Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards

All students who receive Federal Financial Aid must be working toward an eligible degree from Lee University. In order to assure that the student makes progress toward that degree both in terms of number of hours completed and cumulative GPA.  Lee University uses the following progress policy.

Progress Standards

• Quantitative Standard per year: Students must, as a minimum, receive a satisfactory grade in the courses attempted during the fall and spring semesters as outlined below:

Satisfactory grades are A, B, C and D. Unsatisfactory grades are W, F, or I

• Qualitative Standard: Financial aid recipients must maintain the following cumulative grade point averages to be considered making satisfactory progress.

• Maximum hours: Any undergraduate student who has attempted 195 hours will become ineligible for financial aid even if he/she did not receive financial aid for prior hours attempted.
• Transfer students: All transferable credits will be counted toward the maximum number of hours allowed to be eligible for financial aid. Satisfactory progress will be evaluated at the end of the first academic year attended at Lee University.
• Graduate students: Students enrolled in a graduate program will be required to maintain the minimum academic standard as established by his/her particular program.

Review of Eligibility

• Initial Review: Satisfactory academic progress is reviewed for all financial aid applicants to insure that they meet the required qualitative, quantitative, and maximum time frame standards as outlined in Section I. Applicants who do not meet these standards will be notified in writing.
• Subsequent Review: All satisfactory progress standards are monitored and reviewed at the end of the academic year (Summer sessions are excluded.)

Removal From Federal Financial Aid

• A student who fails to meet the above standards of progress will be removed from financial aid for the next period of enrollment.
• Any student who receives all F’s, W’s or I’s in courses attempted in either semester will be removed from financial aid for the next period of enrollment.
• A student placed on academic suspension from Lee University will automatically be removed from financial aid for the next period of enrollment.
• Removal from financial aid does not prevent students from enrolling at Lee University without financial aid assistance if they are eligible to re-enroll.

Appeals (Adobe Acrobat Required)

• Students placed on financial aid suspension can appeal to the Financial Aid Office. The appeal must be submitted in writing and be accompanied by appropriate supporting documents if necessary. Reasons that may be acceptable for the appeal are: 1) serious illness or accident on the part of the student; 2) Death, accident or serious illness in the immediate family; 3) financial difficulties forcing incomplete and premature withdrawal; 4) other extenuating circumstances directly affecting academic performance.

Reinstatement of Financial Aid

• A student who is removed from financial aid may be eligible to have his/her financial aid reinstated if he/she enrolls without financial aid in a minimum of nine hours one semester and passes all courses attempted with a minimum 2.0 semester GPA. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the Financial Aid Office if this requirement has been met.
• Eligibility for financial aid will be reinstated if an appeal is approved.
• Returning students who have a leave of absence greater than five years will be allowed one academic year without penalty. However, the student must make satisfactory progress standards for that year to continue to receive financial aid.