Maintaining Eligibility for Financial Aid

The following Standards of Academics Progress are adopted for the purpose of determining continuing student eligibility who are receiving or applying for financial aid. Progress will be reviewed at the end of each term to determine that the student is making satisfactory progress. This review will include all periods of the students enrollment, even those for which the student did not receive financial aid. Students are expected to be continually aware of their grades. A student who is placed on probation or suspension may be notified in writing by the financial aid office, however, failure to receive notification will not change the students financial aid status.

Standards of Academics Progress

A student must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA per term and must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA for all courses, including remediation studies. A transfer student will begin enrollment at TSTC in good standing and will be monitored from that point.

Based on the hours attempted each term, a student must successfully complete the number of credits outlined below

Successful completion means a student has received a minimum grade of D. Grades of F, IP (in progress), and W(withdraw) are not considered completed courses.

Students enrolled in required remediation (development studies) as indicated by testing or as recommended by counseling, may receive financial aid for no more than 27 semester hours of remedial courses. All remedial courses attempted, including failures, in completes, and withdrawals are counted toward the 27 semester hour maximum. Repeat courses will not be funded unless the course is needed to meet requirements . Audited courses, continuing education, and those courses for which a student enrolls the 11^th class day are not considered for funding.

Failure to Meet the Standards of Academic Progress

The first time that a student fails to maintain the minimum satisfactory progress requirements he or she will be placed on Financial aid probation for the next term of enrollment. When a student on probation subsequently has a cumulative GPA less than 2.0, but has a term GPA of 2.0 or above, the student will remain on probation. A student who fails to meet the standards of academic progress during the term of probation will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension, and will lose eligibility for all Financial Aid during the following term of enrollment. While on suspension, loan applications will not be certified, and loan checks will not be released to those students on suspension. Loan checks will automatically be cancelled for these students.

A student who enrolls during the term he/she is on suspension, is required to earn at least the number of credit hours the he/she is enrolled for by the official 11^th class day and earn at least 2.0 term GPA. These terms must be met even though the student did not receive assistance because of the suspension.

Reinstatement of Financial Aid

Appeal Process

Students who are placed on suspension, and who had extenuating circumstances for not making satisfactory progress, may appeal the financial aid suspension by following this procedure:

1. A Standards of Academic Progress Appeal form can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office.  
2. The student must complete the form and meet with a financial aid representative. The student needs to have the documentation regarding the extenuating circumstance available for review.
3. Once the financial aid representative reviews all documentation submitted by the student, he/she will approve or disapprove the petition.
4. Students who are not satisfied with the decision have the right to request another appeal with the  Financial Aid Director.

Maximum Time Frame for Receiving Financial Aid

A student may receive financial assistance for a certificate or degree program of maximum of 150% of the required semester hours, or a maximum of 150% of the semesters that is required for that program by the TSTC Harlingen catalog, which ever one of the two is complete first.

Change of Program

Students are allowed to change their program of study(major).   A Change of Program form must be completed and an appointment with a Financial Aid Office representative should be made.  The request will be reviewed and discussed with the applicant.

Satisfactory Progress for Loan Recipients

Additional satisfactory progress requirements apply to students receiving loans. Failure to complete a minimum of six credits hours per term will result in the cancellation of the remainder of a students loan.