Financial Aid - Academic Progress/Program Pursuit
Satisfactory Academic Progress – Federal Aid
(Federal Stafford Loans, Parent Loans, Perkins Loans, Work Study, Pell Grant, SEOG Grants, etc.)
Students receiving financial aid are required to maintain minimum program pursuit and academic progress standards in order to continue to receive assistance. Use the chart below for your degree program to determine your minimum requirements. (Do not count semesters attended at another college.)
Certificate Programs
| Semesters at SUNY Canton | Passed Credit Hours | Cumulative GPA |
| 1 | 9 | 1.25 |
| 2 | 18 | 1.50 |
| 3 | 27 | 1.75 |
Associate Degree Programs
| Semesters at SUNY Canton | Passed Credit Hours | Cumulative GPA |
| 1 | 9 | 1.25 |
| 2 | 18 | 1.50 |
| 3 | 27 | 1.75 |
| 4 | 39 | 2.00* |
| 5 | 51 | 2.00* |
| 6 | 63 | 2.00* |
Bachelor Degree Programs
| Semesters at SUNY Canton | Passed Credit Hours | Cumulative GPA |
| 1 | 9 | 1.25 |
| 2 | 18 | 1.50 |
| 3 | 27 | 1.75 |
| 4 | 39 | 2.00* |
| 5 | 51 | 2.00* |
| 6 | 63 | 2.00* |
| 7 | 75 | 2.00* |
| 8 | 90 | 2.00* |
| 9 | 105 | 2.00* |
*Semester or Cumulative GPA
Academic progress requirements for part-time students will be prorated accordingly.
Additionally, students are required to complete their degree within 150% of a normal timeframe. Attempted hours will vary with required program lengths, see examples below:
Example 1: For a 60 credit hour degree program, you must complete it within 90 attempted hours. (90 Attempted Credit Hours / 60 Passed Credit Hours = 150%)
Example 2: The Nursing Associate Degree requires 65 credit hours. (65 Passed Credit Hours x 1.5 (150%) = 98 credit hours may be attempted.)
Total attempted hours will be used regardless of any program changes that have occurred (switching majors, etc.). Grades of “W” count towards total attempted hours. Repeated courses that were previously passed count only once. Remedial courses that are not credit bearing do not count in the total attempted hours.
Failure to Meet Minimum Standards (Please be aware that these are not the same as Academic Recovery & Academic Suspensions given out by the Dean’s Offices.)
Step 1 – Financial Aid Warning
A student who does not meet the required minimum standards will automatically be given a one-time, warning semester. This gives the student an opportunity to correct any deficiencies without losing federal aid eligibility. If a student withdraws from college, they have not met academic progress requirements.
Step 2 – Financial Aid Termination
A student who fails a second time to meet the minimum standards will lose all federal aid eligibility. Eligibility can only be regained once they are again meeting the minimum standards. NOTE: If ALL courses taken while on warning are successfully passed with a 2.00 or better, you can continue on warning.
Waiver Requests
If failure to meet standards is due to extenuating circumstances beyond a student’s control, they may apply for a one-time waiver. All waiver applications must include a letter from the student explaining their extenuating circumstances and how they are resolved to the point where they will no longer affect their academics and documentation from third parties who can corroborate their statement. Audit will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Director. Approval is not guaranteed. If approved, the student will be given an academic plan to maintain eligibility.
Courses enrolled in each semester must be applicable to the student’s current degree program.
An academic suspension from the Dean’s Office overrides these eligibility criteria. Suspended students are ineligible for all financial aid.
Satisfactory Academic Progress – New York State Aid
(TAP Grant, SUSTA Grant, APTS Grant, etc.)
Students receiving financial aid are required to maintain minimum program pursuit and academic progress standards in order to continue to receive assistance. Use the charts below to determine your minimum requirements. Note: Eligibility for all EOP funds is determined separately by the EOP Office.
- If you received TAP at another college, be sure to include that in the number of semesters you have received TAP.
- To calculate the percentage of credits you have completed, divide total-attempted credits by total-earned credits.
CERTIFICATE/ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS (Remedial Students*)
|
Semesters of TAP Received |
Earned Credit Hours |
Cumulative GPA |
Percentage of Credits Completed |
|
1 |
3 |
0.50 |
50% or 6 credits |
|
2 |
9 |
0.75 |
50% or 6 credits |
|
3 |
18 |
1.30 |
75% or 9 credits |
|
4 |
30 |
2.00 |
75% or 9 credits |
|
5 |
45 |
2.00 |
100% or 12 credits |
CERTIFICATE/ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS (Non-Remedial Students)
|
Semesters of TAP Received |
Earned Credit Hours |
Cumulative GPA |
Percentage of Credits Completed |
|
1 |
6 |
1.30 |
50% or 6 credits |
|
2 |
15 |
1.50 |
50% or 6 credits |
|
3 |
27 |
1.80 |
75% or 9 credits |
|
4 |
39 |
2.00 |
75% or 9 credits |
|
5 |
51 |
2.00 |
100% or 12 credits |
BACHELOR DEGREE PROGRAMS (Remedial Students*)
|
Semesters of TAP Received |
Earned Credit Hours |
Cumulative GPA |
Percentage of Credits Completed |
|
1 |
3 |
0.50 |
50% or 6 credits |
|
2 |
9 |
0.75 |
50% or 6 credits |
|
3 |
21 |
1.30 |
75% or 9 credits |
|
4 |
33 |
2.00 |
75% or 9 credits |
|
5 |
45 |
2.00 |
100% or 12 credits |
|
6 |
60 |
2.00 |
100% or 12 credits |
|
7 |
75 |
2.00 |
100% or 12 credits |
|
8** |
90 |
2.00 |
100% or 12 credits |
|
9** |
105 |
2.00 |
100% or 12 credits |
* Remedial students are EOP students or any students required to take at least two remedial courses within the first two semesters.
** EOP students may receive up to two additional semesters of NYS Aid toward a Bachelor’s degree.
BACHELOR DEGREE PROGRAMS (Non-Remedial Students)
|
Semesters of TAP Received |
Earned Credit Hours |
Cumulative GPA |
Percentage of Credits Completed |
|
1 |
6 |
1.50 |
50% or 6 credits |
|
2 |
15 |
1.80 |
50% or 6 credits |
|
3 |
27 |
1.80 |
75% or 9 credits |
|
4 |
39 |
2.00 |
75% or 9 credits |
|
5 |
51 |
2.00 |
100% or 12 credits |
|
6 |
66 |
2.00 |
100% or 12 credits |
|
7 |
81 |
2.00 |
100% or 12 credits |
|
8 |
96 |
2.00 |
100% or 12 credits |
|
9 |
111 |
2.00 |
100% or 12 credits |
For Disabled Students as defined by ADA of 1990 (New as of 2015-16)
CERTIFICATE/ASSOCIATE DEGREES
|
Semesters TAP Received |
Earned Credit Hours |
Cumulative GPA |
Percentage of Credits Completed |
|
1 |
3 |
1.30 |
50% |
|
2 |
9 |
1.50 |
50% |
|
3 |
18 |
1.80 |
75% |
|
4 |
30 |
2.00 |
75% |
|
5 |
42 |
2.00 |
100% |
|
6 |
51 |
2.00 |
100% |
|
7 |
60 |
2.00 |
100% |
BACHELOR DEGREES
|
Semesters TAP Received |
Earned Credit Hours |
Cumulative GPA |
Percentage of Credits Completed |
|
1 |
3 |
1.50 |
50% |
|
2 |
9 |
1.80 |
50% |
|
3 |
21 |
1.80 |
75% |
|
4 |
33 |
2.00 |
75% |
|
5 |
45 |
2.00 |
100% |
|
6 |
60 |
2.00 |
100% |
|
7 |
75 |
2.00 |
100% |
|
8 |
90 |
2.00 |
100% |
|
9 |
105 |
2.00 |
100% |
Failure to Meet Minimum Standards
If a student fails to meet State academic progress requirements as outlined above at the end of the semester, they will lose eligibility for the next two semesters they attend. Eligibility will be regained once they meet the above standards. Additionally, students who stop attending for more than one year may regain eligibility upon return for one semester (if over four prior semesters of TAP, you must have a 2.00 overall GPA). Then they must meet academic progress criteria each subsequent semester.
• If a student withdraws from college, they have not met academic progress requirements (automatic).
• APTS recipients who fail to receive a 1.0 (D) in a semester will not be eligible for APTS the following semester, even if otherwise meeting progress requirements.
Waiver Requests
If failure to meet standards is due to extenuating circumstances beyond a student’s control, they may apply for a one-time waiver. All waiver applications must include a letter from the student explaining their extenuating circumstances and how they are resolved to the point where they will no longer affect their academics and documentation from third parties who can corroborate their statement. And it will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Director. Approval is not guaranteed. If approved, the student will be given an academic plan to maintain eligibility.
Important Things to Keep in Mind
- Grades of “W” count towards total-attempted hours.
- Remedial courses that are not credit bearing will not count in the total-attempted hours.
- Repeated courses that were previously passed do not count as earned hours for the semester.
- Courses enrolled in each semester must be applicable to the student’s current degree program.
- Repeating any course in which a passing grade has already been received (D or above) will not count, unless the Academic Catalog states a higher grade is required.
An academic suspension from the School Dean’s Office overrides these eligibility criteria. Suspended students are ineligible for all financial aid.