Financial Aid
Making Satisfactory Progress Toward Your Degree
As a financial aid recipient, you will be required to make satisfactory progress toward your degree or certificate in a timely manner. To maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), and to avoid any disruptions to your financial aid, please be advised of the following guidelines see full policy:
- Do not enroll in more credits than you plan to complete.
- Always try to complete credits within your enrollment range (see SAP policy). You are required to complete 2/3 (66.7%) of your attempted credits annually.
- Maintain the required cumulative CWU GPA: 3.0 for master’s degree candidates and (see SAP policy) applicable graduated GPA required for under classmen.
- Complete your baccalaureate degree by 270 attempted credit hours, or 1.5 times the required credits to earn your degree; 135 for post-baccalaureate or master’s candidates.
- State aid eligibility ends at 15 quarters or 225 attempted credits, whichever comes first.
- Federal Pell Grant and Subsidized Direct Student Loan eligibility ends at 6 years.
Financial Aid Suspension
If you fail to make satisfactory progress toward your degree you will be placed on financial aid suspension for any or all forms of state, federal, and institutional aid. You may be suspended from receiving one or more types of aid and still be eligible for another type of aid.
The enrollment range is determined by your credit registration at the end of Add/Drop (also known as Census Date). By the end of the year you are required to have completed 66.7% of all attempted credits. If you fall behind on your completion pace, you have to make up credits during the other quarters and bring your annual completion rate to 66.7%.
Re-establishing Financial Aid Eligibility
If you failed to make satisfactory progress due to an extreme hardship such as a serious personal illness or the death of an immediate family member, you may appeal your suspension by writing a one-page petition and supplying supporting documents to verify the extenuating circumstance and the resolution. If your petition is approved you will be given one quarter of probation and a performance contract.
Tip
The financial aid staff recommends that undergraduates take a full load (15 credits per quarter, 45 credits per year) and earn no less than a 2.0 grade point average each quarter. This strategy will allow you to make satisfactory progress, complete your degree on time, and minimize your educational debt. For the complete policy please see Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards for Financial Aid at Central Washington University.
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Financial Aid
Bouillon Hall 106