Financial Aid Programs

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS STANDARDS

The federal government requires that students who receive financial aid maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average, maintain a minimum cumulative completion rate of credits attempted, and complete their degree or certificate program within a maximum time frame of 150% of the program length as measured in credits.

In accordance with these federal regulations, this policy outlines the requirements for Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Howard Community College students who receive financial aid must be in good academic standing and meet the minimum standards for progress toward their degree/certificate each semester in which they are enrolled.

SAP is evaluated at the end of every semester: Fall, Winter/Spring, and Summer. Failure to maintain the minimum SAP standards may result in the cancellation of a student’s financial aid awards. This policy applies to students applying for financial aid for AY2025-2026.

Satisfactory Academic Progress is evaluated based on the student’s cumulative academic record, from the date of entry to the college. All financial aid recipients will be evaluated for satisfactory academic progress each semester, including prior semesters during which the student did not receive financial aid. Per federal regulations, the minimum Financial Aid SAP requirements do not allow academic amnesty. Therefore, a student’s HCC cumulative GPA may be different than the student’s “financial aid cumulative GPA.”

WHAT IS OUR FINANCIAL AID SAP POLICY?

To be able to receive financial aid at Howard Community College, students must demonstrate satisfactory progress towards the successful completion of their degree, as measured by:

Pace/Cumulative Completion Rate

For example, a student who has attempted 24 credits must have a Pace of at least 50% (credits completed divided by credits attempted). For students enrolled in certificate programs less than two years in length, quantitative progress is always defined as a 67% completion rate.

Cumulative GPA

For example, a student who has attempted 24 credits must have a cumulative GPA of 1.50.

*Please note that students in the Associate of Arts in Teaching degree program are required to earn a minimum cumulative G.P.A of 2.75 for graduation. Those students, even if dually enrolled in another program, are required to have earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 after attempting 51 credits.

MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME

Students must complete an educational program within a timeframe no longer than 150% of the published length of the educational program. For example, students must complete a program after attempting a maximum of 90 credits for a 60-credit program.

Treatment of Grades, Prior Learning Credits, and Repeated Course Work:

1. Course withdrawals (W) after the drop/add period are not included in the GPA calculation but are considered attempted course work that is not completed and is included in the calculation of Pace.
2. Incomplete courses assigned an “I” grade are not included in the GPA calculation, but are considered attempted coursework that is not complete, until the incomplete grade is replaced with a permanent grade and academic progress can be re-evaluated. Any student who completes an “I” grade with a passing grade should contact Financial Aid Services to have their Satisfactory Academic Progress status recalculated.
3. F and L grades are treated as attempted credits not earned and included in the calculation of GPA and the minimum completion rate.
4. FW grades are treated as attempted credits not earned and included in the calculation of GPA and the minimum completion rate.
5. Audited courses (N-grades) are not eligible for financial aid. These courses will not be considered when determining a student’s completion rate or GPA.
6. NA grades are assigned when a student registers for a course but does not report or participate within the first 20% of the scheduled class sessions. NA grades are not considered attempted coursework nor included within the GPA calculations. Courses assigned an NA grade will not be eligible for financial aid. Therefore, a student’s financial aid may be reduced or canceled based on the number of NA grades that have been reported for the semester
7. If no grade is reported, HCC will not evaluate a student’s academic progress for a given semester until all grades have been officially submitted by their professor.
8. Prior Learning Credits include but are not limited: to transfer credits, Advanced Placement (AP) Courses, College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), and credits from Joint Service Transcript (JST)are considered as attempted credits when calculating completion rate but are not included in calculating a student’s GP. These credits are part of the calculation when determining maximum timeframe.
9.  All repeated courses are considered attempted credits when determining a student’s completion rate. The highest grade earned in a repeated course will count when determining the GPA. Only the first successful attempt will be counted as completed credits in the completion rate calculation.

How Do Required Developmental Courses and ESL coursework Impact FA SAP Status?

Required developmental and support coursework including credit-based ESL courses are calculated into the GPA. This coursework is included in determining the student’s Pace/completion rate and maximum timeframe. Students are eligible for financial aid up to 30 credits in attempted developmental and support coursework, and the maximum timeframe calculation will be increased by the number of credits of developmental and support coursework attempted.

How Do Classes Taken at Another Institution and Transferred to HCC Affect SAP?

Transfer students will be treated as first time students for their first semester. Accepted credits from another institution will be considered as both attempted and completed credits in the evaluation of the cumulative completion rate and maximum timeframe. Grades earned at other institutions are not included in the student’s GPA and therefore do not impact the qualitative measure for SAP.

How Does a Change in Degree Program (Area of Study) Impact FA SAP Standing?

All coursework is included in the calculation of the GPA, cumulative completion rate (Pace), and maximum time frame. Maximum timeframe is applied using the most current program. Current programs offered by HCC include an Associate of Arts (A.A.), an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.), an Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.), and an Associate of Science in Engineering (A.S.E.), and several certificate programs. Change in “Area of Study” within a degree program is not a change in program and all credits attempted towards the degree program (even from multiple Areas of Study) count as attempted credits towards the degree program in the FA SAP evaluation.

How Often Is SAP Status Reviewed and How Are Students Notified?

Financial Aid recipients are reviewed for SAP at the end of the Fall, Winter/ Spring, and Summer semesters, and prior to awarding with new financial aid recipients, including students applying for financial aid who did not receive aid in the most recent term of enrollment. Students who do not meet the minimum SAP standards will be notified by email at the end of each enrolled semester.

The Financial Aid Services Office only notifies those students with a restriction or warning status.

Evaluation of Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP)

Financial Aid Warning Status: Students who fail to meet the minimum SAP standards will be placed on Financial Aid Warning status for the subsequent semester of enrollment. Students are eligible for financial aid during the “Warning” semester.

Students receiving financial aid for the first time may be placed on Financial Aid Warning as applicable if they did not meet the SAP standards noted in this policy based on the previous period of enrollment.

Students who are exceeding their maximum timeframe are placed on Financial Aid Restriction. There is no “warning” semester with maximum timeframe issues.

Financial Aid SAP Restriction Status: Students who, while on Financial Aid Warning status, fail to meet the minimum SAP standards, will be placed on Financial Aid Restriction status for subsequent semesters. Students on Financial Aid Restriction status are not eligible to receive financial aid. All future awards will be cancelled. Students may appeal against the restriction status based on mitigating circumstances.

A student receiving financial aid for the first time will be placed on Financial Aid Restriction status if the student did not meet the SAP standards as noted in this policy during the two previous periods of enrollment. A student who is exceeding maximum timeframe will be placed in Financial Aid Restriction status.

Financial Aid Probation/Academic Plan Status: A student who appeals the status of Financial Aid Restriction and whose appeal is approved may be placed on an Academic Plan. This is a probationary semester, and the student is eligible for aid during this semester. Students in this SAP status are required to have an Academic Plan in place.

Students with this status will be reviewed at the end of the semester and will be placed on Financial Aid Restriction if the student has not met the minimum SAP requirements or did not meet the minimum goals of their Academic Plan, or it is determined that the student will not be able to complete their program of study within the maximum timeframe limits.

Students who are not meeting the minimum SAP requirements at the end of the Academic Plan semester but are meeting the minimum requirements of their Academic Plan, will automatically be continued on Academic Plan status for the subsequent term of enrollment and will be eligible for financial aid for that term. Students on this status will be reviewed at the end of each semester and must continue to meet the terms and conditions of the Financial Aid Academic Plan to continue to be eligible for financial aid for the subsequent term(s).

If a student fails to meet the terms of the Financial Aid Academic Plan, the student loses financial aid eligibility and is returned to the status of Financial Aid SAP Restriction.

Students on an Academic Plan who meet the minimum SAP requirements described in this policy at the end of that term are returned to “good standing” and are eligible for aid for subsequent terms of enrollment.

What Is an Academic Plan?

Students on Restriction must develop an Academic Plan in partnership with an academic advisor before submitting a SAP Appeal. The Academic Plan is customized to help students return to compliance with SAP standards and successfully complete their program. Plans may include requirements such as a reduced course load, specific courses, tutoring, or other support services. 

Many services are available on campus that contribute to student success. For information regarding these services, please see Student Support Services or refer to the college’s website.

How To Submit an Appeal

To appeal a Financial Aid Restriction status, students must complete the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Process by the deadline outlined in the notification email or letter. Appeals must include the following: 

• A completed Academic Plan reviewed by an academic advisor 

• A detailed explanation of the circumstances that prevented the student from meeting SAP standards 

• Supporting documentation relevant to the student’s situation 

Acceptable reasons for appeal may include, but are not limited to, personal illness or injury, the illness or death of an immediate family member, military deployment, or other special circumstances. Incomplete or unsupported appeals may be denied. Late appeals will be reviewed for the next enrolled semester. 

The Financial Aid SAP Appeals Committee will review all submitted appeals and notify students of their decision via email within 14 business days. 

Appeal Requirements Must Include: 

• A clear explanation of why the student failed to meet SAP standards 

• A demonstration of understanding regarding the factors that impacted their academic performance 

• A description of the steps the student has taken to ensure future academic success 

• Supporting documentation (e.g., medical records, deployment paperwork, or repair receipts) 

If an appeal is denied, the student remains ineligible for federal and state financial aid and may be responsible for any charges on their account. To avoid being charged, students should drop classes during the 100% refund period. Students who choose to remain enrolled are encouraged to establish a payment plan through the Finance Office. 

If a student fails to meet the terms of their Academic Plan and returns to a Restriction status, they may submit a new appeal. However, this appeal must specifically address why they were unable to meet their previous Academic Plan and must include updated documentation and a revised plan. 

Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility After FA SAP Restriction Status

Reinstatement of financial aid after a student has been placed on Restriction can be achieved in the following ways:

1. The student attends HCC during the restriction period, pays for tuition and fees without financial aid, improves their academic performance and subsequently meets the required satisfactory academic progress standards.
2. The student submits an appeal using the Financial Aid SAP Restriction Appeal form, and the Financial Aid SAP Appeals Committee approves the appeal. The student is placed on a FA Academic Plan status and is eligible for financial aid during that semester.
3.  A student on an Academic Plan will continue to be eligible for aid if the student meets the minimum requirements of the Academic Plan. The student will continue in an FA Academic Plan status.
4.  A student on FA Academic Plan status who meets the minimum FA SAP standards after a term(s) on FA Academic Plan status is returned to “FA good standing.

Please note that when a student’s appeal is approved and the student is placed on Academic Plan status,  to continue to be eligible for aid, the student must either meet the minimum SAP requirements during that semester or meet the minimum requirements outlined in their academic plan. Students who do not meet the minimum standards of the Academic Plan will be placed back on FA SAP Restriction for the subsequent term of enrollment and will not be eligible for financial aid. Students in this situation may need to submit another FA SAP Appeal to be considered for regaining aid eligibility.

Is Financial Aid Probation/ Academic Plan Status the same as Academic Probation?

No. While the standards are similar, students interested in receiving financial aid are required to meet the FA Standards for Good Academic Standing as explained in the HCC Catalogue as well as the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress standards explained in this policy. The Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress standards apply only to students interested in receiving financial aid at Howard Community College.

Where Can Students Get More Information?

Contact the Financial Aid Services Office at 443-518-1260 or submit an inquiry at www.howardcc.edu/myfas.

Section 493.A of the Higher Education Act requires post-secondary educational institutions to disseminate relevant, candid information on student financial aid programs available at the college. These rights and responsibilities may be found in the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) publication entitled The Student Guide. This guide is available online at https://studentaid.gov/resources.

Any change in a student’s financial situation, address, or school enrollment must be reported to Financial Aid Services. Students have the right to request a review of their financial aid package when a change in family or personal circumstances occurs. Students also have a right to review their financial aid records and may do so during our walk-in counseling hours.

Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4)

Students receiving financial aid are responsible for following the college's withdrawal procedures as outlined in the Howard Community College catalog. In compliance with the Higher Education Act, HCC is required to calculate a Return of Title IV (R2T4) funds for any student who officially or unofficially withdraws from the college. 

Official withdrawal occurs when students follow the college's procedures and deadlines to withdraw from classes as outlined in the Schedule of Classes. The student must complete a withdrawal form and return it to Records and Registration or use Self Service  to officially withdraw. The date entered on the withdrawal form is the official withdrawal date unless the office receives information that notes otherwise. If Self-Service is used to withdraw, the date the student submits the withdrawal request is the official withdrawal date. 

Unofficial withdrawal occurs when the student initially attends a course and at some point stops attending. The instructor will report a last date of attendance, which will be used as the official last date of attendance, and the student will receive an “FW” grade for the course if they did not complete more than 60% of the scheduled days in the course.  An unofficial withdrawal impacts both your GPA and your Pace/Completion Rate. 

Calculating Earned & Unearned Aid
A standardized schedule is used to calculate the percentage of the semester the student attended based on the withdrawal date/last date of attendance. This percentage is calculated by dividing the number of days attended by the total number of days in the payment period.

The number of days counted includes all calendar days in the semester, including weekends and holidays, but excludes college breaks of five or more days. The percentage of the semester the student attended is used to calculate the amount of the student's earned versus unearned federal aid funds.

When students have not received all of their earned Title IV funds, they may still receive disbursements of this aid in a Post-Withdrawal Disbursement. Grants must be disbursed within 45 days of the date of withdrawal determination. Loans must be offered to the student within 30 days of the date of withdrawal determination, allowing the student at least 14 days to respond to, accept, or decline the funds. Upon completion of the R2T4 review, all post-withdrawal disbursements are applied to the student account first, and any resulting credit balance is handled as noted in HCC’s credit balance policy.

When students receive more Title IV funds than earned, the unearned portion must be returned to program accounts. The unearned portion of federal aid funds received must be returned to the appropriate aid program per the order of return as mandated by law. The order of return is Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Direct Subsidized Loan, Direct PLUS Loan, Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG Grant, other Title IV aid.

The college is responsible for returning the lesser of unearned Title IV aid or unearned institutional charges. Unearned institutional charges are based on the percentage of the semester the student did not attend. The college is responsible for its return of funds first, followed by the student's return of funds.
The amount the student is responsible for returning is determined by subtracting the amount of aid HCC returns from the amount of unearned Title IV Aid.

The college must return its portion of unearned Title IV aid (loan and grant) to the appropriate federal program within 45 days from the student's withdrawal determination date. If the amount the student returns includes a federal loan program, the student is responsible for repayment of the loan per the terms of the loan program. If the student's return amount includes grant aid, the student must repay 50% of the grant money received rather than 100%.

The student must return unearned grant aid to the college within 45 days from the date of notification. Failure by the student to return or make arrangements to return unearned grant aid to the college within 45 days will result in the student being reported to the U.S. Department of Education (ED). The student will be considered in an overpayment status and will not be eligible for additional aid at any post-secondary institution participating in Title IV Aid programs. Students reported to ED in an Overpayment Status should contact ED to make payment arrangements to repay the necessary grant funds.

Students who stop attending Howard Community College may not receive further financial aid disbursements, may lose some or all of the aid that has already been disbursed to their account, may be responsible for repayment of unpaid charges, and may be considered in overpayment status with ED. Students who stop attending all classes without officially withdrawing from the college may be subject to a Return of Title IV Funds calculation at the end of the semester, based on their last date of attendance as determined by the instructor.

• A student should apply by the March 1 priority filing date to be considered for state financial aid and for best consideration of HCC foundation scholarships.
• Students should check their HCC email and myHCC portal frequently for communications and updates regarding their application and financial aid eligibility.
• It takes up to four weeks to process an application for any type of financial aid. Plan!
• Students and contributors, if applicable, must provide consent to retrieve financial information from the IRS.  Contributors who do not provide consent will not be eligible for federal financial aid.  If the household income has changed significantly from the previous year, speak with a Financial Aid Services administrator to discuss your circumstances.
• All students should complete the online HCC Scholarship application and the Required Agreements to be considered for HCC Educational Foundation Scholarships.  The HCC Scholarship Application is located at https://howardcc.edu.scholarshipuniverse.com/public
• Students must reapply for each academic year beginning on October 1st
• For all the options to assist with paying for college, please go to howardcc.edu; click Admissions and select Pay for College.
• Financial Aid Services provides virtual, on-campus, and community FAFSA workshops throughout the year.  Students and families can also come into Financial Aid Services during the hours of operation to work on their FAFSA or MHEC One App, and the HCC Scholarship Application at one of the computers in our lobby.  Our staff will be happy to assist students, as needed.

HCC recognizes that information about paying for college is important and is committed to helping students prepare for their education.

The college offers many services to help students manage college expenses. Proper planning and timely payments help ensure that students can have the classes and schedule of their choice and reduce the concerns often associated with college costs. To find out more visit our Pay for College website at howardcc.edu/pay. A tuition calculator is also available online, to estimate the cost of attending HCC.

The Admissions and Advising staff welcome the opportunity to inform students about programs and services which will contribute to the fulfillment of their goals.