Academic Standards for Financial Aid

In order to be eligible for financial aid, students must be making satisfactory academic progress toward their degrees. This page describes the standards which Gallaudet students must meet in order to receive Federal financial aid (Pell Grant, SEOG, Stafford Loans, PLUS Loans, Perkins Loans, and Federal Work Study.) Please Note: these standards apply to all students, whether you previously received aid or not. Read this information carefully.

Academic Progress standards are measured in two parts: 1) Satisfactory Grade Point Average (G.P.A), and 2) Minimum number of credit hours which must be earned (courses passed) each year. These two parts are discussed below.

1.Satisfactory Grade Point Average (G.P.A.)
The G.P.A. standards for financial aid are the same as those required by Gallaudet as its minimum standards of scholarship. (See Gallaudet Catalog) Students must maintain a Cumulative G.P.A. of 2.00 to be considered in "good standing".

Students placed on Academic Warning or Academic Probation are automatically placed on Financial aid probation.

2. Minimum Number of Degree Credit Hours Earned Each Year
In order to receive financial aid, you must; a) successfully complete a minimum number of credit hours toward your degree each year, and b) complete your degree program within a maximum number of years. The chart below shows the standards expected for students enrolled full-time and attempting a Bachelor's Degree Program. The 5-year maximum limit does not include the first year for those students taking one year of developmental/condition coursework.

* Condition Courses: Students who take mostly condition coursework their first year will be required to pass those courses and enroll in degree credit courses after one year (two semesters). After that first year, students must earn 12 degree credits ("year 1" on the chart). Students taking a combination of degree and non-degree credit courses their first year will be considered "part-time" for purposes of determining hours earned and maximum time frame. For example, a student who takes only nine degree credits their first year would be expected to earn nine (instead of 12) credits.

** Second Year Requirement: At the end of their second academic year of study at Gallaudet (including condition year), students must have a cumulative G.P.A of 2.00, must be meeting credit hour requirements, and must NOT be on Academic Warning or Academic Probation.  Students who do not meet the second year requirement will NOT be granted a probationary semester, and will be ineligible for financial aid until the necessary cumulative G.P.A is attained (and other standards are met.)

Master's Degree Students: are expected to earn one third of the total number of required degree credits each year; three year limit. Doctoral students are expected to earn one fourth of the total number of degree credits each year; four year limit (not including dissertation research). All Graduate students are expected to maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.00.

Probation: Students who do not meet either the G.P.A standards or the minimum earned hours will be placed on financial aid probation for one semester, during which aid may be received. (There is NO probationary period granted at the end of the second academic year or fourth semester.) If, at the end of that probationary semester a student does not meet required credit hour or G.P.A standards, the student will be ineligible for federal financial aid. Students also cannot receive financial aid if they have been on Academic or Financial Aid probation for more than one semester (consecutive), or if they have been in a probationary status three or more times during their academic career. Financial aid eligibility will be reinstated only when a student meets the required G.P.A. and earned credit standards, and is not on Academic Probation or Warning. Students who have completed the equivalent of five full-time years (not including condition year) will be ineligible for federal financial aid unless the student can provide documentation that additional time is required for academic program reasons.

Transfer Credits: Course credits transferred from other institutions will be considered as enrollment for the purpose of determining maximum time frame for completion of degree. Each 12 hours of transfer credit will be considered as one full-time semester (6 credits will be considered one semester at half-time enrollment, etc). For example, a student who transfers in 60 credits will be considered to have already completed five full-time semesters, and will have five remaining full-time semesters to complete a degree with financial aid.

Withdrawals: Courses from which a student withdraws or changes to audit after add drop will be counted toward maximum time frame. Students may WD from all courses without penalty only once. Any subsequent semester withdrawals from the University will be counted toward maximum time frame and hours earned. Students who receive a grade of "F" in all courses for a semester and who have not attended classes for the entire semester may have their financial aid retroactively reduced or canceled, and will NOT receive federal financial aid for the next enrolled semester. Students who do not attend classes and receive "F" grades are considered to have "unofficially withdrawn" from the University.

Failing Grades: Students who fail ALL coursework in a semester (excluding WD grades), will be ineligible for financial aid the subsequent enrolled semester.

Incomplete Grades: Students who end a semester with incomplete grades will be evaluated for financial aid eligibility only after the courses have been completed. If a student already has been placed on probation, he/she will be considered ineligible for financial aid until the incomplete grades are removed and transcript updated. If a student has not been previously placed on probation, incompletes will be considered as "probation" if not completed within University required time frames.

Repeated Courses: Repeated courses do not increase the number of hours earned, and therefore may affect a student's ability to earn the number of hours required for time enrolled. Repeated courses will not be considered for purposes of this measurement, so be sure that sufficient "new" credits are taken to meet required minimums (See chart).

Part-time and Summer Enrollment: Part-time students will have a maximum time limit extended based on individual enrollment history. Summer school enrollment will be counted toward maximum time frame when cumulative summer hours equal 12 or more. For example, two summer sessions, six credits each, will count as one full-time semester toward maximum time frame.)

Appeals: Students who do not meet the required standards and who are ineligible for financial aid may request a review if there were circumstances which affected academic progress and which were beyond the student's control (such as illness, death in the family, or other mitigating factors). Course failures or unsuccessful attempts to complete condition courses are NOT valid reasons for appeal.