POLICIES AND PROCEDURES | Student Progs/Services | 4.7 Fin. Aid | 4.7.1 Satisfactory Progress



Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements for Financial Aid Recipients

Southeastern Community College's purpose is to provide a variety of quality educational opportunities for all who can profit by them. SCC is committed to extending all possible resources in pursuit of this goal. However, students have responsibility for their own education and must pursue and complete course work which permits them to meet curriculum requirements within a reasonable time frame. Successful completion of a certificate, diploma or degree requires that a student earn a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 (C) on all hours completed in that curriculum


In compliance with appropriate Federal regulations, SCC shall adhere to the policies stated in this section for determination of satisfactory academic progress for students receiving financial assistance through the SCC Financial Aid Office. This includes federal, state, and institutional funds. Certain special awards, i.e., academic scholarships, may require higher academic achievement than the standard policy. Students must be maintaining satisfactory academic progress before financial aid can be awarded, whether or not they were receiving aid during the period of prior enrollment.


At the end of each semester, a review will take place to determine if students are meeting academic progress.


Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and Procedures

The specific policies and procedures to be used in applying the satisfactory academic progress standards are outlined below:

  1. Quality Measurement of Academic Progress (Qualitative)
    2.0 GPA is the minimum cumulative GPA that students must achieve in order to maintain satisfactory
    academic progress toward graduation and to receive financial aid.
  2. Quantity Measurement of Academic Progress (Quantitative)
    1. Successful Completion of 67% of Hours Attempted.
      In order to maintain satisfactory academic progress, a student must have successfully completed (grade of D or better) at least 67% of all hours attempted. At the end of each semester, a review will take place to determine if this requirement has been met. Any class the student attended will be considered "attempted hours" and will be used in this determination. A student who does not pass at least 67% will be placed on academic warning and be allowed the next semester of enrollment to regain their eligibility. Students will be eligible for financial aid during this warning semester. During this warning semester, the student should successfully complete enough hours to rise above the 67% completed hour requirement. After the warning semester, if the student has not met the 67% completed hour requirement, the student will be placed on academic probation. Once on probation, the student and will become ineligible for financial aid until the 67% completed hour requirement has been met. If the student feels there are mitigating circumstances, they can provide a satisfactory academic progress appeal in writing to the Director of Financial Aid for consideration.
    2. Maximum Time-Frame for Completion
      Students are expected to enroll and satisfactorily complete the required number of credit hours and   courses for graduation in their program of study. However, federal regulations limit the maximum time frame a student may receive aid to no more than 150% of the length of the educational program. Students are allowed to "attempt" a total number of credit hours not to exceed 150% of the total credit hours required for completion of a single program of study. If a student exceeds the maximum hours allowed, they becomes ineligible for financial aid for future periods of enrollment in their program of study. Maximum allowable credit hours attempted will include all semesters of enrollment in any certificate, diploma, or degree program, and in semesters when the student is enrolled as a special credit or dual enrolled student. These also include semesters during which students did not receive financial aid and
      semesters of attendance at other colleges where transfer hours are received.
      The Individual Graduation Plan (IGP), which may include additional required developmental courses, will be the basis of the 150% quantitative measurement. For example: the Associate in Arts – English degree requires 65 hours to graduate. If a student is required to take 9 hours in developmental courses, the total hours needed to graduate will be 74. The 150% quantitative measurement will be 111 hours. 
  3. Warning Semester
    The first semester a student fails the GPA or 67% completion standards listed above, they will be placed on warning. During this period a letter will be sent to the student warning that they have not met the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards. Students that are within 12 hours of meeting their 150% maximum time frame will also be sent a letter. The student will be given one additional semester of financial aid with the stipulations that they meet the SAP standards by the end of the warning semester. If the student is still failing the SAP standards at the end of the warning semester, they will be placed on probation.
  4. Probation Semester
    If the student is still failing the SAP standards at the end of the warning semester, they will be placed on probation. Once on probation, a letter will be sent to the student stopping all future financial aid until the student is meeting SAP standards. Listed below are options to regain financial aid eligibility.
  5. Regaining Financial Aid Eligibility
    A student whose financial aid has been terminated because he did not meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements may regain eligibility by:
    1. Enrolling for subsequent terms (at their own expense) and meeting the satisfactory academic progress definition.
    2. Requesting reconsideration of aid by completing a Satisfactory Academic Appeals Form and returning it to the Director of Financial Aid. Further awarding of financial aid will depend on the availability of funds.
  6. Appeal of Financial Aid Termination
    Procedures have been established to allow students on academic probation to appeal that determination. Students who elect to appeal their status must demonstrate unusual circumstances relating to their probation status. Unusual circumstances may include, but are not limited to illness, accident, death or other family difficulties. If there are circumstances that can be documented for the term(s) in which the student's deficiencies occurred, the student may submit a completed appeal form available from the financial aid office and provide a statement and documentation as noted below. These circumstances must be one of the following:
    • Death in the family
    • Medical Illness (Personal/Immediate family)
    • Loss of a job
    • Divorce or Separation
    • Other Serious Circumstances
    If an appeal is approved, re-instatement of aid does not remove the probation status; will depend on the availability of funds; and will be for only one semester. The procedures below must be followed:
    1. First Appeal:
      A student must indicate, in writing, to the Director of Financial Aid the reason why he did not make satisfactory progress and why financial aid should not be terminated. The Director of Financial Aid will review the appeal to determine whether or not termination of aid is justified. The student will be advised of the decision in writing. If approved, the financial aid will be reinstated for one semester.
    2. Second Appeal:
      If the student does not meet the stipulations of the first appeal, future financial aid will be terminated until academic standards are met. A student wishing for a second appeal may request to meet with the Satisfactory Academic Appeals Committee. The student must indicate, in writing, to the Director of Financial Aid that they wish to meet with the appeals committee. The meeting will be in person and the decision of the committee will be final.

Note: All credit hours for which a student enrolls during any semester are included as "attempted" hours, whether or not the student successfully completes the course or officially withdraws.


General Information


  1. Transfer Students: Credit hours transferred from other institutions will be counted in the total hours attempted and total hours earned calculation for eligibility. They will count toward the 150% maximum time frame calculation and the completion of 2/3rds attempted hours calculation. Grades for transferred courses are not included in calculating a student's GPA at SCC.
  2. Course Repeats (A* B* C* D* F*): All courses taken will be included in attempted hours, including repeated courses taken to improve GPA.
  3. Incomplete Course (I): The credits for an incomplete course will be counted as hours attempted but not earned. A grade of I is not considered in computing grade point averages.
  4. Course Withdrawals (W): A grade of W is not considered in computing grade point averages. These courses are counted toward attempted hours.
  5. Audited Courses (AU): Because students do not receive credit for audited courses, these courses are not counted as hours attempted or completed. (Financial Aid will not be awarded for classes taken on an audit basis.)
  6. Developmental/Independent Study/Distance Learning Courses: These are counted as hours attempted in determining satisfactory academic progress.
  7. Courses Taken Through Consortium Agreements: Students attending multiple institutions simultaneously under a consortium agreement must have a transcript sent to SCC immediately after the semester ends. Credit hours for those courses will be counted in the quantitative component of the policy. If the transcript is not received from the host school, the course will be counted as an incomplete.
  8. Grade of (F): Grades of F are used when computing the GPA, but do not qualify as successful completion of credit hours attempted.
  9. Grade of (D): Grades of D are used when computing the GPA, but may not qualify as successful completion of credit hours if a ―D‖ grade is disallowed by a program.
  10. Re-admitted Students: Students who return to SCC after an absence of one semester or more will resume with the same academic status as they had previously.
  11. Academic Fresh Start: SCC has an Academic Fresh Start procedure which allows previously earned grades to no longer be calculated in a student‘s GPA. However, for Title IV programs, the SCC Financial Aid Office cannot exclude the earned grades from previous enrollment periods in determining a student‘s qualitative and quantitative measurement of satisfactory academic progress.
  12. Other Institutional Policies: Southeastern Community College has established satisfactory academic progress criteria for all students. Students who receive financial aid must meet college requirements in addition to the financial aid requirements previously described.