Academic Requirements for Receiving Financial Aid
In order to receive financial aid at the University of West Georgia, graduate students must meet certain academic standards.
- Continuing Progress Toward a Degree
67% Rule: Students must earn satisfactory grades in at least 67% of all hours which they attempt each term in order to remain eligible for aid during the next award year. Grades of A, B, C, D, and S are considered satisfactory; grades of F, WF, I, U, and W are considered unsatisfactory and are not passing for the purposes of this review.
67% Warning: If a student does not complete the 67%, s/he will be placed on 67% Warning. During the warning period a student is still eligible for financial aid but must complete all courses attempted during that term to clear the warning.
67% Suspension: If a student does not complete any courses during their 67% Warning, they will be placed on 67% Suspension and will be ineligible for financial aid until they have completed 9 hours of coursework with no unsatisfactory grades.
GPA Rule: Students must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better.
GPA Warning: If a student does not meet the GPA requirement during a term, s/he will be placed on GPA Warning. During the warning period a student is still eligible to receive financial aid but must reach a 3.0 GPA by the end of the term.
GPA Suspension: If a student does not meet the minimum GPA requirement by the end of the warning semester, s/he will be placed on GPA Suspension and will be ineligible for financial aid.
The Director of Financial Aid may, at any time, cancel the remainder of a student's award if the director becomes aware that the student is not actively pursuing his or her course work. Such students shall receive written notice of the cancellation of aid and will have the opportunity to request reinstatement of aid through written appeal.
- Completing Degree Requirements within Specific Time Limits
Students are expected to complete their programs of study within a reasonable period of time and may not receive financial aid after attempting the maximum number of hours for their degree program as indicated on the chart which follows. Affected students will lose their eligibility for aid following the semester in which they reach or exceed the maximum number of hours allowed.
Degree Program |
Maximum Number of Hours Allowed |
Master's Degree (36-hour program) |
54 |
Additional Master's |
40 |
Ed.S (Specialist) |
41 |
Level 5 Certificate (in addition to degree) |
21 additional hours |
Speech Language Pathology |
78 (if 2 year track) 115 (if 3 year track) |
Psychology-Option I (Thesis |
59 |
Psychology-Option II (Non-Thesis) |
72 |
Psychology-Option III (Licensure) |
92 |
Ed.D. |
68 |
Ph.D. |
117 |
3. Taking Courses Toward a Degree or Certification
Financial Aid will only pay for those classes that count toward the student's certification or degree and are listed on their program sheet.
Financial Aid will not cover repeat courses once a student has made at least a D in a course
Appealing the Loss of Financial Aid Due to Not Meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards
A student may appeal the loss of their financial aid providing they can document that there were extenuating circumstances during the time period that they were did not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Enrollment Services Center. Appeals will be reviewed by a committee within the Department of Financial Aid and will not be considered complete until the student has submitted the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form, a letter from the student explaining the extenuating circumstance and documentation to support the claim. Appeals may be granted in cases of illness for the student or an immediate family member or in the death of an immediate family member. Financial Aid Appeals may no longer be granted for financial reasons.
