Office of Financial Aid

Satisfactory Academic Progress

All students who receive federal and state financial aid must meet federal and institutional standards for satisfactory academic progress in order to establish and retain aid eligibility. Students receiving athletic or other University-administered awards also must meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards that have been established by the awarding entity.

Satisfactory Academic Progress for federal and state financial aid programs is based on three measures:

  • Cumulative grade-point average
  • Completion rated based on credit hours completed compared to attempted
  • A maximum timeframe for degree completion.

The following describes the University’s standards for each of these three measures, and when these standards are reviewed:

Cumulative Grade-Point Average (GPA)

  • Undergraduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 based on credits earned at Illinois State University. 
  • The first time a student’s GPA is below 2.0, the student is placed on Academic Probation and continues to be eligible to receive financial aid.
  • If the student does not raise the GPA to 2.0 in the following semester of attendance, or the GPA falls below 2.0 in a subsequent semester, the student is Academically Dismissed and loses financial aid eligibility.

Completion Rate

  • Undergraduate students are required to complete a minimum of 67 percent of the credit hours attempted at Illinois State University.
  • Courses with a grade of “D” or higher, as well as “CR” or “CT”, count as completed.
  • Credit hours attempted include audits, incompletes, withdrawals, and repeated or failed classes.
  • A student who does not complete a minimum of 67 percent of credit hours attempted will be suspended from financial aid eligibility until his or her completion rate improves to at least 67 percent. 
  • The completion rate for students readmitted to the University under the New Start program is calculated beginning with the credit hours attempted/completed during the term for which the student was readmitted.

Maximum Timeframe

  • The maximum timeframe for the completion of a degree is limited by federal regulations to 150 percent of the published length of the degree program. 
  • This is equivalent to a maximum number of credit hours that includes transfer credits and all attempted credit hours at Illinois State University. 
  • Credit hours attempted include completed credits, audits, incompletes, withdrawals, and repeated or failed classes. 
  • The maximum number of credits allowed for a subsequent degree program at Illinois State excludes the credits from any previous degree(s) earned at Illinois State.
  • Effective 2007-2008, the University also requires that all students have a declared major upon completion of 75 hours of coursework, including transfer credits. At 75 hours earned, students classified as General Students are not eligible to continue their enrollment or receive financial aid.
  • The maximum number of attempted credit hours for which a student is eligible to receive financial aid is 180.
  • The maximum number of attempted credit hours for which a student pursuing a second undergraduate degree is eligible to receive financial aid is 90.

Review of Progress Standards

  • Cumulative GPA is reviewed at the end of each period of enrollment — fall semester, spring semester, and the summer session — for both financial aid eligibility and for continued enrollment at Illinois State University.
  • Completion rate is reviewed upon submission of a financial aid application (the FAFSA), and at the end of each period of enrollment, including the summer session.
  • The Financial Aid Office sends a “warning letter” to any aid recipient who has not completed 67 percent of hours attempted at the end of the summer session or fall semester.
  • Aid eligibility is suspended at the end of the spring semester for any aid recipient who does not meet the 67 percent completion standard.
  • Maximum timeframe is reviewed upon submission of a financial aid application (the FAFSA), and at the end of each enrollment period, including the summer session. 
  • The Financial Aid Office sends a “warning letter” to any aid recipient who is within 15 hours of reaching the maximum attempted hour for his or degree program.

Notification/Appeals

  • If financial aid eligibility is suspended as a result of failure to meet the completion rate or maximum timeframe standard, the Financial Aid Office sends a letter to the student including a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form.
  • The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form must include reasons for failure to achieve good academic standing and any applicable documentation. 
  • Appeal Forms must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office within thirty (30) days of the date of the letter and are reviewed by the Reinstatement Committee.
  • For the Completion Rate standard, students also can restore aid eligibility by earning enough additional hours to meet the 67 percent requirement.
  • If the student is not meeting the GPA standard, the Enrollment Management & Academic Services office first sends the student a “warning” letter. If the student fails to meet the GPA standard a second time, the Enrollment Management & Academic Services office sends the student a dismissal letter, including instructions for writing and submitting a petition for reinstatement. The petition must be submitted by the date stated on the dismissal letter.
  • Satisfactory Academic Appeal Form