All students receiving financial aid from federal and state sources must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to be eligible for aid at ECC.

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) as described in the table below.

Academic Status Table
Credits Attempted	Minimum Credits Earned	Cumulative GPA
1-13	00%	0.00
14-30	50%	2.00
31-46	60%	2.00
47-62	65%	2.00
63 or more	75%	2.00

 

Academic progress will be evaluated once per year at the end of each Spring Semester or the Summer Term, if student attends. All courses in your academic history, including Transfer Credits from other institutions, will be counted in the attempted and earned credits, even if, you paid for classes with your own resources. If you fail to meet the minimum policy standards you are not eligible for financial aid. You will have the right to appeal one time at ECC.

Maximum Time Frame for Completion
You cannot receive financial aid for credits in excess of 150% of the credits required for graduation in your educational program. For example: if your major requires 66 credits to graduate, you may not receive financial aid for more than 99 attempted credit hours (66 x 150%). This policy is true even if you change your major. Developmental credits (remedial and English as Second Language (ESL) credits) will be excluded from this attempted credit count. Once you reach this maximum time frame limit, your eligibility for financial aid ends.

Appealing a Maximum Time Frame
If you exceed the 150% Maximum Time Frame for your educational program, based on extenuating circumstances or due to a change of major you may appeal only, if you are meeting the minimum academic standards and must be within 24 credits of completing graduation requirements. Credits needed beyond this limit, must be paid for from your own resources. You will be limited to one Maximum Time Frame Appeal.

Financial Aid Probation
If you fail to earn the minimum number of credits and/or the required GPA, you must file an appeal to be placed on Financial Aid Probation to have your eligibility for aid reinstated. Financial Aid Probation will occur for your next attendance, if approved. You may continue to receive aid while on Financial Aid Probation.

An appeal for Financial Aid Probation may be approved only: If it is determined that you will be able to meet SAP standards at the end of the next evaluation period or if you are approved for an Academic Plan with an Academic Counselor. The Academic Plan, if followed, will ensure that you are able to meet SAP standards by a specific point in time. You are considered eligible for aid as long as you continue to meet the terms of the academic plan.

Financial Aid Probation Appeal
You may appeal to be placed on Financial Aid Probation by submitting a completed appeal form to an Academic Counselor within 21 calendar daysfrom the date of your notification. You can obtain an appeal form at www.essex.edu/finaid. If your failure to achieve SAP is because of mitigating circumstances, you must submit a statement to an Academic Counselor explaining why you did not meet SAP and what has changed in your situation that would allow you to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress. Mitigating circumstances would include extreme illness or injury, family crisis, death of an immediate relative, or other special circumstances. The circumstances must be documented with your appeal. Note: During the probation period, you must complete all course work with a 2.0 GPA and you will not be allowed to earn a “W” Withdrawal or “I” Incomplete grades. If you fail to meet the minimum standards of the table or the Plan, you lose aid eligibility at ECC. You will be limited to one Financial Aid Probation Appeal.

The Financial Aid Office will notify you of the decision within 21 business days from the receipt of your appeal via your ECC Email Address. The decision is final and there is no additional appeal process.

Grade and Credits Evaluation
Passing grades are A, B, C, D and P (Passing). These grades and credits by examination will count as credits attempted and completed satisfactorily. Non-passing, unsatisfactory grades are W, I, F, AU. Repeated courses will be counted as credits attempted. You may repeat a failed course until you pass it. However, you may repeat a previously passed course only once.

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. (See details on our website at http://www.essex.edu/finaid/finaid_refund.html).

Part-time Students
Students enrolled less than full-time will be required to meet the same minimum standards in the Academic Status Table.

Maximum Number of Remedial Credits
Federal Aid will pay for a maximum of 30 remedial credits. English as a Second Language (ESL) courses do not count against this limit. Once you attempt 30 remedial credits, aid will only be paid for college level credits.

Student’s Responsibility for the Appeal
You are responsible for filing an appeal and maintaining the terms of the appeal.