Below is information for current students with regard to maintaining financial aid eligibility:
Appeals Process
In order to remain eligible for federal and state financial assistance, a student must maintain satisfactory academic progress. If the student does not maintain satisfactory academic progress, the following is the appeal process:
The College does not allow for mitigating circumstances; however, a student may appeal his or her loss of eligibility to the Director of Financial Aid. All appeals must be done in writing, include a supporting letter from a disinterested third party, and must provide appropriate documentation of the circumstances of the appeal. A student may not appeal a loss of financial aid eligibility more than twice.
New York State TAP Grant One-Time Waiver: The New York State Commissioner of Education Regulations permit a student to receive a one-time waiver of the good academic standing requirement as an undergraduate student. A student is only allowed one waiver in his/her lifetime for undergraduate study.
If a student has previously received a one-time waiver, the student is not eligible for another. To receive the one-time waiver, the student must clearly demonstrate that the academic deficiencies are the result of a documented medical condition, a documented family emergency or some other extraordinary documented condition. Requests for one-time waivers must be done in writing and must provide appropriate documentation of the circumstances for the appeal.
Regaining Eligibility: After all appeals have been exhausted, a student may be considered for additional financial aid eligibility after an absence of one calendar year if the student has been readmitted to the College, or if the student has attended for at least one increment without the benefit of financial aid and the academic deficiencies are remedied.
Transfer Students: Students who have been awarded transfer credit will be evaluated using the increment that is nearest, but does not exceed, the number of transfer credits accepted by the College. For example, a student who transfers in 18 credits will be placed at the second interval and be expected to achieve the qualitative and quantitative standards of the third interval. For New York State TAP grant eligibility, placement may be either in accord with the number of payments received or the number of credits earned, whichever is more beneficial to the student.
Incomplete and “W” Grades: For purposes of evaluating a student’s eligibility for financial aid, incomplete and withdrawn grades are considered the same as failing grades. These grades will be evaluated quantitatively as credits attempted but not earned, and qualitatively as 0. A student’s eligibility for financial aid will be reevaluated upon successful completion of an incomplete grade.
Noncredit Remedial Grades: For the purposes of evaluating a student’s eligibility for financial aid, satisfactory, noncredit remedial grades will be evaluated quantitatively for the equivalent credit hours, and qualitatively as a minimum passing grade. Unsatisfactory noncredit remedial grades will be evaluated quantitatively as the equivalent credits attempted but not earned, and qualitatively as 0.
Additional Degree: If a student completes one degree at Maria College and is seeking an additional degree and has been accepted into the new degree program, his or her satisfactory academic progress will be evaluated using the methodology for transfer students and based on the number of credits accepted from the previous degree and applied towards the new degree.
Resumption of Study: A student who resumes his or her educational objective after an absence of at least one increment will be evaluated using either the next increment based on his or her previous attendance, or will be evaluated using the methodology for transfer students based on the number of credits previously earned, whichever is more beneficial for the student. In addition, the student must meet one of the following criteria for resumption of study:
Reactivate: Any student wishing to resume studies at Maria College can be reactivated in the previously admitted program of study if he or she was in good academic standing (a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better) when leaving the College. For some programs of study, the permission of the department chairperson will also be required.
Reapply: Students who were not in good academic standing when they left the College (a cumulative grade point average of less than 2.0) and who wish to resume studies at Maria must reapply for admission and again meet the criteria for acceptance.
A student is responsible for completing and submitting a resumption of study form to the Registrar’s Office.
Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4)
Federal regulations require Maria College to prorate financial aid eligibility for recipients of Title IV Federal Educational Assistance who withdraw from the College or fail every course during a semester. A R2T4 calculation is completed and if more than the student’s eligibility has already been advanced, Maria College must repay the programs affected and recoup the money from you, the student.
The R2T4 proration formula is based on the number of days in the enrollment period from the beginning of the semester until the day of withdrawal or last date of academically related activity. The effective date is the date on which the student notifies the College of withdrawal from all classes. Maria College is required to refund a portion of the financial aid received until 60% of the enrollment period has elapsed. If a student withdraws without notifying the College, the student is considered to have earned 50% of the financial aid received