Policy: Satisfactory Academic Progress & Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward their degrees in order to remain eligible for federal Title IV, non-Title IV and Trinity Washington University funds. This policy applies to all students in all programs of study.

To make satisfactory academic progress, undergraduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0; graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0.

All students must complete at least two-thirds of attempted credits. This percentage is calculated by dividing the total number of credit hours successfully completed by the total number of credit hours attempted. By completing at least two-thirds of attempted credits at each evaluation, students will complete their programs within 150% of the usual timeframe.

The Office of Enrollment Services reviews the academic progress of financial aid recipients in degree programs once each academic year at the end of the spring semester and notifies students who are not meeting the requirements that they are not eligible for financial aid for the upcoming year. In the event that a student fails to meet the satisfactory academic progress criteria in a particular year, the student will not be eligible for financial aid for the next academic year. The summer term is considered a make-up term.

The Office of Enrollment Services reviews the academic progress of financial aid recipients in certificate programs after every semester and notifies students who are not meeting the requirements that they are not eligible for financial aid for the upcoming semester. In the event that a student fails to meet the satisfactory academic progress criteria at the end of a semester, the student will not be eligible for financial aid for the next semester.

Students may appeal a determination of unsatisfactory academic progress in order to reestablish eligibility for financial aid. The Office of Enrollment Services will provide information about the appeal process to the affected students at the same time that students are notified that they are not making satisfactory academic progress. Mitigating circumstances will be considered in the appeal process such as serious injury or illness of the student or family member resulting in hospitalization, the death of an immediate family or household member, significant trauma in the student’s life that impaired the student’s physical or mental health, and other medical or extenuating circumstances as presented by the student. Students must provide a written statement explaining why they did not making satisfactory progress and why that circumstance is no longer impacting them so that they will be able to make satisfactory progress at the next evaluation.

If an appeal is unsuccessful and the student is still considered to be making unsatisfactory progress, the student may not receive financial aid until she or he is considered to be in good academic standing. If the appeal is successful, the student will be awarded financial aid for one semester and the student’s academic progress will be reviewed again at the end of that semester.