My HawkeyeStudent EmailPrograms Offered
Financial Aid Home | How to Apply | Types of Aid | Work-study program | Eligibility | Forms | Satisfactory Progress | Handbook | Veterans and Military | Hope/Life Tax Credit | Question and Answer | Helpful Internet Sites

Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress Policy

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires students to maintain satisfactory progress toward their degree in order to receive financial aid. Hawkeye Community College's Satisfactory Progress Standards for financial aid apply to all students who want to establish or maintain financial aid eligibility for federal, state and institutional programs. These include but are not limited to: Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal / State Work Study, Iowa Grant, Vocational-Technology Grant, Stafford Loan (subsidized and unsubsidized), and Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students. These standards apply to a student's entire academic transcript, including semesters for which financial aid was not applied or disbursed.

The academic progress of students is monitored a minimum of twice each academic year. Students should contact the Financial Aid Office with questions regarding the intent and/or interpretation of these standards.

Students should not confuse these Financial Aid Standards with the “Academic Standards for Satisfactory Progress.” They are two different policies so students follow a different procedure when suspended academically and contact Academic Affairs with questions.

Three-Part Federal Regulation

Satisfactory Academic Progress is a Three-Part Federal Regulation to ensure students:

  1. Successfully complete a minimum number of enrolled credit/hours each semester.
    • Students are required to earn (with passing grades) at least 2/3 (67%) of the credit/hours of which they have cumulatively attempted.
  2. Maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) consistent with graduation.
    • Students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average based on the number of credit hours completed as follows:
      Credit Hours Minimum Cumulative GPA
      1-29 1.8
      30 or more 2.0
  3. Complete a degree within a specific time period.
    • Students’ program time frame cannot exceed 150% of the published length of the program measured in credit hours attempted.
    • Courses taken for, but not limited to audit, credits earned via Institutional Proficiency Exams, Correspondence, Independent Study, and College Level Examination Programs will be included in the measurement of time period allowed for the pursuit of a degree. (These courses are not eligible for financial aid, and do not count toward reinstatement of aid after suspension.)

Specific aid programs or department standards may require more than these minimum standards.

Other Guidelines

Grades

Only grades of A, B, C, and D are counted as meeting the required credit/hours. Failed classes, audited classes, withdrawn classes, incomplete grades, no credit/no pass, and grade requital do not count as completed credit/hours and may affect Satisfactory Academic Progress. If your incomplete grade is what made you be on probation or suspension, you must submit the final grade to the financial aid office for review.

Repeated Courses

Students are allowed to repeat courses and Hawkeye Community College will count all credits but only accept the highest grade obtained.

Transfer Students

Hawkeye assumes transfer students enrolled at the institution are making satisfactory academic progress. Students will be held responsible only for academic progress made at Hawkeye. Hawkeye will start monitoring students according to the Hawkeye Financial Aid Standards for Satisfactory Progress guidelines.

Probation Status

After one semester of not complying with the Financial Aid Standards for Satisfactory Progress, the student will be placed on "probation" status and be notified via their Hawkeye e-mail. However, the student will still be eligible to receive financial aid during their probation period (unless other financial aid withdrawal guidelines apply-see Financial Aid Handbook).

Once a student is placed on "probation" status, the "probation" status cannot be removed unless the grade that caused the probation was in error or submitted late. If so, please contact the financial aid office. Students on probation status will receive an e-mail reminding them of their probation status at the end of each subsequent Fall and Spring semesters.

Suspension Status

After the second semester of not complying with the Financial Aid Standards for Satisfactory Progress, or upon reaching 150% of their degree program length, the student is placed on "suspension" status and is no longer eligible to receive financial aid.

Students are notified via their Hawkeye e-mail if they have been placed on "suspension" status and of the appeal process they may complete in order to be reinstated for financial aid eligibility.

Hawkeye reserves the right to place a student on Financial Aid probation or suspension who exhibits abuse of receipt of financial aid at any time or who receives 0.00 GPA in any term at Hawkeye Community College.

Appeal Process

If a student is not able to comply with these academic progress standards due to a crisis situation, the following steps may be completed to receive consideration for reinstatement of financial aid eligibility. If no documentation is submitted with the appeal, it may be denied.

  1. The student must attend a mandatory Yes-You-Can Seminar (LIVE or video) before their appeal paperwork is accepted.
  2. The student must complete an SAP Appeal Packet . The SAP Appeal Packet requires students to provide a written explanation of their situation and provide supporting documents to verify their situation.
  3. The student must meet with an academic advisor from their degree program and develop a written Educational Plan to assist them toward graduation. The Educational Plan must be submitted with the SAP Appeal Packet. If suspended due to the 150% criteria, it is very important that this plan is outlined through graduation so the reviewing committee can evaluate courses/terms needed until then.
  4. The student must submit all of the above either at the Yes-You-Can Seminar or at the Financial Aid Office by no later than the Friday (by noon) before the first day of classes of the next semester the student enrolls in. After this date, the appeal results may reach the student after the full tuition and fees refund deadline and the student may be responsible for the full tuition payment.
  5. A committee will review the appeal paperwork submitted to determine if the student's financial aid should be reinstated. Once a decision is made the student will be contacted. If reinstated, the student will be put back on probation status and receive a Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress Agreement Form to be signed and returned to the Hawkeye Financial Aid Office.

Reinstatement

Students may be reinstated if they appeal their suspension status (explained above) and the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee approves it.

It is the responsibility of each student to monitor and keep track of his or her academic progress and to notify the Financial Aid Office of any grade changes (i.e. an incomplete grade changes to a passing grade). Students approved to receive aid again will remain in probation status and be expected to adhere to the Financial Aid Standards for Satisfactory Progress Policy outlined above and any other conditions listed on the Financial Aid Academic Progress Agreement Form.

Financial Aid Adjustment

If financial aid has already been awarded and an appeal is not completed or approved, the financial aid funds will be canceled 30 days after the start of the suspended semester. Reinstatement of the financial aid is contingent upon the availability of the funds at the time the appeal is approved.

Important Reminders

  • Please understand that your probation/suspension status was determined with information available to us at the end of the term and may not be completely accurate

    • if your grades were submitted late or changed, please let us know and we will gladly reevaluate your status.
  • If you need assistance figuring out your academic history or need help filling out your academic plan, please contact your academic advisor (technical programs) or the Student Services Office (transfer programs).
  • Do not confuse financial aid suspension with academic suspension from the college. You may or may not be academically suspended from the college during your period of financial aid suspension. To check your academic status, contact your academic advisor or the enrollment office.
  • Please be aware that even though you may still be on suspension, if you file next school year’s FAFSA, you may actually receive an award letter. However, any disbursement of aid will not occur unless your suspension is lifted.
  • If you attend Hawkeye during your period of suspension, you must pay your own college costs. Remember that you may only receive a full refund if you withdraw from classes during the 100% tuition refund period established by the Business Office.
  • If you will not return to Hawkeye, please complete the "Exit Loan Counseling".

    • Financial Aid Office
    Hawkeye Center - Main Campus
    319-296-4020 or 1-800-670-4769 ext.4020
    finaid@hawkeyecollege.edu

 More Than You Can Imagine
More Than You Can ImagineMore Than You Can ImagineMore Than You Can ImagineMore Than You Can ImagineMore Than You Can Imagine