SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS
Effective May 31, 2011
To be eligible for student financial aid, a student must be making "satisfactory academic progress". The Office of Student Financial Aid standards for satisfactory academic progress are not exactly the same as academic standards of the University, or any academic department or school. The established guidelines (based on federal regulations) for evaluating a student’s progress take into consideration course completion, the number of semester hours or terms attempted and completed, and the cumulative UMMC grade- point average. Some standards vary by academic program as outlined below.
The Office of Student Financial Aid standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) apply to ALL students, regardless of whether or not a student has previous financial aid.
These standards, listed by student type below, as well as the ‘additional standards’ section, govern all federal, state, institutional loans, scholarships, and grants.
SAP standards are used to measure satisfactory academic progress for the undergraduate student at The University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Standard One
An undergraduate student must be passing at least 67% of the hours that he/she has attempted at The University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Standard Two
An undergraduate student's total number of hours attempted at The University of Mississippi Medical Center and all other institutions cannot equal to or exceed 190 hours.
Standard Three
An undergraduate student must achieve and maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average. The cummulative University GPA does NOT include any transfer work.
These standards are reviewed at the end of each spring term. An undergraduate student failing to meet any of these requirements is placed on financial aid suspension beginning with the summer term. A student that is placed on financial aid suspension is ineligible to receive any federal student aid as well as many other types of aid such as state or institutional.
A student who fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress may submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal online to the Office of Financial Aid and should cite any special or mitigating circumstances he/she believes should be considered. The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal will be reviewed by committee. If the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal is successful, then the student is placed on financial aid probation and allowed to receive federal student aid for one semester. A successful Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal will include academic requirements that must be met to receive aid beyond the probation semester. A student that is denied aid for failure to meet these satisfactory academic progress requirements may reestablish eligibility once she/he meets the requirements. You cannot receive financial aid retroactively for the academic period in which you were re-establishing satisfactory academic progress.
If a student leaves or is asked to leave the University of Mississippi Medical Center for any reason and the student is on financial aid suspension, the student still will be on financial suspension when he/she returns. Neither being allowed to return to the University by the Office of the Registrar nor admittance to the University by a specific school will change the student's financial aid status. Only the Office of Financial Aid determines a student's eligibility for financial aid as directed by the Department of Education.
A student who has been denied probation by the committee can request an in-person hearing to petition for reinstatement. Although there is no set limit on the number of semesters in which a written appeal may be submitted, only one in-person hearing per student will be allowed while at UMMC.
The Office of Financial Aid publicizes deadlines for submitting appeals each term. This information is available at http://financialaid.umc.edu/. UMMC aid programs and state aid programs as well as other scholarships may have differing requirements for eligibility or continued eligibility. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for specific criteria.
SAP standards used to measure satisfactory academic progress for the graduate students at The University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Standard One
A graduate student must achieve and maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average. The cumulative GPA is based on course work at The University of Mississippi Medical Center. The cumulative resident University GPA does NOT include any transfer work.
Standard Two
A graduate student is not eligible for further financial aid when the cumulative number of credit hours attempted is equal to or greater than 150% of the minimum credits required for graduation. For example, your program requires 48 credit hours for completion, your eligibility for financial aid ends after you attempt 72 total hours. Therefore, a graduate student will not receive financial aid after attempting seventy-two (72) credit hours [48 x 150% = 72] in pursuit of a Master’s degree, 100 hours in pursuit of a Specialist degree, or a grand total of 160 hours in pursuit of all graduate degrees, including Doctorate.
These standards are reviewed at the end of each spring term. A graduate student failing to meet any of these requirements is placed on financial aid suspension beginning with the summer term. A student that is placed on financial aid suspension is ineligible to receive any federal student aid as well as many other types of aid such as state or institutional.
A student who fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress may submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal online to the Office of Financial Aid and should cite any special or mitigating circumstances he/she believes should be considered. The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal will be reviewed by committee. If the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal is successful, then the student is placed on financial aid probation and allowed to receive federal student aid for one semester. A successful Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal will include academic requirements that must be met to receive aid beyond the probation semester. A student that is denied aid for failure to meet these satisfactory academic progress requirements may reestablish eligibility once she/he meets the requirements. You cannot receive financial aid retroactively for the academic period in which you were re-establishing satisfactory academic progress.
If a student leaves or is asked to leave the University of Mississippi Medical Center for any reason and the student is on financial aid suspension, the student still will be on financial suspension when he/she returns. Neither being allowed to return to the University by the Office of the Registrar nor admittance to the University by a specific school will change the student's financial aid status. Only the Office of Financial Aid determines a student's eligibility for financial aid as directed by the Department of Education.
A student who has been denied probation by the committee can request an in-person hearing to petition for reinstatement. Although there is no set limit on the number of semesters in which a written appeal may be submitted, only one in-person hearing per student will be allowed while at UMMC.
The Office of Financial Aid publicizes deadlines for submitting appeals each term. This information is available at http://financialaid.umc.edu/. UMMC aid programs and state aid programs as well as other scholarships may have differing requirements for eligibility or continued eligibility. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for specific criteria.
Graduate/Professional Students:
Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy
SAP standards used to measure satisfactory academic progress for professional students at The University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Standard One
A graduate/professional student must achieve and maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average. The cumulative GPA is based on course work at The University of Mississippi Medical Center. The cumulative resident University GPA does NOT include any transfer work.
Standard Two
A graduate/professional student is not eligible for further financial aid when the cumulative number of credit hours attempted is equal to or greater than 150% of the minimum credits required for graduation. For example, your program requires 48 credit hours for completion, your eligibility for financial aid ends after you attempt 72 total hours. Hours are based on the combined total graduate/professional hours at The University of Mississippi Medical Center and other institutions.
These standards are reviewed at the end of each spring term. A graduate/professional student failing to meet any of these requirements is placed on financial aid suspension beginning with the summer term. A student that is placed on financial aid suspension is ineligible to receive any federal student aid as well as many other types of aid such as state or institutional.
A student who fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress may submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal online to the Office of Financial Aid and should cite any special or mitigating circumstances he/she believes should be considered. The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal will be reviewed by committee. If the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal is successful, then the student is placed on financial aid probation and allowed to receive federal student aid for one semester. A successful Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal will include academic requirements that must be met to receive aid beyond the probation semester. A student that is denied aid for failure to meet these satisfactory academic progress requirements may reestablish eligibility once she/he meets the requirements. You cannot receive financial aid retroactively for the academic period in which you were re-establishing satisfactory academic progress.
If a student leaves or is asked to leave the University of Mississippi Medical Center for any reason and the student is on financial aid suspension, the student still will be on financial suspension when he/she returns. Neither being allowed to return to the University by the Office of the Registrar nor admittance to the University by a specific school will change the student's financial aid status. Only the Office of Financial Aid determines a student's eligibility for financial aid as directed by the Department of Education.
A student who has been denied probation by the committee can request an in-person hearing to petition for reinstatement. Although there is no set limit on the number of semesters in which a written appeal may be submitted, only one in-person hearing per student will be allowed while at UMMC.
The Office of Financial Aid publicizes deadlines for submitting appeals each term. This information is available at http://financialaid.umc.edu/. UMMC aid programs and state aid programs as well as other scholarships may have differing requirements for eligibility or continued eligibility. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for specific criteria.
SAP standards used to measure satisfactory academic progress for the medical students at The University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Standard One
A medical student must achieve and maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average. The cumulative GPA is based on course work at The University of Mississippi Medical Center. The cumulative resident University GPA does NOT include any transfer work.
Standard Two
A medical student must achieve a grade of not less than 70.0 in each course, have no incomplete grade, and have a weighted average of 75.0 or higher.
Standard Three
A medical student is not eligible for further financial aid when the cumulative number of credit hours attempted is equal to or greater than 150% of the minimum credits required for graduation.
These standards are reviewed at the end of each spring term. A medical student failing to meet any of these requirements is placed on financial aid suspension beginning with the summer term. A student that is placed on financial aid suspension is ineligible to receive any federal student aid as well as many other types of aid such as state or institutional.
A student who fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress may submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal online to the Office of Financial Aid and should cite any special or mitigating circumstances he/she believes should be considered. The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal will be reviewed by committee. If the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal is successful, then the student is placed on financial aid probation and allowed to receive federal student aid for one semester. A successful Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal will include academic requirements that must be met to receive aid beyond the probation semester. A student that is denied aid for failure to meet these satisfactory academic progress requirements may reestablish eligibility once she/he meets the requirements. You cannot receive financial aid retroactively for the academic period in which you were re-establishing satisfactory academic progress.
If a student leaves or is asked to leave the University of Mississippi Medical Center for any reason and the student is on financial aid suspension, the student still will be on financial suspension when he/she returns. Neither being allowed to return to the University by the Office of the Registrar nor admittance to the University by a specific school will change the student's financial aid status. Only the Office of Financial Aid determines a student's eligibility for financial aid as directed by the Department of Education.
A student who has been denied probation by the committee can request an in-person hearing to petition for reinstatement. Although there is no set limit on the number of semesters in which a written appeal may be submitted, only one in-person hearing per student will be allowed while at UMMC.
The Office of Financial Aid publicizes deadlines for submitting appeals each term. This information is available at http://financialaid.umc.edu/. UMMC aid programs and state aid programs as well as other scholarships may have differing requirements for eligibility or continued eligibility. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for specific criteria.
USMLE STEP 1 EXAM
Students entering their third year of medical school are required to pass Step 1 of the USMLE Exam prior to promotion. Rising Year III students register for and begin attendance as full-time Year III students in anticipation of their passing the exam. Students receiving federal financial aid are eligible for their first disbursements based on their enrollment status at the time. Students whose enrollment status changes subsequent to receiving their first disbursements will have their financial aid eligibility reviewed and potentially reduced.
USMLE Step 1 Failure
Students who take the USMLE Step 1 and report a failing score will be enrolled in Independent-Study course program as a full-time Year II student. Students in this course will retain financial aid eligibility, at the level of a Year II student, for a period of up to one year retroactive to the start date of the year within which placement occurs. Students must report a passing score and begin Year III coursework to maintain financial aid eligibility beyond the one-year period of eligibility. Students who do not report a passing score within this period are not eligible for further financial aid until they meet the criteria for promotion to Year III.
A student who reports a failing score and does not enroll in the Independent-Study Course will be subject to the Return of Title IV Funds Policy.
SAP standards used to measure satisfactory academic progress for the dental students at The University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Standard One
A dental student must achieve and maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average. The cumulative GPA is based on course work at The University of Mississippi Medical Center. The cumulative resident University GPA does NOT include any transfer work.
Standard Two
A dental student must achieve a grade of not less than 70.0 in each course, and each course component and satisfactorily complete all requirements stated for each course in the syllabus and Student Handbook for Clinical Evaluation.
Standard Three
A dental student is not eligible for further financial aid when the cumulative number of credit hours attempted is equal to or greater than 150% of the minimum credits required for graduation.
These standards are reviewed at the end of each spring term. A dental student failing to meet any of these requirements is placed on financial aid suspension beginning with the summer term. A student that is placed on financial aid suspension is ineligible to receive any federal student aid as well as many other types of aid such as state or institutional.
A student who fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress may submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal online to the Office of Financial Aid and should cite any special or mitigating circumstances he/she believes should be considered. The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal will be reviewed by committee. If the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal is successful, then the student is placed on financial aid probation and allowed to receive federal student aid for one semester. A successful Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal will include academic requirements that must be met to receive aid beyond the probation semester. A student that is denied aid for failure to meet these satisfactory academic progress requirements may reestablish eligibility once she/he meets the requirements. You cannot receive financial aid retroactively for the academic period in which you were re-establishing satisfactory academic progress.
If a student leaves or is asked to leave the University of Mississippi Medical Center for any reason and the student is on financial aid suspension, the student still will be on financial suspension when he/she returns. Neither being allowed to return to the University by the Office of the Registrar nor admittance to the University by a specific school will change the student's financial aid status. Only the Office of Financial Aid determines a student's eligibility for financial aid as directed by the Department of Education.
A student who has been denied probation by the committee can request an in-person hearing to petition for reinstatement. Although there is no set limit on the number of semesters in which a written appeal may be submitted, only one in-person hearing per student will be allowed while at UMMC.
The Office of Financial Aid publicizes deadlines for submitting appeals each term. This information is available at http://financialaid.umc.edu/. UMMC aid programs and state aid programs as well as other scholarships may have differing requirements for eligibility or continued eligibility. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for specific criteria.
SAP Requirements for Non-Degree Seeking Students:
This category of students includes those students who are not enrolled in a degree or Title IV eligible certificate program (also called special students).
If you are taking courses to earn professional licensure, you must be admitted to a degree program in order to receive financial aid. Students completing licensure courses and are not seeking a bachelor's, masters, or doctoral degree are not eligible for financial aid. A non-degree-seeking student is ineligible for federal or state financial aid, as well as some Institutional aid. However, if the student later enrolls in a degree-seeking program, all attempted courses including those taken while classified as a special student, must be evaluated when determining SAP status.
Although ineligible for federal or state financial aid, a non-degree-seeking student should be aware of SAP requirements in case he or she later enrolls in a degree or certificate program. A special student's academic history is evaluated against the SAP standards of GPA and completion rate as if he or she were enrolled in a degree-seeking program.
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- Although you may not be receiving financial aid, you will be evaluated for financial aid eligibility on the same basis as students who receive federal and state aid. Should you apply for aid, your eligibility will be based on your prior academic performance at The University of Mississippi Medical Center.
- If you are an undergraduate student pursuing a second degree, you may attempt an additional 48 credit hours to complete your second degree program, including prerequisite courses. Graduate/professional students may attempt an additional 24 credit hours. However, before this occurs, the student will be required to file an appeal to document this situation.
- Credits you have earned at foreign institutions will be included in your SAP evaluation provided they are applicable to the degree/program sought.
- Courses in which you receive a grade of ‘I’ (incomplete) companied by a letter grade will be considered when evaluating your completion ratio, and will influence your term and cumulative GPA. All attempted and earned credits are considered in maximum eligibility determination.
- Courses in which you receive a grade of ‘W’ (withdrawal) do not earn credits or affect your GPA, but they will be considered when evaluating your maximum eligibility. You may retake courses from which you withdraw and those credits will count toward determining your enrollment status and completion ratio, provided you have not earned credit for the same course.
- All undergraduate and prerequisite courses are evaluated in SAP Maximum Eligibility.
- The credits earned from repeated courses will count toward the determining your enrollment status and maximum eligibility. Students may receive federal aid for only ONE repeat of a previously passed course. Students who repeat failed coursework may receive aid for multiple attempts.
- Audit courses receive no credit and do not influence grade point average. They are not counted in credits attempted and are not eligible for financial aid.
Please Note: Withdrawing or paying for one’s own courses is not sufficient to reestablish financial aid eligibility. Students must demonstrate that they have taken steps to meet the SAP standards of UMMC. This includes but is not limited to meeting with academic advisors, providing copies of academic transcripts from another institution demonstrating your ability to successfully complete courses, and/or medical documentation indicating the student is able to successfully return to classes.
You should not assume that the Financial Aid Appeals Committee will reinstate your financial aid eligibility. The Financial Aid Appeals Committee decisions are final.
Please note that students denied financial aid funding may continue to attend UMMC using other aid sources or by funding their education themselves as long as no academic hold is in place. Information pertaining to academic holds and academic probation should be obtained from your school.
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