Eligibility Requirements

Satisfactory Academic Progress

The University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is required to develop and apply consistent and reasonable standards of satisfactory academic progress for all students receiving federal financial aid. In order to receive and continue to receive financial aid, students must meet the following three components of satisfactory progress:

• minimum grade point average,
• minimum credits completed, and
• maximum time frame.

Standard for Grade Point Average

Maintain the grade point average requirements in the University's Academic Standing and Progress Policy. These requirements for undergraduate students include having a resident and semester GPA of 2.0 or above and for graduate students having a resident and semester GPA of 3.0 or above (see University Catalogue).

Standard for Minimum Credits Completed

Successfully complete 67% of total UW-Eau Claire enrolled credits. Failing a class or maintaining an incomplete in a class is not considered successfully completing the class.

Note: This is a slightly different standard from the University's Academic Standing and Progress policy (see Catalog). Students who are receiving financial aid are expected to understand and meet both standards.

Standard for Maximum Time Frame

Undergraduate students may receive financial aid for up to a maximum time frame of 180 enrolled credits, including transfer credits. This time frame is based on the minimum credit requirement for a degree program of 120 credits. When enrolled in degree programs that have a published minimum credit requirement for graduation of greater than 120 credits, financial aid eligibility may be extended. The maximum time frame for undergraduate students seeking a second degree is 90 credits, while graduate students are allowed a total of 54 credits, which represents three years of full-time enrollment.

Transfer Credits from other institutions will be added to resident enrolled credits to determine total number of enrolled credits.

Evaluation Procedures

GPA Requirements
GPA standards are monitored every semester as part of the University's Academic Standing and Progress Policy. (See details about the policy in the University Catalogue).

Students who are on academic warning or probation based on the University's academic standing and progress policy are also considered to be on warning and probation for financial aid purposes and may continue to receive aid. Students who are on suspension cannot receive financial aid. Suspended students, who can show that extenuating circumstances existed, may request a review by a faculty committee of the College or School in which the student was enrolled and may be reinstated.

Minimum Credits Completed and Maximum Time Frame Requirements
These standards are measured once a year at the end of every academic year (spring semester) using the official grade reports from the Registrar's Office. Students who fail to meet the minimum credit standard or have exceeded the maximum number of attempted credits will be denied future aid.

Reestablishment of Financial Aid Alternatives

• Students may reestablish their financial aid eligibility by earning an academic standing that meets the minimum criteria.
• If a student believes that his/her satisfactory progress as determined by the Financial Aid Office is incorrect, it is the student's responsibility to document changes in information to the transcript (i.e. grade changes, completion of incomplete classes, etc.).
• Appeals: Students with extenuating circumstances that prevented them from making satisfactory progress have the right to appeal their situation. Extenuating circumstances include - but are not limited to - student injury or illness, death of a student's relative, or other reasons resulting in undue hardship to the student.

Appeal Procedure: A written letter of appeal may be submitted to the Financial Aid Office for review. Appeals should explain in detail the reason(s) for not meeting the standards for academic progress. Appeals must be submitted prior to the end of the semester for which the student is appealing to receive financial aid. The Financial Aid Counselor responsible for Satisfactory Academic Progress program will review all appeals and will determine whether or not financial aid eligibility will be reinstated. Prior to denying an appeal, the appeal will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Office Appeals Committee. Student will be notified in writing of the appeal decision.

Academic Progress Contract: Students, whose appeals are granted, will be sent an Academic Progress Contract outlining the necessary requirements to earn an academic standing that meets the minimum criteria of the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. Contracts are signed by both student and financial aid counselor and maintained by the Financial Aid Office. Contracted student progress will be monitored at the end of every term until the student is meeting all standards of the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. A student may re-negotiate the terms set forth in an Academic Progress contract by meeting with the financial aid counselor prior to or during the term in which the student would like new consideration given. At that point, the student and the counselor will discuss whether the extenuating circumstances make it appropriate to re-negotiate the contract, as well as consider options available to the student to meet the terms set forth in the contract.

Failed Academic Progress Contracts: Students, who fail to meet the terms of the contract at the end of each term and have not re-negotiated the terms of the contract, will be denied further aid until all deficiencies are corrected. Students who fail their contract may appeal the reinstatement of their financial aid; however, all failed contract appeals will go to a committee consisting of at least two financial aid professionals.

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Consortium Agreement Credits: Credits taken at other institutions while on consortium agreement at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire will be considered as transfer credits in the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Withdrawals: Withdrawals, either from a course or from the University, will have the credits counted as enrolled credits in the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.

Repeated Courses: Repeated courses will count twice in the calculation of credits completed. The initial enrollment of the course will count once and the first repeat will count once. UWEC allows students to repeat courses only once. The new grade will replace the previous grade in calculating grade point average.

Incomplete Courses: Incomplete course work will not be considered as being successfully completed. Completed courses will be replaced with an official grade by the end of the tenth week of the first regular semester following the granting of the incomplete. Courses never completed will then be officially replaced by the grade initially reported with the request for the incomplete by the Registrar's Office. In either case, the new official grade will be considered during the next review of student's satisfactory academic progress. A student, who wants their completed incomplete grade considered sooner than the next review, is required to notify the Financial Aid Office of the new grade.

Remedial Courses: Noncredit remedial courses are allowed and will be funded. These courses will be subject to review under all aspects of the Satisfactory Progress Policy.

Audited Courses: Audited courses are not taken for credit and are not funded by financial aid. Therefore, audited courses are not considered in this policy.

Suspended Students: Students who are suspended will be notified by the institution of their suspension. Students who are not allowed to enroll because of their suspension will be systematically prevented from receiving financial aid.

Satisfactory Course Completion: A grade of A, B, C, D, or S represents satisfactory completion of a course. A grade of F, W, U, or IN represents unsatisfactory completion of a course.

Wisconsin Higher Education Grant: The Wisconsin Higher Education Grant will not be awarded to students who are not making satisfactory academic progress.