Federal regulations require students to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of their degree or certificate program in order to qualify for financial aid. Financial Aid applicants will be reviewed at the end of each payment period to determine if the standards are met. For most programs, a payment period is a semester. For the Nurse Education Evening, Nurse Education Advanced Placement LPN, and Nurse Education Advanced Placement Paramedic programs, the payment period may encompass more than one traditional semester. Students in these programs should contact Financial Aid for assistance in determining changes to their status while enrolled in these programs.

Important Definitions

Attempted Credits

  • All credits in which you were registered at the end of the add/drop period, including those with grades of F, W, X, I, IR, and WA, including all attempts at repeated courses
  • All earned credits (e.g. transfer credits and credits earned through prior learning)

Audited (AU) classes are not considered attempted or earned and are not eligible for financial aid.

Earned Credits

  • Courses that you have completed and have earned credit for
  • Repeated courses where credit has been earned may only be counted once
  • Transfer credits
  • Credits earned through prior learning (e.g. challenge exams, portfolio assessment, or CLEP/Advanced Placement)

Criteria

Student progress will be measured based on the total number of attempted credits on the transcript at each review. Student records will be reviewed against all three of the following criteria:

I. Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)

  • 1-15 total attempted credits: 1.50 cumulative GPA
  • 16 or more credits: 2.00 cumulative GPA

II. Minimum Earned Credits (Completion Rate)

Calculate by taking “Total Earned Credits” divided by “Total Attempted Credits”.

  • 1-15 total attempted credits: 50% completion rate
  • 16 or more total attempted credits: 66.67% (two-thirds) completion rate

The current SAP policy considers the completion rate of your entire academic transcript. However, if you had a SAP determination prior to the 15-16 Academic Year, your completion rate may have been reviewed under the former SAP policy, which considered completion rate from the most recent Academic Year on your transcript (Summer, Fall & Spring). Contact the Financial Aid Office for any questions regarding your completion rate calculation. 

III. Maximum Time Frame

You must complete your certificate or degree program by attempting no more than 150% of the total credits required for that program. If you are not enrolled in a program at the time the assessment is completed, your determination will be made using the General Studies program degree requirements. All attempted coursework that has been or could be applied to your current major according to the degree audit will be counted toward the maximum timeframe calculation. Up to 30 credits of developmental courses (courses numbered below 100) and all English as a Second Language (ESL) coursework will be excluded from this calculation. 

Example: You are in an associate degree program that requires a total of 62 credits. You have a total of 85 applicable credits attempted at the end of the academic year. You need 15 more credits to complete your program. You cannot complete your program within the maximum time frame (62 credits X 150% = 93 credits and you need 85 + 15 = 100 credits). You are no longer eligible for financial aid funding.

Good:You have met all three of the Satisfactory Academic Progress criteria.

Warning: If you do not meet the GPA or Completion Rate standards, you will be placed on Warning for one semester. You are still eligible for financial aid, but if you do not meet the standards during your Warning semester, you will be placed on Suspension. If you meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards during your Warning semester, you will return to Good standing.

Suspension: If you do not meet all of the Satisfactory Academic progress criteria following a Warning or Probation semester, you will be placed on Suspension. You will also be suspended if you do not meet the Maximum Time Frame Criteria. While on Suspension, you are not eligible for any form of financial aid, including student loans. If you are academically dismissed from the College, you will be placed on Suspension.

Probation: If you appeal a Suspension and it is approved, you will be placed on Probation for at least one semester during which time you will be considered for financial aid. Your progress will be reviewed at the end of each Probationary semester. If you meet the standards, you will return to Good standing. If you meet the terms of your academic plan but fail to meet the overall Satisfactory Academic Progress policy criteria, you may remain on Probation as stated in your academic plan. If the standards are not met, you will be placed on Suspension.

You may appeal your Suspension if you have an extenuating circumstance that prevented you from meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress criteria. 

How to Appeal:

  • Complete all applicable steps on the Suspension Appeal Form, which is located on The Q. You will need to log in to The Q to complete this form.  
    • If you are unable to access the form, please contact the QCC IT Service Desk at 508-854-4427 or help@qcc.mass.edu for assistance during regular business hours Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm. You may be asked information to confirm your identity before credentials are provided. 

  • Provide documentation, if required. Effective with appeals being reviewed for Summer 2025 and forward, students appealing for the first time will not require documentation unless the Financial Aid reviewer determines it is needed on a case-by-case basis.

    If you have had an appeal approved at QCC before, you will be required to provide supporting documentation. Documentation should support the circumstances described in your appeal and, where appropriate, how they have been resolved to allow you to attend school successfully going forward.  While not exhaustive, some examples of documentation include:

    • A doctor’s note confirming medical issues and that they have been resolved
    • A letter from your employer regarding required changes to your work schedule
    • Hospitalization or Court records
    • Car Accident Report
    • Death certificates, Obituaries, or Funeral Cards
    • Documentation of stable housing (lease, mortgage, etc.)
    • Child Care Arrangements
    • Other documentation appropriate for your circumstance(s)

    Submit all documentation via the Financial Aid Document Center. As long as no Social Security Numbers are on the documents, you may also email your documentation to us. If you need assistance or are not sure what to provide, please contact the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@qcc.mass.edu.  

Review Process:  Appeals are reviewed and a decision is made on a case-by-case basis.

  • Please submit a complete appeal. Incomplete appeals will significantly delay a decision.
  • Subsequent appeals submitted based on the same circumstances used in a previously approved appeal are unlikely to be approved.
  • Additional information may be requested after review.
  • Due to the volume of appeals we receive and the care with which they are reviewed, the appeal process can take from 4 to 12 weeks.
  • If you choose to enroll in courses while you await a decision, please note that you are responsible for ensuring you have what you need to attend classes and be academically successful.  You will also be responsible for your charges in the event you do not complete the appeal process or if your appeal is denied.  Please pay attention to Add/Drop deadlines if you decide not to attend any courses for which you are enrolled.

You may be reconsidered for funding after you have successfully completed at least one semester without the benefit of financial aid. To return to Good standing, you must again meet all of the criteria described above and notify the Financial Aid Office that you would like to have your eligibility for funds re-evaluated. If you successfully complete at least one semester without the benefit of financial aid but do not meet the criteria, you may submit a complete appeal for consideration.

You are responsible for notifying the Financial Aid Office if you receive a grade change that results in you meeting the standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress.