How To Keep Your Financial Aid Eligibility
Your financial aid award letter will list the award amounts for students who are enrolled full time (12 or more units). Federal regulations require that all students make satisfactory academic progress in an eligible program of study/educational goal to maintain eligibility for financial aid. See the information below to learn what could affect your financial aid eligibility after you've received your award letter.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
SAP will be evaluated at the end of every semester, including summer.
In order to remain eligible for most types of financial assistance and scholarships at CR, students must maintain both a qualitative and quantitative standard for satisfactory academic progress. These standards measure a student's progress in three different aspects:
- Cumulative grade point average
- Cumulative unit completion rate, and
- The maximum time frame (unit limit) allowable for completion of an academic program
Please review our Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy here: satisfactory academic progress
Check Your SAP Status:
Students can check their most recent SAP status in myFinAid via WebAdvisor by clicking on the SAP status banner displayed at the top. The SAP status screen will display the student's most recent SAP status, a description of their status, SAP history details, and detailed information on their unit cap, cumulative GPA, and cumulative completion rate/pace.
SAP Status Descriptions
SATISFACTORY – all requirements met; no limits to financial aid
WARNING – Cumulative GPA/Completion Rate requirements not met; one term with no limits to financial aid (at risk of losing eligibility for next term)
UNSATISFACTORY – Warning term requirements not met; financial aid eligibility lost*
MAX TIME FRAME EXCEEDED – Unit Limit requirements not met; financial aid eligibility lost*
PROBATION – Appeal approved; one term with no limits to financial aid (at risk of losing eligibility for next term)
SAP Appeal Process
If a student has extenuating circumstances that prevented them from making academic progress toward a degree, an appeal may be submitted to the Financial Aid Office prior to end of the term.
If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on probation and will be eligible to receive financial aid for one term.
- If the student is not meeting the cumulative SAP requirements at the end of their probationary semester, but they have met the terms of their academic plan for the probationary semester, their academic plan can be rolled over to the next semester and the student will be eligible to receive financial aid for that semester as well.
- If the student is on probation and does not meet the cumulative SAP requirements or the terms of their academic plan, they will be suspended from receiving financial aid in future semesters.
If a decision is made to deny the appeal, the student may request a second review by the committee only if the student can provide new information and documentation that may have been omitted from the initial appeal.
Withdrawing From One Or More Classes
If you drop one or more of your classes, you may fail to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress which may result in ineligibility for financial aid for the current semester and/or in the future. Some award amounts will change based on the number of units you are enrolled in. Depending upon the type of award and the timing of withdrawal, you may be expected to repay a portion if you already received a financial aid disbursement.
Contact the CR Counseling and Advising Center and speak to a counselor before dropping a course to gain a better understanding of the academic consequences.
more information on withdrawals
more information on refund disbursements
Withdrawing From All Classes
According to federal regulations, you may be expected to repay a portion of your financial aid if you withdraw from all classes or receive any combination of W/EW/NC/F grades in all classes in a particular term. CR will notify you if you are required to return funds. Keep in mind that if you fail to repay grant funds, you may be ineligible for future federal financial aid at any college.
Review this short video on withdrawing from classes:
more information on withdrawals
Eligible Academic Programs, Educational Goals & Courses
Federal regulations require that all students receiving federal student aid enroll in and make progress toward an eligible educational goal and an eligible program. All AA/AS/AS-T programs are financial aid eligible programs, but only some certificate programs are currently eligible for financial aid. Additionally, some courses are not eligible for financial aid.
View Eligible Academic Programs, Educational Goals & Courses
Policies & Procedures
View Financial Aid Policies
Rights & Responsibilities
View Rights And Responsibilities