Financial Aid Regulations and Restrictions

Students seeking financial assistance are responsible for filing timely, valid applications for the programs under which they may request aid. Enrollment in non-approved programs may jeopardize eligibility for certain student financial aid awards. Additional information regarding applications and student financial aid rights and responsibilities may be obtained from the Office of Student Financial Services.  A request for review of financial aid awards should be made in writing to Student Financial Services and be accompanied by a statement of an annual family monthly budget, as well as tax returns from the prior year.

According to financial aid regulations, students must make satisfactory progress toward a degree in order to remain eligible to receive financial aid. Satisfactory academic progress includes both a qualitative (grade point average) and quantitative (number of semester hours completed) measure of the student’s progress. For financial aid purposes, a student must show that a degree program will be completed in six years or fewer, given full-time attendance. This means that a student must enroll for at least 12 semester hours per semester and successfully complete a minimum number of those hours (see charts).

Student Financial Services will assess the student’s progress at the end of every semester for the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and once a year (after spring semester) for all federal aid programs. However, while these are guidelines for "satisfactory academic progress" for financial aid purposes, meeting only the guideline will not ensure a student’s graduation from Roberts Wesleyan in four, or even six, years.

For New York State Tuition Assistance Program recipients, requirements specify that program pursuit must be determined independently for satisfactory academic progress. Satisfactory program pursuit is defined as receiving a passing or failing grade in a certain percentage of full-time course work in each semester for which an award is received. The percentage increases from:

50 percent (6 semester hours) of the minimum full-time course work (12 semester hours) in each semester of study in the first year for which an award is received.

75 percent (9 semester hours) of the minimum full-time course work in each semester of the second year for which an award is received.

100 percent (12 semester hours) of the minimum full-time course work for each semester thereafter (see chart).

Note: Students who repeat courses for which they have already received credit will not satisfy this requirement. They must carry additional semester hours for certification for TAP and other New York State programs.

Federal regulations (General Provision CFR 668.34) require that students at Roberts Wesleyan University maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress to retain eligibility for federal and institutional aid consideration. Roberts Wesleyan University reviews the academic progress of all students who apply for and/or receive financial assistance. Satisfactory academic progress comprises three components. A student must:

1. Complete the degree within a specified period (Maximum Time Frame)
2. Earn a minimum number of credit hours each term of attempted enrollment (Pace—Quantitative Requirement)
3. Achieve a grade point average that is consistent with graduation requirements (GPA - Qualitative Requirement)

These standards apply to all financial aid applicants, whether a previous aid recipient or not.

For the purpose of determining satisfactory academic progress, the time frame for completion of an undergraduate degree cannot exceed 150 percent of the published program length for a full-time student.  For example, for a 124 credit hour (four year) program the maximum number of credits that may be attempted is 186.  This calculation does not consider the length of time the student spends in the program; the same maximum number of attempted hours is used for all students, regardless of the student's enrollment status (part time or full time).  All credit hours attempted, whether or not they are completed or passed, are counted toward the maximum number of credit hours.

Students who fail to meet satisfactory academic progress will lose their eligibility for Federal and/or NYS aid.  Students may apply for a one time waiver by submitting a request to the Office of Student Financial Services with an explanation of why the student did not meet the standards.  Waivers will be considered based on health issues, extraordinary personal difficulty or other special circumstances.

For more information and a comprehensive policy review; please view it on the Student Financial Services website.