Keeping Your Financial Aid

Unfortunately, financial aid is an ongoing process. Not only must you reapply for financial aid every year, but the Financial Aid Office must continually monitor your eligibility for aid. Please review the policies below.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

In order to receive financial aid, you must make progress toward your degree as defined by the Financial Aid Office.
There are three components to academic progress:

1. Grade Point Requirement
   You must achieve and maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average on all coursework attempted.
2. Completion Requirement
   You must complete at least 67% of all coursework attempted.
3. Time Frame Requirement
   You must complete your program of study in a time frame not to exceed 150 percent of the published length of the program. This is measured by credit hours attempted; not by semesters attempted.

A complete copy of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy is available upon request or view it by clicking here. Please read the complete Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy to see how your progress will be monitored.

The Financial Aid Office is required to review your entire academic record (regardless of the age of the record or whether or not aid was received) to determine if you are in compliance. If you are not in compliance, you will be notified in writing of your denial/suspension and the appropriate appeal procedure.

Dropping Classes

Your final eligibility for aid will be based on the number of hours for which you are enrolled at the 10% point of the semester. If you register and then drop class(es) prior to that date, your eligibility for aid will be RECALCULATED on your remaining hours as of the 10% point of the semester. Students who receive a financial aid payment based on more hours than those remaining as of the 10% point of the semester may be responsible for repaying a portion of any financial aid received. Dropping classes may affect your eligibility for future aid. You should consult the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy to determine if dropping classes will affect your eligibility for aid.

Total Withdrawal from School

If you register and then totally withdraw from all classes, your eligibility for aid will be RECALCULATED based on the number of days you attended class. If you withdraw on or after the first class day, you may have to repay a portion of any cash financial aid received. See Return of Title IV Funds below. If you totally withdraw, you should consult the definition of Satisfactory Academic Progress to determine if your withdrawal will affect your eligibility for future aid.

Return of Title IV Funds

The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 changed the formula for calculating the amount of aid a student and school can retain when the student totally withdraws from all classes. Students who withdraw from all classes prior to completing 60% of the semester will have their eligibility for aid recalculated based on the percent of the semester completed. For example, a student who withdraws completing only 30% of the term will have "earned" only 30% of any Title IV aid received. The remaining 70% must be returned by the school and/or the student. The Financial Aid Office encourages you to read a complete copy of this policy carefully. If you are thinking about withdrawing from all classes PRIOR to completing 60% of the semester, you should contact the Financial Aid Office to see how your withdrawal will affect your financial aid.

Remedial/Developmental Coursework

Federal regulations allow that only the first thirty (30) hours of attempted remedial/developmental coursework be used to determine your eligibility for financial aid. Once you have attempted thirty (30) remedial hours, only non-remedial college credit courses can be used to determine your eligibility for aid.

Address Changes

PLEASE let us know how to find you. Notify the Records Office us in writing when your address or phone number changes.

Aid Received from Sources other than the Financial Aid Office

You are required to report to our office any aid received from a source other than the Financial Aid Office. Types of aid that should be reported include, but are not limited to: scholarships not awarded by GTCC, tuition assistance from an employer or agency such as Job Link, Veterans' Benefits, or private educational loans (e.g., PLATO). Failure to report such assistance could result in a reduction or cancellation of your financial aid.