Online Undergraduate GPA/Credit Requirements for Financial Aid
As a financial aid recipient, you must remain in good academic standing with the University and make satisfactory progress toward your intended degree.
To remain eligible for financial assistance, you are expected to meet qualitative and quantitative academic requirements.
- Qualitative requirements: You are expected to maintain a minimum GPA for all financial aid.
- Quantitative requirements: You must complete a minimum number of credits each academic year and complete your degree within a specified period.
Satisfactory progress is evaluated annually.
Minimum Grade Point Average
To remain eligible for financial aid a student must achieve a cumulative 2.0 GPA.
Minimum Credit Requirement
In addition to the GPA requirement outlined above, the student must complete at least 67% of the cumulative credit hours attempted (any classes withdrawn from after the add/drop week are still considered attempted).
Maximum Time Frame
Financial aid will be awarded to students enrolled in undergraduate programs for a maximum of 180 credits for a typical Northwest University degree. If the degree requires more or less than 120 credits, then the determination will be 150% of the degree requirements.
Consequences of Unsatisfactory Progress
If a student completes less than 67% of the cumulative credits attempted, or their GPA falls below the required level, the student will be suspended from receiving further financial aid and will not be eligible for Federal or Institutional Grants, scholarships, work-study or loans.
Appeal
The student may submit a written appeal to Student Financial Services. If the appeal is approved, the student will be on financial aid probation and has one additional semester to meet the credit completion and GPA expectations.
GPA/Credit Requirements for State Aid
Qualitative Standard
Students must achieve a 2.0 GPA based on their semester GPA.
Quantitative Standard
The quantitative standard policy requires all students to successfully complete at least one-half (50%) of the original minimum number of credits for which the aid was calculated and disbursed. To meet SAP a student must successfully complete the minimum number of credits for which aid was awarded (full-time – 12 credits, ¾ time – 9 credits, ½ time – 6 credits, less than ½ time – 3 credits).
Maximum Timeframe
There is a maximum usage limit of five full-time years of eligibility for Washington College Grant (WCG). College Bound scholarship recipients are eligible for up to the equivalent of four full-time years of maximum usage.
Warning Status
Warning Status for state aid recipients is triggered when a student successfully completes 50 percent, or more, but less than all the credits for which the aid was calculated and disbursed (full-time – 12 credits, ¾ time – 9 credits, ½ time – 6 credits, less than ½ time – 3 credits). The second consecutive term that a student fails to meet these standards, they will be denied from state aid. Students may appeal denial for consecutive warning status in the case of extenuating circumstances. Students in warning status will still be eligible to receive work study.
Denied Status
Denied Status means that the student successfully completed less than one-half of the minimum number of credits for which aid was calculated and disbursed. This status may also be given to a student who has remained in warning status for more than one consecutive term.
Appeals, Financial Aid Probation, and Academic Plans
The Financial Aid Administrator has the ability to use professional judgment to reinstate state aid on a case-by-case basis due to extenuating circumstances. There is a separate appeals process for state aid. Students who have appealed and are approved will be given probation status. Probation status will not be given for 2 consecutive terms. Denied students meeting SAP standards for one term will be automatically reinstated for state aid.