Satisfactory Academic Progress

Requirements for Financial Aid
To maintain eligibility for financial aid at UCHSC, you must make reasonable academic progress toward your degree. Federal law and regulations governing Title IV student financial aid programs and State aid programs require that all students must maintain satisfactory academic progress in order to receive assistance. Title IV funds include, but are not limited to Federal Stafford Student Loans, Federal Perkins Student Loans, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Pell Grant and Federal Work-Study.

Qualitative measurement
To be considered in good standing and making satisfactory academic progress for financial aid, students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 for undergraduates and Dental students; 3.0 for other graduate and professional students. For Medical students to maintain satisfactory academic progress, a cumulative grade of at least passing must be maintained.

Quantitative measurement
Course Completion Policy: Students at UCHSC must successfully complete 66.6% of all course work attempted in order to be considered to be making satisfactory progress in their course of study.

Incomplete Grade Policy: Courses taken and not passed will be considered "incomplete" unless a grade of "IP" (in progress) is assigned. Courses that have been assigned a grade of "F", "W", "IW", or "IF" or no grade assignment are also considered incomplete. Finally, courses dropped midterm are considered to be incomplete coursework.

Maximum time frames and increments
Students may not exceed 150 percent of the published length of their program measured in credit hours. For example, if a school requires that a student needs to complete 100 credits in order to graduate, any given student enrolled in that program will lose their aid eligibility once they attempted 150 or more credit hours. "Attempted" credit hours include dropped classes, or classes for which a student receives a "F", "W", "IW", or "IF" or any class for which the student has received no grade at all at the point of assessment. Credit hour requirements for graduation vary from school to school, and even from educational program to educational program at the same school. Periods of enrollment that the student does not apply for, or receive Title IV or State funds for, are included in the maximum time frame for aid eligibility. The standards used for maximum time frame during which a student must complete his or her educational program are provided in the chart at the end of this document.

Transfer Credit Hours Policy: Transfer credit hours that are prerequisites for admissions into each school or program are not counted towards the maximum time frame. These hours are required for entrance into a UCHSC School or program and are not applied towards the student's degree at UCHSC. For example, 60 credit hours or prerequisites are required for admittance into the Dental Hygiene program, and 80 credit hours of Dental Hygiene courses are required for the degree, the 60 credit hours of prerequisites are subtracted from the maximum time frame total. Each school or program has established policies on accepting transfer credit hours taken at other Health Profession schools. Those transfer credit hours (non-prerequisite hours) accepted by each school or program will be counted in the maximum time frame. For example, if a student completed an academic year at another Medical school and those hours earned are counted toward the M.D. degree at UCHSC, the academic year at the other Medical school is included in the maximum time frame calculation.

Consequences of violation
Suspension Policy: Failure to achieve satisfactory academic progress policy requirements will result in suspension of financial aid eligibility. Suspension will be for one academic year and makes the student ineligible for financial aid until removed from such standing based upon improved academic performance or the approval of an appeal.

Appeal
A student on suspension may appeal by indicating to the office in writing reasons why his/her aid should not be terminated. Each appeal will be considered on its own merit. The appeal must be filed by the date specified on the written notification you received from the Financial Aid Office.

Reinstatement
At the end of each year, academic records of suspended students will be reviewed. If it is determined that they have met the requirements for satisfactory academic progress, aid eligibility will be reinstated.

WHERE DO I GET MORE INFORMATION?

For further information, visit the Financial Aid Office on the 2nd floor of the Office Annex Building (Bookstore).

University of Colorado
Health Sciences Center
Financial Aid Office
4200 E. 9th Ave., Box A088
Denver, CO 80262
(303) 315-8364

MAXIMUM TIME FRAME TABLE

*includes prerequisites