REVIEW PROCESS

At the end of each academic term (Fall, Spring and Summer semesters), the Financial Aid Office staff will determine whether students are meeting the minimum standards for each of the components (qualitative, quantitative and time frame). Students not meeting the Time Frame standard will immediately, without a Warning Semester, become ineligible for all federal and state aid programs. The Financial Aid Office has the authority to cancel aid and request immediate repayment of federal and state aid programs at any time that a student is deemed ineligible. This may occur when access to the student’s academic history is not fully available due to the short amount of time between semesters as well as receipt of final transcripts from transfer institutions.

Warning Semester

Students that are not meeting the Qualitative and/or Quantitative standards at the end of a term are automatically given one (1) Warning semester. During this Warning semester, students are allowed to receive federal and state aid. Students must be fully in compliance with all components by the end of the Warning semester to regain eligibility and receive funds for future semesters. Only one (1) Warning semester is allowed for a student’s entire degree program at Georgia College. Further, the Warning semester allowance is not applicable to the Time Frame standard.

Denial/Loss of Eligibility

Students that are not meeting the minimum Qualitative and/or Quantitative standards at the end of a term review and have received aid during a Warning semester will lose their eligibility for the upcoming and future terms. Students that are not meeting the maximum Time Frame standard at the end of a term review will immediately, without a Warning semester, become ineligible for aid.

Students will have a letter mailed to their current address on file with the Registrar’s Office. Students may receive consideration for aid reinstatement at the time they have satisfied all deficiencies with the Qualitative and/or Quantitative standards.

Appeal (Probation Period)

Students that experienced extenuating circumstances that attributed to their inability to meet the minimum standards have the option to submit a letter of appeal. An extenuating circumstance must be due to situations beyond their control such as serious injury, illness or mental health condition involving the student or their immediate family, or death of an immediate family member. The letter should be submitted to the Director of Financial Aid and must include a description of the situation with accompanying documentation as well as a summary of what has changed that will allow them to meet the minimum standards at the next evaluation.

Appeals approved will require that the student be in compliance with all standards by the next evaluation (term). In some instances, an academic plan designed to ensure compliance with the standards at a specific point in time may be utilized in needed situations. An approved appeal will allow students to receive aid for a Probationary period (usually one term).

Students that have an appeal denied by the Director of Financial Aid may appeal the Financial Aid Internal Review (FAIR) Committee. The same type appeal documentation must be submitted c/o FAIR to the GC Financial Aid Office. The FAIR Committee’s decision should be considered final.

In instances where the student has additional information or documentation related to a denied appeal, they may appeal the decision to the Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management who has the final authority.