(Reviewed annually at the conclusion of the Spring term after the university has posted
grades for the term)
The cumulative "Grade Point Average (GPA)" as shown on your academic transcript.
- Undergraduate students must meet the following cumulative GPA requirements:
- 01-29 attempted credit hours — minimum cumulative GPA >= 1.5
- 30-59 attempted credit hours — minimum cumulative GPA >= 1.8
- 60 attempted credit hours and above — minimum cumulative GPA >= 2.0
- Graduate students must meet the following minimum cumulative GPA: >= 3.0
The "Completion Rate" is defined as the rate at which attempted academic credits are
successfully completed. This is calculated by taking the cumulative number of hours
successfully completed and dividing by the cumulative number of hours attempted. Grades of “W”, “F”, and “I” count as attempted hours. Transfer hours that appear
on your transcript are also included.
- All undergraduate and graduate students must be successfully completing 67% of all
hours attempted (attempted credits include all graded courses, transferred courses,
testing credits, pass/fails, and repeats).
- The calculation will be rounded to the closest whole number.
Undergraduates: 150% of the hours required to complete their degree programs (defined
as credit hours attempted which includes all graded courses, transferred courses,
testing credits, pass/fails, and repeats)
- Associate program of 60 hours--complete within 90 attempted hours.
- Baccalaureate program of 120 hours--complete within 180 attempted hours.
A student who has completed all the necessary requirements for a specific degree program
but still fails to obtain the degree, is not eligible for further federal student
aid funds for that program. Students are strongly encouraged to complete a degree
audit to review graduation eligibility under their current major. A degree audit
is easily obtained online on the Registrar page through a tool called "Degree Works". Students can also make an appointment with
the Academic Advising Staff.
Post-graduate work:
- Credits taken after receiving first associate's degree must be completed within 30
hours if working toward a second associate's degree.
- Credits taken after receiving first bachelor's degree must be completed within 60
hours if working toward a second bachelor's degree.
- Credits taken after receiving first graduate degree must be completed within 18 hours
if working toward a second graduate degree.
Since all classes attempted will count toward the maximum hour limit, students should
meet with their academic advisors to determine what classes are required for completion
of the second degree.
Students who fail to meet the Cumulative GPA, Completion Rate, or Maximum Time Frame
standards by the end of the Spring Semester, will be placed on “suspension”. The
“suspension” will be effective immediately and will remain until SAP standards are
reevaluated the following spring semester. If a student meets these standards prior
to the next scheduled evaluation, students may speak with a financial aid counselor
for reconsideration of financial aid eligibility.
A student may appeal the loss of financial aid through the Office of Financial Aid
and Scholarships. To appeal, the student must have experienced extenuating circumstances
which have impacted academic progress. Examples of extenuating circumstances are death
of immediate family member, injury or illness or other unusual circumstances evaluated
by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. The appeal must include the following:
- Why the student failed to make satisfactory academic progress;
- What has now changed that will allow the student to make satisfactory academic progress
at the end of the next semester (statements of good intent are not sufficient);
- Documentation to verify extenuating circumstances (email to financialaid@fairmontstate.edu or fax to 304-367-4789).
If the appeal is granted, the student will be placed on financial aid "probation" for one semester and may receive aid during that "probation" semester. At the end of the probation semester the student MUST meet the defined SAP standards or meet the academic plan that was developed for the
appeal.
Semester Appeal Deadline Dates:
- Summer 2026: May 22, 2026
- Fall 2026: August 21, 2026
All documentation must be provided by the appeal deadline to be considered for the
semester. Appeals received after the deadline will be reviewed for the following semester. Students who wish to enroll and have missed the deadline date should make plans to
pay all charges through personal means.
Appeals will be reviewed by the following and in the following order:
- Financial Aid Appeals Committee
- Assistant Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships
- Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships
Students are limited to one appeal per level of review and one appeal per semester.
Financial Aid eligibility can be re-established once the student meets SAP standards.
Students who continue enrollment before re-establishing eligibility are required to
pay for charges through personal means.
Candidates for academic forgiveness may receive financial assistance during the readmission
semester if under Financial Aid Probation and/or Academic Plan. If the student does
not meet the financial aid standards of SAP or the requirements of their Academic
Plan at the end of the readmission semester, student’s financial aid will be suspended
as dictated by the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Candidates
must notify the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships once officially readmitted
in order for financial aid eligibility to be determined at that time.
Please see the Fairmont State University Catalog for more detailed information on repeating courses.
Federal student aid cannot be awarded for courses that do not count toward a student’s
program completion. Examples include non-credit courses, audited courses, and English-as-a-Second-Language
courses that are not part of an ESL program.
