Federal and state regulations require that students receiving financial aid maintain satisfactory academic progress. The policies governing satisfactory academic progress and the effect of these regulations on students receiving financial aid at Essex County College are described below.

To be making satisfactory academic progress, students must complete a degree or certificate program within an established period of time and maintain a satisfactory grade point average (GPA). Academic progress will be evaluated once per year at the end of each spring semester. A student’s entire academic record will be reviewed, even if the student paid for any of the classes with his or her own resources. Transfer credits from other institutions will be counted in the total attempted hours for determining the maximum time frame of their educational program.

Maximum Time Frame for Completion

Federal regulations set the maximum time frame in which a student must complete his or her educational program at 150% of the published length of the educational program. All credits the student attempts are counted toward the 150% time frame requirement, even if the student changes his or her major. For example, if the published length of an academic program is 66 credit hours, the maximum time frame established may not exceed 99 attempted credit hours. Once the student reaches this maximum time frame, the student’s eligibility for financial aid ends. Transfer credits from other colleges or universities are counted toward a program’s maximum time frame.

Quantitative Measure

The student must earn a certain percentage of attempted credit hours based on the Academic Status Table listed below:

Academic Probation

Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better to be in good academic standing. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.00 are placed on Academic Probation. Students will be placed on academic probation for the next semester of attendance. Students on academic probation must maintain their eligibility for financial aid. While on academic probation, the student must earn a semester GPA of 2.00 or bring his or her cumulative GPA to 2.00 or better to remain on aid. Students who fail to meet this requirement while on academic probation will not be eligible for aid. To be considered for aid again, the student must complete 9 credits (No Withdrawals “W” or Incompletes “I” grades) and earn a 2.00 or better GPA in those 9 credits or earn a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better. Payment of those credits must be from the student’s own resources.

Financial Aid Probation

Students will be placed on Financial Aid Probation for the next semester of attendance, if the student fails to earn the minimum number of credits in the Academic Status Table under Quantitative Measure. While on financial aid probation, the student must complete 100% of the classes for which they register (No Withdrawal “W” or Incomplete “I” grades) with a 2.00 GPA, to remain on aid. Students who fail to meet these standards while on financial aid probation will not be eligible for aid. To be considered for aid again, the student must complete 9 credits (No Withdrawal “W” or Incomplete “I” grades) and earn a 2.00 or better GPA in those 9 credits. To be removed from financial aid probation, the student must earn the minimum number of credits from the table and earn a 2.00 cumulative GPA. Once the student reaches his/her maximum time frame, the student’s eligibility for aid ends. Students on financial aid probation retain their financial aid eligibility.

Note: Students on either probation status are not eligible for Federal Work-Study and student loans even though other federal aid may not be terminated.

Suspended or Dismissed Students

Students who have been suspended or dismissed from Essex County College must, upon readmission to ECC, complete 9 credits (No Withdrawals “W” or Incompletes “I” grades) and earn a 2.00 or better GPA in those 9 credits or earn a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better to be reconsidered for financial aid. Payment of those credits must be from the student’s own resources.

Grade Evaluation

Passing grades are A, B, C, and D. The following grades are non-passing grades or credits attempted and will not count toward successfully completed credit hours: (NS) No Show - Not Attending, (W) Withdrawal, (I) Incomplete, (AU) Audit, as well as “F.”

Withdrawals/Incomplete/Repeated Courses/Failures

Students who receive a grade of W, I, F, AU, and NS during a given semester or term will have these classes count toward classes attempted. Repeated classes will be included in the credits attempted count as well. Credits by examination will be counted as credits attempted and completed satisfactorily.

Withdrawal Policy

Charges and credits may be adjusted for students who withdraw from classes. The adjustments for students who totally withdraw from all classes will be based on the Return of Title IV Funds regulations for federal aid and on the College’s Refund Policy for students receiving state aid.

Part-time Students

Students enrolled less than full-time will be required to meet the same minimum cumulative GPA as students enrolled full-time and must earn the number of credits attempted based on the Academic Status Table.

Maximum Number of Remedial Credits

The maximum number of remedial credits for which a student may receive financial aid is 30 remedial credits. English as a Second Language (ESL) courses do not count against this limit.

Academic Eligibility for All New Jersey Aid Programs

Academic eligibility for all New Jersey aid programs is governed by the same standards of progress described above. To receive funds from the state programs, students must register for at least 12 credits each semester. A non-remedial TAG student will be eligible for five (5) payments of TAG and remedial TAG students will be eligible for six (6) payments of TAG at ECC.

EOF students must register for at least 12 credits each semester, but must earn a minimum of 9 credits during the first four (4) semesters on EOF. After four semesters, an EOF recipient must earn 12 credits thereafter. EOF students may not receive more than eight (8) semester of EOF at ECC.

Right to Appeal

Students denied financial aid due to unsatisfactory academic progress have the right to appeal for reinstatement of eligibility based on mitigating circumstances (serious illness or injury, death of a family member, etc.) that contributed to their failure to meet the minimum standards of academic progress.

The appeal must be submitted in writing to the Financial Aid Office. The student and the counselor must develop an academic plan, which the student must submit with the appeal. The academic plan must outline a realistic plan for improving the student’s academic standing. Students with extenuating or special circumstances must submit appropriate documentation, where applicable (medical, etc.), to support their appeal.
The Dean of Student Affairs and other appropriate campus administrators will review the student’s appeal. The Director of Financial Aid will send written notification of the results of the appeal to the student. Submission of an appeal does not guarantee reinstatement of eligibility for financial aid. Each appeal is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Students whose appeals are granted will have his or her financial aid reinstated for one (1) semester. Additional semesters of eligibility will be based on the student satisfactorily completing the probationary period. If the appeal committee denies the appeal, the student may appeal again after following the requirement outlined under Academic Probation. It is the responsibility of the student to submit his or her appeal letter to the office. All appeal decisions by the Appeal Committee are final.

Deadlines for Appeals

Fall Semester - October 1
Spring Semester - February 1
Summer Session I - May 31
Summer Session II - July 31

These policies supercede those published previously and are subject to change at any time.