Satisfactory Academic Progress

Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward degree, diploma, and certificate completion in order to receive federal, state, or Delaware Tech financial aid. Students must meet all three satisfactory academic progress requirements:

1. Maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (CUM GPA). (See the Academic Standing Policy in the College Catalog)
2. Maintain a 67% cumulative completion rate by successfully completing 67% of all credits attempted
3. Complete the program of study within the maximum time frame for the program. The maximum credits allowed is 150% of the number of credits required to earn the award.

These requirements apply to the student’s entire period of attendance at Delaware Tech, including any periods during which the student does not receive any financial aid.  Satisfactory academic progress is one eligibility requirement for financial aid; view a complete list of financial aid eligibility requirements.

Satisfactory academic progress is calculated at the end of each semester to determine eligibility for the student’s next semester.

Students who do not meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements for cumulative GPA and/or completion rate will be placed on financial aid warning. A student must meet these requirements at the end of the next semester, or the student will be ineligible for financial aid until satisfactory academic progress requirements are met. Students on financial aid warning are required to successfully complete financial aid counseling before financial aid can be disbursed.

Students who have not completed the program within the maximum credits allowed will be ineligible for financial aid. They may appeal to have financial aid eligibility reinstated if extenuating circumstances prevented them from maintaining satisfactory academic progress. Such circumstances include:

• Medical condition, illness, or injury to the student or an immediate family member
• Death of an immediate family member
• Change or loss of employment for you or an immediate family member
• Other special circumstances

Documentation must be provided, and the student must complete a financial aid appeal explaining the reason(s) the student did not maintain satisfactory academic progress and what has changed in the student’s situation that would allow the student to regain satisfactory academic progress.  

The appeal process also requires the student to submit an academic plan that sets forth the requirements the student must meet to make satisfactory academic progress. Students must also successfully complete financial aid counseling before the appeal will be considered.

The Financial Aid Office will provide the student with the appeal decision and explain what the student must do to reestablish eligibility for federal/state financial aid. Submitting an appeal does not guarantee the student will regain financial aid eligibility.  The decision of the Financial Aid Office regarding the financial aid appeal is final.

If the appeal is not approved, then the student is ineligible for financial aid until satisfactory academic progress is achieved at the student’s own expense.

If the appeal is approved by the Financial Aid Office, the student is then placed on Financial Aid Probation for the authorized enrollment status.  A student placed on Financial Aid Probation may receive financial aid as long as the student is satisfying the requirements of an approved academic plan.

If after the one semester of Financial Aid Probation, the College determines the student achieved satisfactory academic progress, the student’s financial aid eligibility will be reinstated for the next semester of attendance. Thereafter, such student’s academic progress will be evaluated in accordance with this policy.

If after the one semester of Financial Aid Probation, the College determines the student met all the requirements of the student’s academic plan, but did not achieve satisfactory academic progress, the student will be permitted to continue to receive financial aid for the next semester and subsequent semesters of attendance for the authorized enrollment status provided that the student continues to meet all of the requirements of the academic plan. A student who meets the academic plan requirements may request to increase the authorized enrollment status by submitting a new academic plan.

If after the one semester of Financial Aid Probation, the College determines that the student did not meet all the requirements of the academic plan and did not successfully achieve satisfactory academic progress, the student will lose financial aid eligibility until the student achieves satisfactory academic progress at the student’s expense. Students may make another appeal for financial aid eligibility by submitting a new financial aid appeal form and providing a new academic plan. However, students are advised that financial aid appeals for academic plan deficiencies will only be approved for changes to the student’s major and required courses or in extenuating circumstances as determined by the Financial Aid Office

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements

In order to be eligible for federal, state, or institutional financial aid, each student at the College must make satisfactory academic progress toward the attainment of the selected degree, diploma, or certificate according to the following three requirements that comprise financial aid satisfactory academic progress.  (Other eligibility requirements also apply.)

1. Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average:

The table below represents the minimum CGPA needed to be eligible for federal/state financial aid.  The CUM GPA is calculated using all courses taken. Official withdrawal from courses (W grades) are not counted in the GPA calculation.  Students enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs must meet the minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA at the end of each semester of enrollment. 

2. Completion Rate:

Students at the College must successfully complete, on a cumulative basis, 67% of all credits attempted. All non-completion grades (“W,” “U,” “R,”/ “F,” and “I”) are used in the calculation of completion rates. As an example, the following table shows the minimum number of credits a student must successfully complete (with an “A,” “B,” “C,”) on a cumulative basis to be eligible for federal/state financial aid. Developmental (remedial) credits are not calculated in the completion rate.

Completed Credits Required To Achieve Satisfactory Completion Rate

2. Maximum Credits Allowed (MCA) for a Degree/Diploma or Previous Associate Degree:

A financial aid recipient is restricted to a maximum number of credits for which the student can receive financial aid. The maximum credits allowed (MCA) is 150% of the published length of the eligible educational program in which the student is currently enrolled. For example, if 60 credits are required for a specific degree, the MCA for the degree program would be 90 credits (60 x 150% = 90). The published program lengths are available on the College website and in the Catalog. 

In addition, the credits from a previous diploma or degree program earned at Delaware Tech or elsewhere that are applied to a new degree program at Delaware Tech will be counted toward the MCA for the new degree program. 

Students may receive financial aid for a second diploma or degree providing they are meeting other satisfactory academic progress and financial aid eligibility requirements. An appeal must be completed in order for the student to be considered for financial aid.

Maximum Credits Allowed (MCA) for Remedial Courses:

The MCA for a student enrolled in remedial courses is 30 credit hours. This MCA value is separate from the degree or diploma MCA value. No extension is permitted for a student who exceeds the 30-credit remedial limit. 

English as a Second Language classes are not remedial classes and do not count in the 30 credit hour remedial limit.

Repeat Coursework:

Students may receive financial aid for repeating failed coursework if all other eligibility requirements are met. In addition, one repetition of previously passed coursework is eligible for federal financial aid. However, a previously passed course is not eligible for financial aid if it is being repeated because the student failed other coursework (e.g., must repeat the course again because of co-requisite requirements).

Repeating a course may improve CUM GPA, but each attempt impacts the completion rate and maximum credits allowed.

Transfer Students:

Coursework completed at another institution that is officially accepted as transfer credit by the College counts toward the cumulative completion rate and MCA. Transferred grades are not calculated in CUM GPA and, therefore, are not included in the satisfactory academic progress calculation.

All information is subject to change based on revisions to federal laws, regulations, or college policies and procedures. Students are required to abide by any such revision.