Financial Aid Terms and Conditions
Return of Federal (or Title IV) Funds and Repayment
Financial aid recipients who officially withdraw from all classes before the end of term have not earned all their funds (those who fail all classes within a term are may also subject to this recalculation). Aid eligibility will be recalculated to determine if funds must be repaid as required by federal regulations. Repayment is based on the actual number of days completed for each session within the term. If a disbursement has already been made to the student, it is the student’s responsibility to repay any funds due. Federal regulations require a formula be used based on the number of calendar days in each session the student was scheduled to attend and the number of days the student actually attended by session prior to withdrawing to determine how much financial aid was earned by the student. The difference between aid disbursed and aid earned will be used to calculate how much the student must repay. Information on the Return of Title IV Funds Policy is available at Withdrawing from Classes - Seminole State College.
If the student unofficially withdraws, stops “attending,” or the student's academic transcript reflects unsuccessful completion of all courses, the student aid will be calculated on 50% of the session. Documentation of academic-related activity, including notification from the faculty, may be used to recalculate aid based on the last date of attendance.
Retaking Coursework
Students who pass a course and elect to retake the course can receive Title IV (aka "federal") assistance for retaking that course a maximum of one time. According to the federal rules, a grade of "D" is passing.
Note: Some courses have prerequisites of a minimum grade of "C" earned in the prerequisite course.
Educational Planning
Students should consult with an educational advisor to obtain an educational plan during their first semester. Only courses required or allowed in the declared program of study listed on a student's record can be used to determine the financial aid award. Taking courses that are not required or allowed for a degree increases out-of-pocket costs and can delay earning a degree or credential.
Academic Record Holds
Outstanding obligations to the College that are not satisfied will result in academic record holds being added to student accounts. Evidence of any outstanding requirements will result in a hold(s) being placed on student accounts. Academic record holds may restrict or limit course enrollment and/or the release of transcripts, diplomas, or related credentials. Students should monitor their student accounts for any academic record holds and resolve any hold(s) prior to the next semester.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for Financial Aid
Federal financial aid is intended to help students attend college with the goal of completing a degree or credential. Recipients are expected to attend classes, make progress toward completing their selected program of study and do so in an efficient manner. Ongoing eligibility for federal financial aid requires that students demonstrate satisfactory academic progress toward completion of the declared program of study. Ongoing eligibility requires the following:
- Maintain at least a 2.0 GPA;
- Successfully complete at least 67 percent of the coursework attempted (students who fail or withdraw from an excessive number of classes fail to meet this criterion);
- Complete the declared program of study within 150 percent of the published program length.
While Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid has long been in effect, the new regulation requires institutions to review the standards more rigorously. For more information, visit the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) catalog page.
Financial Aid Eligibility
Financial aid eligibility is calculated based only on courses required or allowed as electives in the student's declared program of study. This does not include any additional hours required to meet Seminole State College's Residency requirement.
It is critical that students obtain an educational plan and adhere to it. Financial aid awards will be based only on the required and allowed courses in the declared program of study listed on the student's record. More information about the Federal Integrity Rules is available online through the Federal Register.
Students are alerted with important information about required and allowed courses listed for their specific program of study, but it is ultimately the student's responsibility to consult with their Academic Advisor to ensure that they are taking the correct courses.
Messages may be sent to the student's Message Center, and in some cases, students will receive a pop-up message in their MySeminoleState account requesting permission to continue registration if a course for which they are attempting to enroll is outside their program/plan. This process will:
- Assist students in avoiding classes not needed for graduation;
- Alert students to courses that will not be counted in determining enrollment levels for financial aid purposes.
Students who wish to use financial aid awards to pay for tuition must accept their aid and sign a deferment request electronically each term of enrollment.
- Students must carefully read the eligibility criteria associated with each financial aid program awarded to determine the required enrollment levels necessary to receive the awards.
- By signing a deferment, payment for all classes in which a student enrolls, including classes that are not financial aid eligible, will be deferred to the due date.
- If a student's enrollment at the end of the add/drop period does not contain the minimum number of financial-aid-eligible courses needed for aid disbursement, he/she will be ineligible for aid and will be required to pay out of pocket for all of the classes.
If a student chooses to enroll in classes that are not financial aid eligible based on the program of study, he/she should consult with a Financial Aid Specialist or a Student Success Specialist prior to the end of the add/drop period to determine how this will affect his/her aid eligibility and excess hours for their degree or program. For more information, visit the Financial Aid website or call 407.708.2045.
