In
order to be eligible for renewal of any type of financial
aid, students must show evidence of satisfactory progress
toward graduation. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
at Charleston Southern University is defined as successful
completion of course work attempted and progress toward
graduation. Although certain scholarships and grants
require higher minimum Grade Point Averages (GPA), students
must maintain the minimum requirements listed below:
Hours
Attempted* Cumulative GPA
1-30 1.40
31-60 1.80
61-90 1.90
91 or more 2.00
*Note: Hours attempted for SAP purposes includes all credit attempted at
CSU, all transfer credit and all nontraditional credit awarded.
Progress Standards for Hours
Earned:
Full-time students must earn a minimum
of 24 semester credit hours within the academic year,
including Maymester, Summer I and Summer II.
Students
receiving the S.C. Palmetto Fellows Scholarship must
earn 30 credit hours within the academic year and maintain
a cumulative 3.0 GPA. All college level courses earned
at a college or university in South Carolina will be
counted towards your 30 credit hours, but your GPA
eligibility will be calculated using only CSU grades.
Students
receiving the S.C. LIFE Scholarship must earn a cumulative
of 30 credit hours each academic year and maintain
a cumulative 3.0 GPA. All college level courses earned
at a college or university in South Carolina will be
counted towards your 30 credit hours and your GPA eligibility
will be calculated using all prior grades.
Students
receiving the S.C. HOPE Scholarship must earn 30 credit
hours within the academic year and maintain a cumulative
3.0 GPA to receive a S.C. LIFE Scholarship for the
following year. The S.C. HOPE Scholarship is only available
for one year.
FSP
English and FSP Math do not count toward the 30 earned
hours required to maintain eligibility for the S.C.
Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, or HOPE scholarships. If a
student realizes that he or she does not have enough
earned hours to meet this requirement, then he or she
should discuss this situation with a designated faculty
advisor. The student may have to attend summer sessions
to maintain eligibility for continued financial aid.
*See
regulations for S.C. HOPE, LIFE, and Palmetto Fellows
at http://www.che.sc.gov.
Institutional
hours earned in the Foundation Studies Program do count
toward the 24 semester hours required for full-time status.
Part-time
students must earn the credit hours they attempt
during a major semester.
No
student shall receive financial assistance for more than
188 hours attempted.
Financial Aid Review
The academic record of all students receiving financial aid will be reviewed
at the end of each spring semester for satisfactory progress. Students not
meeting minimum requirements (GPA and/or Hours Earned) will be notified and
have the responsibility of making themselves eligible before the beginning
of the fall term.
Financial Aid Suspension
and Probation
Suspension: Students who do not meet
the GPA and/or Hours Earned requirement will be placed
on financial aid suspension and will not be eligible
to receive financial assistance. See Appeal process.
Probation: Extenuating
circumstances may be explained in a SAP Appeal Form or
letter of appeal. If an appeal is granted, the student
will be placed on financial aid probation and will have
one semester to meet the satisfactory academic progress
standards.
Appeal Process
Students who fail to meet the required standards may appeal to the Office of
Enrollment Services to regain their eligibility to receive financial aid. The
appeal must be prepared in writing and be accompanied by appropriate supporting
documents. The Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress Appeal form must be submitted
no later than 10 working days after the end of Summer II for the Fall semester,
and no later than 10 working days after the end of Fall for the Spring semester. Appeals
are considered on an individual basis, and the student is notified in writing
of the Committee’s decision. (A student granted an appeal is placed on
probation and given one semester to meet satisfactory progress standards.)
Regaining Financial Aid Eligibility
Students may be eligible to have their financial aid reinstated if they successfully
meet SAP Requirements as listed above. This may be accomplished on a full-time
or part-time basis. Students will be reviewed after each semester to determine
if SAP has been met in order to regain financial aid eligibility.
Removal
from financial aid does not prevent a student from
enrolling at Charleston Southern University without
financial aid if they are otherwise eligible to enroll.
