As a financial aid recipient, federal regulations require that students maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (AP) and work towards an eligible degree or certificate. The criteria used to determine AP apply to all of the terms attended regardless of whether or not financial aid was received. Federal regulations also require a student to be on pace of at least 67% to complete the declared degree/certificate within the 150% maximum time-frame of the program, while maintaining at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (cGPA). This policy and procedure also apply to most state financial aid.
Academic Progress will be determined for all applicants prior to being awarded financial aid. Determination will be based on all transcribed credits at BMCC, any transfer credits evaluated and accepted toward the student’s degree/certificate, and any credits from HOST institutions if a consortium agreement is in place. These credits are considered regardless of whether or not financial aid was received. Academic Progress criteria will also be reviewed at the end of every term to monitor progress and to determine a student’s financial aid status.
Cumulative GPA is calculated from all transcribed grades including both BMCC credits and evaluated transfer credits which have been accepted toward the student’s degree/certificate: (Audit (AU), Incomplete (INC), Pass (P), No Pass (NP), Retake (R), and Withdraw (W) are not included in the calculation of the GPA.
Your Pace is calculated by dividing the total number of credits you have successfully completed by the total number of credits you have attempted (both BMCC credits and transfer credits applied to your program are considered). Grades of A, B, C, D (note: D grades are not acceptable for transfer degrees), and P are considered to be successful. For all degrees, grades of F, FA, INC, NP, and W are considered unsuccessful. For transfer degrees AAOT, ASOT, and AS, a D is considered an unsuccessful grade.
Note: a student on probation may be upgraded to Good Standing status if the required cumulative GPA and cumulative Pace is reached even if an unsuccessful grade is obtained while on probation.
The maximum time frame for which a student may be eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid is called the 150% rule. A student may be eligible to receive financial aid to ATTEMPT up to 150% of the credits required to complete their stated degree/certificate. For example, for a two-year degree of 90 credits the student would be allowed 135 credits and for a one-year certificate of 45 credits, the student would be allowed approximately 68 credits.
Up to 45 credits of Development Education (credits below the 100 level) will be excluded when calculating maximum time-frame eligibility. This rule applies to all students receiving financial aid, even those who have changed their major or are pursuing dual majors.
A student will lose financial aid eligibility if any of the following happens:
Cumulative GPA falls below 2.0
Cumulative credit pace of completion falls below 67%
One hundred fifty percent (150%) of the credits required to complete the degree/certificate have been attempted (including BMCC accepted transferred credits). All attempted credits count toward this limit even if financial aid was not received.
It is determined that the student cannot mathematically complete the stated degree/certificate within the 150% credit limit.
A degree was earned (either at BMCC or another institution) or the student has satisfied the degree requirements, even if the student has not yet applied for graduation.
Student must maintain a cGPA of 2.0 or higher, cPace of 67% or higher for all attempted credits, and be able to complete the degree/ certificate within the 150% maximum time frame limit to be considered in Good Standing. There is no special dispensation for break of enrollment for financial aid recipients.
The first time a student does not meet Academic Progress, they will be placed on Warning. Students placed on Warning are strongly encouraged to meet with a Navigator (formerly known as “Success Coach”) to address any challenges and seek resources to ensure academic success.
A student’s financial aid may be suspended for any of these reasons:
The second time a student does not meet Academic Progress (cGPA is below 2.0 and/or cPace is below 67%), they will be suspended with an option to appeal. The student will have the option to submit an Academic Progress appeal (Contact your Navigator (formerly known as “Success Coach”) to submit an Academic Appeal). Financial aid may be reestablished if the appeal is approved.
The Financial Aid office determined that the student will be unable to complete the declared degree/certificate within the 150% maximum time frame limit. The student will have the option to submit a Credit Extension Appeal (CEA). Financial aid may be reestablished if the CEA is approved.
The third time a student does not meet Academic Progress (cGPA is below 2.0 and/or cPace is below 67%), they will be suspended with another option to appeal but the Committee does not have to consider the student’s appeal. If not approved for Financial Aid, student may be allowed to enroll in classes, but they will need to pay out-of-pocket until they reach cGPA of 2.0 and cPace of 67%.
If the Academic Progress or the Credit Extension Appeal is approved, the student will be placed on Academic Probation. While on Academic Probation, the student must adhere to the following:
Only register for classes required for the approved degree. If a student registers for unapproved classes, financial aid may be cancelled for the term until the discrepancy is resolved.
Only pursue one degree while on probation.
Successfully complete ALL credits attempted.
Note: For all degrees, grades of F, FA, INC, NP, and W are considered unsuccessful. For transfer degrees AAOT, ASOT, and AS, a D is considered an unsuccessful grade.
Failing to meet any of these requirements may result in a “Suspension without option for additional appeals”.
Incompletes: When an incomplete grade is finalized, it will be factored into the AP calculation at the time of the next formal AP evaluation. The Financial Aid Office will not retroactively change the student’s AP status when the grade of INC becomes a final grade since, at the time of the AP evaluation, the grade of INC was a valid grade. Only in a case where a grade is assigned in error and later corrected would the Financial Aid Office retroactively change a student’s AP status.
Students not meeting the Good Standing criteria necessary to receive federal financial aid will be notified by e-mail. Enrollment in classes while not eligible to receive financial aid will become the student’s financial responsibility. In order to restore eligibility to receive financial aid, the student may:
Successfully complete coursework without the assistance of financial aid until the cGPA is 2.0 or higher and the cPace is 67% or higher.
Complete an Academic Progress Appeal
The student may request consideration for reinstatement of financial aid eligibility through a formal appeal process by contacting their Navigator (formerly known as “Success Coach”) and completing the Academic Progress Appeal. To be considered, the appeal must be received by the term specific deadlines. Aid will not be awarded retroactively for a prior term in which financial aid eligibility was suspended.
The student may appeal if the reason for failure to meet the minimum academic progress criteria was the result of extenuating circumstances and if the situation that caused the poor performance has been resolved.
As part of the appeal process, the AP Review Committee may require that the student complete one or more of the following conditions:
Participate in 10 hours of documented tutoring through the Learning Hub
Limit enrollment during their next term or terms of attendance
Limit course format (example: online or face-to-face)
Submit three-week progress reports from instructors
Participate in any BMCC course or student success module recommended by the AP Review Committee
The AP Review Committee has discretionary power to work within these guidelines to implement any conditions if warranted or to extend them, as deemed appropriate.
A second appeal (if accepted) may not reestablish financial aid. Enrollment in classes while not eligible to receive financial aid will become the student’s financial responsibility.
Students may appeal for an extension of financial aid eligibility when unable to complete the degree/certificate within the 150% maximum of the program, or if the student has a prior degree. The student must complete a Credit Extension Appeal (CEA) form and submit it with the appropriate documentation. To be considered, the appeal must be received by the term specific deadlines listed on the form.
Appeals may result in one of the following actions:
Approval and placement on Probation (eligibility to receive financial aid is restored)
Denial of reinstatement (not eligible to receive financial aid)
Note: Credit Extension Appeals for third degrees or beyond 200 attempted credits will only be considered in special cases and with extenuating circumstances.
If approved and placed on academic probation for Credit Extension, students must:
Students unable to meet these requirements will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension with no option for additional appeals.
2411 NW Carden Ave.
Pendleton, OR 97801
(541) 276-1260