Academic Scholarships
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Scholarship Cumulative GPA Requirements
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Academic Scholarships
Alfred University scholarships are awarded by the admissions committee prior to enrollment at Alfred. Awards are contingent upon full-time (12 credit hours per semester) attendance.

In addition to Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards, University academic scholarships require students to maintain a certain minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) for renewal. The GPA measurement is performed annually after Spring semester final grades are posted. The GPA requirements for the various scholarship programs are outlined below.

When a student loses a scholarship due to the GPA requirements, need-based funding may be awarded for a portion of the scholarship if the student demonstrates financial need sufficient to support such an award. Otherwise, the University will not replace lost scholarships with other funding. Academic scholarships may be reinstated in midyear for the Spring semester if the student can satisfy the GPA requirement prior to the beginning of the semester.

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Alfred University Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress Standards Policy for Baccalaureate Degree Programs

In compliance with federal and New York State regulations and University policies, Alfred University has established satisfactory progress standards for financial aid. Students must meet these standards to be eligible to receive federal, State, or University financial aid payments.

I. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Requirements for Federal and University Financial Aid Programs

To be eligible to receive financial assistance under any federal or University scholarship, grant, loan, or work program, students must demonstrate minimum qualitative and quantitative academic measurement standards. The qualitative and quantitative standards used to measure satisfactory academic progress are cumulative and encompass all enrollment periods, including periods of enrollment during which the student did not receive federal or University aid.

A. Qualitative Measurement

The qualitative measurement standard is expressed as a minimum cumulative grade point average (CUM/GPA), which must be demonstrated prior to each semester of enrollment. The following chart illustrates the minimum CUM/GPA requirement:

B. Quantitative Measurement

The quantitative measurement standard has two concepts: a maximum time frame in which the student is expected to finish a degree program; and a comparison of the number of credit hours the student attempted with the number of credit hours the student successfully completed to determine whether the student is progressing at a rate which will allow the student to finish the program within the maximum time frame. This is referred to as the minimum completion ratio.

Maximum Time Frame

The maximum time frame in which the student is expected to finish a baccalaureate degree program is defined as 150% of the published length of the program, according to the Alfred University catalog, measured in attempted credit hours. For example, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences requires 124 credit hours to complete a degree. Therefore, the maximum time frame for which a liberal arts student may be eligible for aid is the period during which the student attempts 186 credit hours (124 X 1.5 = 186).

Minimum Completion Ratio

The percentage of attempted credit hours a student must successfully complete to demonstrate SAP is the minimum completion ratio. For all undergraduate degree programs at Alfred University, this percentage is 67%. The minimum completion ratio is determined by dividing the program credit hours required for graduation by the maximum time frame credit hours.

The application of the completion ratio is cumulative. Therefore, a student must successfully complete 67% of all credit hours attempted to demonstrate SAP for federal and University aid. For example, if a student attempted 60 credit hours during the first four semesters of enrollment, this student would need to demonstrate at least 40 successfully completed credit hours to satisfy the SAP minimum completion ratio requirement (60 X .67 = 40.2).

C. Evaluation Periods and Frequency of Measurement

The review of a student's SAP is done annually at the end of each academic year, after final Spring semester grades are posted by the Registrar. All students are reviewed regardless of the student's enrollment status or number of semesters attended during the academic year.

D. Cumulative Grade Point Average (CUM/GPA)

The CUM/GPA is the CUM/GPA as determined and recorded by the University Registrar on the student's official Alfred University academic record. Grades earned at other institutions for transfer credits are not considered to determine the student's Alfred University CUM/GPA or for SAP CUM/GPA requirements.

E. Attempted Credit Hours

For purposes of SAP, a credit hour is considered attempted unless if the student's academic record demonstrates one of the following grade designations for the course credits: CH, AU, or EX. Classes/courses which carry a designation of 0 credit hours are not considered attempted credits. Transfer credits are also considered attempted credits. See I(G), "Transfer Credit Hours."

F. Earned Credit Hours

A credit is considered successfully completed and earned if the student's academic record demonstrates a P, or A through D grade for that credit hour. Classes/courses which carry a designation of 0 credit hours are not considered earned credits. Transfer credits are also considered earned credits. See I(G), "Transfer Credit Hours."

G. Transfer Credit Hours

Credits transferred into Alfred University are considered as both attempted credit hours and earned credit hours for the SAP quantitative measurement standards, maximum time frame, and minimum completion ratio.

H. Student's Failure to Demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress

Financial Aid Probation

When a student fails to meet one or more of the SAP criteria, the student will be placed on financial aid probation for one academic year. Financial aid probation does not adjust or excuse any of the SAP requirements. It simply provides an opportunity for students to correct their deficiencies and reestablish compliance with the SAP standards. Students on probation are eligible for federal and University aid. If the student does not satisfy the SAP requirements after the probationary year, the student will be ineligible for aid. Students are only eligible for the automatic probation provision once.

When students are placed on financial aid probation, they will be advised of the right to appeal. If the student chooses not to exercise the right to appeal and takes the automatic probation provision, the student may not submit an appeal at a later date based on extenuating circumstances which occurred prior to the probation year.

Appeal Based on Extenuating Circumstances

Students with extenuating circumstances which prevented them from satisfying SAP requirements may appeal for a waiver or adjustment to the SAP policy based on these circumstances. Extenuating circumstances are generally defined as an extreme, unanticipated event which prohibited the student from attending classes for a significant time period, or prevented the student from doing academic work. A serious illness or a serious injury on behalf of the student, or the death of an immediate family member may be considered an extenuating circumstance. Medical appeals must be supported by documentation from a professional health care worker and specify the dates the student was unable to perform academic work.

Appeals must be: made in writing; presented to the Director of Student Financial Aid within 30 days from the date a student is notified about the lack of progress; and supported by appropriate documentation. Appeal decisions will be made by the Director of Student Financial Aid. In approving an appeal, the Director may waive a semester under the SAP policy, adjust one or more of the SAP requirements, or place the student on financial aid probation.

I. REINSTATEMENT OF AID ELIGIBILITY

Students who do not satisfy the SAP requirements may reinstate their aid eligibility through one of the following methods:

1. Satisfy the SAP requirements after one academic year of financial aid probation.
2. Submit a successful appeal.
3. Make up the SAP deficiencies without the benefit of aid.

II. NEW YORK STATE PROGRESS STANDARDS

New York State has established progress standards for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and other State aid programs. For New York State, the student is subject to three progress standards: program pursuit, satisfactory academic progress, and a C average requirement.

A. PROGRAM PURSUIT

Program pursuit is defined as receiving a passing or failing grade, in a certain percentage of a full-time course load, in each semester for which a State aid award is received to be eligible for the next semester's payment. The percentage increases from 50% of the minimum full-time course load (12 credit hours) in each semester of study in the first year for which an award is received, to 75% of the minimum full-time course load in each semester of study in the second year for which an award is received, to 100% of the minimum full-time course load in each semester thereafter.

The following chart illustrates the program pursuit requirements for New York State aid. The chart defines the number of credit hours a student must complete during the semester for which a State aid payment was received according to the student's cumulative number of State aid payments received.

For program pursuit, a credit hour is considered completed if the student received an A through F, Z, or P grade.

B. SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP)

The New York State satisfactory academic progress measurement defines the minimum number of earned credits and the minimum CUM/GPA which must be met for each term of study in which a State award is received. The following chart illustrates these standards. A credit is considered successfully completed and earned if the student's academic record demonstrates a P or A through D grade for that credit hour.

*Only students enrolled in a five-year baccalaureate program or an approved Education Opportunity Program may receive a fifth academic year of payment.

C. C AVERAGE REQUIREMENT

Students who have received the equivalent of two or more full years of New York State-funded student financial aid payments must have a minimum CUM/GPA of 2.0 to be eligible for subsequent State aid payments.

D. Evaluation Periods and Frequency of Measurement

New York State SAP and program pursuit standards are measured at the end of each semester for which the student received State aid. The C average requirement must be met for all semesters after receiving two years or more of State aid payments.

E. Reinstatement of New York State Aid

Students who have lost good academic standing and payment eligibility under the New York State SAP, program pursuit, or C average requirements may regain eligibility in one of the following ways:

1. Make up the academic deficiencies without the benefit of New York State aid.
2. Be readmitted to the University after an absence of at least one calendar year. This provision of the State aid regulations does not apply to the C average requirement.
3. Transfer to another institution where the student must meet that institution's admission requirements.
4. Appeal for a waiver of the SAP, program pursuit, or C average requirement based on extenuating circumstances. The appeal procedures are the same as outlined in Section I(H) of this policy statement.

New York State aid regulations state that a student may receive an extenuating circumstance waiver only once for the SAP and program pursuit requirements. An extenuating circumstance waiver of the C average requirement may be granted more than once. Financial aid probation is not permitted for New York State aid programs.

III. Alfred University Academics Scholarship Cumulative Grade Point Average Requirements

In addition to meeting the satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirements outlined in Section I of this policy statement, students holding University academic scholarships must meet certain GPA requirements to maintain the award. The following list identifies the minimum CUM/GPA required for each University scholarship program:

The review of a student's CUM/GPA for scholarships is done annually at the end of each academic year after final Spring semester grades are posted by the Registrar. Scholarships lost due to the CUM/GPA requirement may be reinstated for any semester in which the student meets the CUM/GPA requirement prior to the beginning of that semester.

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