible to receive federal or applicable state financial aid.

Graduate students will have their eligibility to receive financial aid reinstated when they have reached the level of satisfactory progress required of them by this policy. They may achieve this status by the correction of incorrect grades, or by completing the required number of attempted hours during the next academic year of enrollment without the benefit of applicable financial aid.

A graduate student who has not met the satisfactory progress requirements 2 and 3 specified above will be granted an extension for the following calendar year and will remain eligible for financial aid during this period. At the end of the probationary period, the student must have rectified the deficiency and be in compliance with all other established criteria in order to be considered eligible for federal financial aid. Only one such probationary period will be granted a student during graduate studies.

A graduate student shall have the opportunity to appeal, in writing, to explain mitigating circumstances. The appeal should be sent to the Graduate School with endorsement of the student's program within 30 days of receipt of the notice of ineligible status. The Graduate School will review the mitigating circumstances documented in the appeal and provide a written decision within 20 days after the receipt of the appeal.

The Graduate School will provide written notification to the Financial Aid Office concerning all graduate students who have been granted an exception for mitigating circumstances.