/Institutions/Finger-Lakes-Community-College/json/2024-2025/2024-2025-Catalog-local.json

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Academic Requirements for Maintaining Federal and State Financial Aid

Minimum Academic Progress Standards for Financial Aid 

Federal and state regulations require financial assistance recipients who receive funds from federal or state sources to maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP). SAP for financial aid purposes is separate and distinct from the academic requirements. SAP is monitored at the end of each semester. The SAP standards for federal and NYS awards vary slightly and are outlined below.

Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Applies to federal financial aid awards including the Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG Grant, Federal Direct Loans (subsidized, unsubsidized, and PLUS), and Federal Work-Study and the GI Bill®.

1. Minimum Cumulative GPA: Students must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) based on the number of attempted credits; and

Cumulative Attempted Credits	Minimum Cumulative GPA
0-13	1.50 on a 4.0 scale
14-29	1.80 on a 4.0 scale
30+	2.0 on a 4.0 scale

2. Pace of completion: Students must successfully (earn a passing grade) complete 67% or 2/3 of all courses attempted; and

3. Maximum Timeframe toward completion: This sets a limit on the amount of time students can take to complete their degree or certificate program while remaining eligible for financial aid. Students must complete their program within 150% of the published length of the program. For example, if a program requires 60 credits to graduate, students must complete their degree within 90 attempted credits. Students fail the maximum timeframe measure at the point at which it is determined that it is not possible for them to complete their program within the maximum timeframe, not at the point they actually reach the maximum timeframe. Students who exceed, or are unable to complete, their program requirements within the maximum timeframe will be denied future federal financial aid. 

Treatment of Coursework & Grades

Coursework is evaluated differently for federal SAP than Academic Standards. This section identifies how these course statuses are treated in the evaluation of SAP.

• Dropped courses (D): Courses in which the student dropped during the applicable Add/Drop period will not be included in the SAP calculation.
• Nonpunitive Grades: "W" (Withdrawal), "X" (Administrative Drop), "MW" (Medical Withdrawal, "AW" (Administrative Withdrawal), "NA" (Never Attended), "Q" (Never Attended), "T" (Transfer) are included in the pace calculation of SAP as attempted credits but do not affect the GPA calculation.
• Repeated Courses: All attempts of a repeated course are included in the calculation of attempted credits. All attempts of a repeated course are included in the calculation of GPA.
• Audited courses: Do not count towards attempted or completed credits and do not affect GPA. 
• Pass/Fail Courses: Pass/fail courses count as attempted credits for the quantitative component (pace). "S" (pass) grades do not affect the GPA, while "U" grades do.
• Incompletes: Incompletes are included in the calculation of attempted credits but do not count as completed coursework for pace. Incomplete grades are treated as an "F" in GPA.
• Remedial Courses: Remedial courses are included in the GPA calculation of SAP evaluation. Remedial courses are not included in the pace calculation of SAP.
• Transfer Credits: Transfer credits that are accepted by the FLCC Office of Student Records are included in both the hours earned and hours attempted categories when calculating pace. Transfer credits that are accepted by the FLCC Office of Student Records are not factored into the GPA calculation of SAP at FLCC

• Winter session courses: Unlike summer, which is considered a distinct academic term for SAP, courses taken during the winter term are counted in the SAP calculation at the end of the spring semester, as the winter session is combined with the spring for federal financial aid purposes. Grades will be evaluated as described in this section.

Federal SAP Statuses

Good Standing: Students meeting all criteria of federal SAP requirements (cumulative GPA, pace, and maximum timeframe) are considered in good standing and eligible for federal aid in the subsequent semester.

Financial Aid Warning: Students who fail the cumulative GPA or pace criteria for the first time will be placed in a Financial Aid Warning status for one semester. The Office of Financial Aid will notify the student of this status and how they can regain good standing in the subsequent semesters. Students on financial aid warning must meet SAP standards by the end of the warning period or they become ineligible for federal financial aid. Students cannot have consecutive terms where they are on warning. If a student fails to meet SAP standards immediately following a warning period, their financial aid will be suspended.

Financial Aid Suspension: Students who fail the cumulative GPA or pace criteria for a second consecutive time after the Financial Aid Warning semester become ineligible for federal financial aid and are placed in Financial Aid Suspension. Students who have not met the maximum timeframe criteria will be placed in Financial Aid Suspension Status. The student may appeal this status. The Office of Financial Aid will inform the student of their status and how they can regain good standing in subsequent semesters and within 150% of their program length.

Financial Aid Probation with Academic Plan: Students who successfully appeal the Financial Aid Suspension status will be placed in Financial Probation status, required to meet with their Processional Academic Advisor (PAA), and required to develop an academic plan outlining how they will regain good standing in subsequent semesters based on the GPA and pace requirements determined by financial aid. 

 

Financial Aid SAP Appeals

Upon Financial Aid Suspension, students may appeal for reinstatement of their federal financial aid based on extenuating circumstances. The extenuating circumstances documented by the student must align with the terms the student failed to meet SAP at FLCC. The student’s extenuating circumstances must have been reasonably unforeseeable and also must have been beyond the student’s control. SAP appeals will be denied if the circumstances were reasonably foreseeable, preexisting, deemed to be within the student's control, or present when they decided to enroll at FLCC. Federal regulations limit the circumstances that we may consider to personal injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other circumstances beyond the student's control.

An appeal must include all of the following:

• Explanation of why the SAP criteria were not met.
• Explanation of what has changed in their situation and how they plan to regain good standing in the subsequent semester and within 150% of their program length.
• Documentation and/or a statement from someone knowledgeable of their situation (third-party), in support of their appeal must be provided. The SAP appeal form outlines what types of documentation are acceptable.

The appeal must include both an explanation and supporting documentation. Examples of acceptable documentation include, but are not limited to:

 

The FLCC Financial Aid Office reserves the right to request and accept other types of documentation at their discretion. This flexibility ensures that all relevant information can be considered during the appeal process.

 

All third-party documentation must include the following elements:

1. Student's Full Name: The documentation must clearly state the student’s full name to ensure it is accurately linked to the SAP appeal.
2. Letterhead of the Provider: The documentation must be on official letterhead from the organization or professional providing the information. This verifies the legitimacy of the source and ensures that the information is coming from a credible, recognized authority.
3. Name, Credential, and Contact Information of the Provider: The documentation must include the full name, credentials (e.g., MD, PhD, LCSW), and contact information (e.g., phone number, email address) of the individual or organization providing the statement. This allows FLCC to verify the authenticity of the document and ensures that it is from a qualified independent third party.

SAP appeals must be submitted in writing using the official SAP Appeal Form with substantiating documentation to the financial aid office. The appeal form is available on the FLCC website and is assigned as a checklist item on MyFLCC when a student fails SAP. FLCC recommends that students submit their SAP appeal immediately after being notified they failed SAP. The financial aid office encourages students to submit their SAP appeal well in advance of the start of the term so they have ample time to meet with their Professional Academic Advisor (PAA) if their appeal is approved. SAP appeals will be accepted throughout the semester, however, to ensure their SAP appeal is reviewed before the start of the next semester, the student should submit their appeal at least 2 weeks before their classes begin. We do not recommend that a student submit a SAP appeal after their classes have started for the term since there may not be sufficient opportunity to meet with their PAA and make necessary course adjustments. However, if a student submits a SAP appeal during the semester, it should be submitted at least 2 weeks before the end of their classes. Once an appeal is approved and a student is placed on probation, they are eligible for Title IV aid back to the beginning of the payment period in which the appeal was approved. If an appeal is approved AFTER a semester has ended, the student is not eligible for any Title IV aid in the semester that just ended. Instead, the student becomes eligible for Title IV in the next term.

All students who have an approved SAP appeal are placed on an academic plan. This ensures that each student has a structured path to follow. Each academic plan specifies the GPA the student must maintain and the percentage of coursework they must complete to meet SAP standards. Students are required to meet with their PAA to determine the coursework that will allow them to meet the GPA and completion rate requirements defined by the Financial Aid Office.

 

SAP appeals are reviewed by a staff member in the financial aid office, typically a financial aid counselor. If an appeal is denied, the student is ineligible for federal student aid until they have regained good standing in subsequent semesters and within 150% of their program length. If the appeal is denied by a financial aid counselor, the student can appeal the decision to the director of financial aid by sending an email to aid@flcc.edu requesting a formal reevaluation of the appeal within 3 business days of the date they were notified of the denial. The financial aid director's decision is final and cannot be appealed elsewhere in the College, nor can it be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education. 

 

Students may submit multiple appeals, but each appeal must present new and compelling reasons or changed circumstances. Second and subsequent appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis and must demonstrate significant new information or changes in circumstances.

Maximum timeframe appeals are only permitted for change in major and 2nd major. Students are limited to 2 appeals for change in degree/2nd major.

 

More information on the Financial Aid SAP policy can be found in the FLCC Financial Aid Policy & Procedures Manual 2024-2025 available in the financial aid office. 

 

Additional Considerations

FLCC's Fresh Start Program and federal SAP standing: The FSA program regulations do not allow for academic amnesty or academic renewal, which is equivalent to FLCC's Fresh Start Program. If a student leaves FLCC and returns in a later semester or year, their federal SAP status does not change. The student is permitted to submit an appeal for reinstatement if there are extenuating circumstances.

 

New York State Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Applies to state financial aid awards including the NYS TAP Grant, Part-Time TAP, and Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS). 

 

Failure to make satisfactory academic progress towards the completion of a degree or certificate may result in the loss of one or more semesters of New York State TAP or Aid for Part-time Studies (APTS). After each semester, the Financial Aid Office reviews all grades to determine if recipients are making satisfactory academic progress. To remain in good standing for NYS, a student must achieve a certain GPA and earn a certain number of cumulative credits before being certified for the next semester’s TAP payment.

 

Pursuit of Program

Satisfactory program pursuit is defined as receiving a passing or failing grade in a certain percentage of a full-time course load each term an award is received. The percentage increases from 50 percent of the minimum full-time course load in each term of study in the first year an award is received, to 75 percent of the minimum full-time course load in each term of study in the second year an award is received, to 100% of the minimum full-time course load in each term thereafter (refer to the table below). Students may not receive more than six (6) semesters of TAP in their pursuit of an Associate's Degree unless they are Educational Opportunity Program students.

Minimum full-time course load: 12 credits

 

Semester of Award*	Student Must Complete
1	6 credits or credit equivalents
2	6 credits or credit equivalents
3	9 credits or credit equivalents
4	9 credits or credit equivalents
5	12 credits or credit equivalents
6	12 credits or credit equivalents
7**	12 credits or credit equivalents
8**	12 credits or credit equivalents
9**	12 credits or credit equivalents
10**	12 credits or credit equivalents

 

*The credits are prorated for students receiving aid for Part-time study.
**Applicable to Educational Opportunity Program students only.

 

Standards of Good Academic Progress

A student must be able to meet the College's Standards of Progress, Pursuit of Program requirements, and the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards to remain eligible to receive State aid. Some of the programs affected are the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), Child of Veteran Award, and Aid for Part-time Study (APTS).

The following chart should be used for students who first received TAP prior to 2010-11 or those who meet the definition of remedial student (below).

 

 

Before Being Certified for Payment #	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Min. Credits	0	3	9	18	30	45	60	75
Min GPA	0.0	0.5	0.75	1.3	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0

 

A "remedial student" is defined as a student:

1. whose scores on a recognized college placement exam or nationally recognized standardized exam indicated the need for remediation for at least two semesters, as certified by the college and approved by the State Education Department (SED); or
2. who was enrolled in at least six semester hours of non-credit remedial courses (i.e. DST courses) in the first term they received a TAP award; or
3. who is or was enrolled in an opportunity program (HEOP, EOP, SEEK CD).

 

The following chart should be used for students who first received TAP in 2010-2011 or later.

 

Before Being Certified for Payment #	1	2	3	4	5	6
Min. Credits	0	6	15	27	39	51
Min GPA	0.0	1.3	1.5	1.8	2.0	2.0

 

 

How State SAP Treats...

Non-Credit Remedial Coursework: For purposes of determining state aid eligibility, non-credit remedial coursework (i.e. DST courses) are NOT considered when determining standards of good academic progress and cumulative GPA. However, completed DST courses will be used to determine satisfactory pursuit of program.

 

Courses Outside of a Degree Program: Full-time students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours within their degree program each semester to be eligible for a Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) award. If a student is receiving a TAP award and wishes to enroll in coursework outside his/her degree program, the course(s) must be above and beyond the minimum full-time load of 12 credit hours. An exception is made for students who are entering their final semester (that is, the semester the student is scheduled to graduate). In the final semester, the student is not bound by the requirement and is permitted to enroll in coursework outside of his/her degree program in addition to the courses necessary for graduation to receive a TAP award. (This is not allowed for federal aid.) Part-time students receiving Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS) can only be funded for those courses required for their degree program.

Repeat Courses: In determining a student’s eligibility for State aid, repeating a course in which a student earned a ‘D-’ grade or better cannot be counted toward full-time or part-time course load, unless it is required by the student’s curriculum. Full-time students must maintain a minimum of 12 credit hours, not including the repeat course, to be eligible to receive a Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) award. Part-time students receiving Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS) will not receive payment for the portion of the award that would be used to cover the repeated course.

Failure to Meet State Standards

Failure to meet state SAP standards will result in the suspension of State Aid. A student who fails to meet the academic standards for NYS financial aid will be notified by mail or email. Notices will be sent upon completion of the term once grades are submitted and reviewed. Students will automatically be sent a Waiver for Reinstatement of State Financial Aid Eligibility.

Please keep in mind that academic eligibility is determined by the institution. Although a student may have received a TAP award certificate from NYS Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) or the Financial Aid Office at FLCC, a student may still not qualify for TAP if they are not meeting the academic requirements for the program.

 

Reinstatement of Eligibility 

Waiver for Reinstatement of State Financial Aid Eligibility: Students who lose their eligibility for New York State financial aid (Tuition Assistance Program/TAP, Aid for Part-time Study/APTS) for failing to make Pursuit of Program and/or Standards of Good Academic Standing (noted above) may apply for this waiver to have their State financial aid eligibility reinstated. If approved, state aid will be reinstated. Such a waiver can be granted only one time in a student’s undergraduate academic career. To apply for a Waiver for Reinstatement of State Financial Aid Eligibility, the student must demonstrate that an unusual/extenuating circumstance existed while the student was enrolled at FLCC and had affected his/her academic performance; that the circumstance is now resolved or no longer exists; and provide documentation of the circumstance. Waivers must be submitted by the appropriate deadline. Late waivers will not be considered.

 

Coursework: State aid eligibility will be reinstated after a student meets Pursuit of Program and Standards of Good Academic Progress mentioned above or has not used TAP for at least 1 year. Exception: Students that have received 4 semesters of TAP must have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA before state aid can be reinstated.

NYS Excelsior Scholarship Requirements

Maintaining eligibility for the Excelsior Scholarship is a two-step process. The Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) first verifies a student complies with the income requirements. For the second step in the process, the college must certify a student meets the eligibility outlined below.

Eligibility Criteria

• Be enrolled in at least 12 credits per term and
• Complete/earn at least 30 credits each year applicable toward your degree program and
• No break in enrollment

 

Failure to Meet Excelsior Scholarship Requirements

Recipients who do not meet the annual credit or continuous enrollment requirements due to one of the conditions indicated below may be able to retain their Excelsior Scholarship awards. If you meet any of the following conditions, you have the option to submit an Excelsior Appeal Form. Please note that documentation will be required. FLCC will notify HESC if it is determined that you are eligible to receive your award.

You may be eligible to retain your award under the following conditions:

• You experience the death of an immediate family member
• You are called to active military duty
• You interrupt your studies to take care of your new-born child (parental leave)
• Your medical or health care provider determines that your medical condition or mental health prevents you from beginning or continuing the term or from continuing a full-time course load.
• You interrupt your studies to care for an immediate family member, whose medical or health care provider has determined to need additional support or care, which impacts your ability to begin or continue the term or from continuing a full-time course load.

Please be aware that other circumstances other than those indicated above may not allow you to retain your award under State laws and regulations.

 

Appeal for Reevaluation 

Students who lose their eligibility for the Excelsior Scholarship will be notified by email. Notices will be sent after students are reviewed at the start of the semester. The option to appeal will be included in the email.

Please keep in mind, that although a student may have received an award certification from NYS Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), they still may not qualify for Excelsior if they are not meeting the requirements for the program.

 

Excelsior Scholarship Duration

A recipient of an Excelsior Scholarship is eligible to receive award payments for not more than two years of full-time undergraduate study in a program leading to an associate degree.