Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
All students at Auburn University at Montgomery who receive federal financial aid must make satisfactory academic progress toward completion of their degrees within a reasonable period of time. AUM’s standing committee on financial aid has approved the following standards defining satisfactory progress, in accordance with regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education. Satisfactory Academic Progress status will be determined at least once each year, generally at the end of the spring term.
Undergraduate Students
An undergraduate student is considered to be making satisfactory progress if he or she meets the following:
- is admitted and enrolled as a degree student
meets the required qualitative measure for financial aid recipients
maintains measurable progress toward the completion of the degree
completes degree requirements within a reasonable length of time
Required Qualitative Measure
In order to meet the required qualitative measure, the student must maintain a minimum overall GPA of at least a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale at Auburn University at Montgomery. This measure generally becomes effective when the student has attempted 24 hours at Auburn University at Montgomery.
Measurable Progress Requirement
In order to maintain measurable progress toward the completion of their degrees, students must successfully complete 67 percent of all Auburn University at Montgomery credit hours attempted. (Hours attempted include repeated courses, dropped courses, withdrawals, and incomplete courses.) This measure generally becomes effective when a student has attempted 24 hours at Auburn University at Montgomery.
Example A: If you have attempted 32 credit hours and successfully completed 26 of those hours, dropped 3 hours and failed 3 hours, your completion rate will be 26 hours earned divided by 32 attempted = 81.2 percent completion rate. You meet the measurable progress component of this requirement.
Example B: If you have attempted 32 credit hours and successfully completed 20 of those hours, and either dropped, failed, repeated, have an incomplete in, or withdrew from the other 12, your completion rate would be 20 divided by 32 = 62.5 percent completion rate. You do not meet the measurable progress component of this requirement and you are not eligible for financial aid assistance.
Reasonable Length of Time Requirement
At Auburn University at Montgomery, a reasonable length of time for the completion of a degree program is generally defined as no more than 150 percent of the normal time required to complete a degree program. Coursework that transfers into a degree program will adjust the time frame accordingly.
Example A: If your degree requires that you complete 120 credit hours, your reasonable length of time will be 120 hours X 150% = 180. You will be within your reasonable length of time during your first 180 hours of attempted course work.
Example B: If your degree requires that you complete 120 credit hours and you have transferred in 54 hours, your reasonable length of time will be 120 hours - 54 transfer hours = 66 X 150% = 99. You will be within your reasonable length of time during your first 99 hours of course work attempted at Auburn University at Montgomery.
Obtaining Second Bachelor's Degree
A student who is working toward a degree level that he or she has already completed or exceeded (i.e., second bachelor’s degree) will have his or her reasonable length of time established at no more than 100 percent of the normal length of the program minus any coursework that transfers into the program.
Example : If your new BS degree requires 120 credit hours and AUM allows 65 hours from your first degree to count toward your second degree, your reasonable length of time will be 120 credit yours - 65 from your first degree = 55. You will be within your reasonable length of time during your first 55 hours of course work attempted on your second degree.
Graduate Students
Graduate students are considered to be making satisfactory progress if they comply with the academic regulations and time frames described in the AUM Graduate School Catalog and meet the above stated Measurable Progress Requirement.
Re-instatement of Financial Aid - Appeals
If you are ineligible for financial aid because you have not maintained satisfactory progress toward completion of your degree, you may reapply for financial aid when you have cleared the deficiency and are again progressing satisfactorily according to the requirements outlined above.
When mitigating circumstances are involved, you may appeal this decision. To do so, you must document extenuating or special circumstances:
- Draft a letter of appeal to the Director of Financial Aid requesting reinstatement. Your letter must:
- explain the reason(s) why satisfactory progress is not being made
- provide any documentation that supports the rationale for the appeal
Submit your letter of appeal to the Financial Aid Office with the supporting documentation mentioned above.