Fast Facts

 

Eligibility

Determination of Neediest Students

The College believes that the best use of student financial aid funds is to assist as many eligible applicants as possible. This is accomplished by determining the needs of the students and ranking them in a priority order, taking into account all known resources. Those students showing the greatest need will be awarded campus based aid according to program requirements until such funds have been awarded for the award year. In the event that students who have been awarded campus based funds refuse the awards, gain additional resources that result in an over award situation, leave the College for any reason, or fall below half time (1/2) enrollment status, the student will lose those funds and they will be awarded to other students based on the above ranking system.

Financial Aid Academic Requirements

In accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, students receiving federal financial aid must be in good standing and making satisfactory progress. There exists a conceptual difference between good standing and satisfactory progress. Good standing means that a student is eligible to enroll or to re-enroll, while satisfactory progress means that a student is advancing toward fulfilling degree, diploma, or certificate requirements in a manner consistent with the prescribed policies of the College.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

*This policy is changing effective July 1, 2011.*  For information on the new policy, click here.

A student is determined to be making satisfactory progress according to the definition of satisfactory progress below. Academic progress determinations will be made quarterly, prior to the disbursement of quarterly awards and at the end of each quarter.

1. GPA Requirements
  • FEDERAL PELL GRANT AND TITLE IV AID PROGRAMS
  • HOPE GRANT for DIPLOMA and CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
    The student must maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0. Students failing to maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA will be placed on financial aid probation. Students placed on financial aid probation who fail to raise their GPA, within the next enrollment term, to a 2.0 or better will be classified as not making satisfactory progress and will be ineligible for financial aid. Grades of “I” and “W” are not used in calculating the GPA.  Grades for Learning Support courses are included in the GPA calculation for financial aid purposes.
  • HOPE SCHOLARSHIP for DEGREE PROGRAMS
    Students in a Degree program must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 by the end of the terms in which they have attempted 45, 90, and 135 credit hours and at the end of each spring term enrolled. Students who fail to earn a cumulative 3.0 GPA at any of those checkpoints will lose their HOPE Scholarship. Students may regain their HOPE Scholarship if at the end of the term in which they have attempted 90 or 135 credit hours their cumulative GPA is 3.0 or better.  Failure to meet the cumulative GPA requirements at the end of the term in which the 135th credit hour is attempted will result in the loss of the HOPE Scholarship which cannot be regained.
2. Credit Hours Attempted
  • FEDERAL PELL GRANT AND TITLE IV AID PROGRAMS
  • HOPE GRANT for DIPLOMA and CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
  • HOPE SCHOLARSHIP for DEGREE PROGRAMS
    The student must also satisfactorily complete 67% of the credit hours attempted each quarter to maintain satisfactory progress. Students failing to do so will be placed on financial aid probation. Students placed on financial aid probation, who fail to pass 67% of the cumulative hours attempted within the next enrollment term, will be classified as not making satisfactory progress and will be ineligible for financial aid.  Grades of “I”, “W”, and “WF” as well as Learning Support credit hours are counted in hours attempted.
3. Completion of Educational Objective
  • FEDERAL PELL GRANT and TITLE IV AID PROGRAMS
  • HOPE GRANT for DIPLOMA and CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
  • HOPE SCHOLARSHIP for DEGREE PROGRAMS
    Students must complete their educational objective within a maximum time frame of one and one half times the length of the program in which they are enrolled. A student who changes programs must complete the new program in the time frame of the original program. Thereafter, they will be ineligible for Financial aid.
  • HOPE GRANT for DIPLOMA and CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
  • A student may receive HOPE Grant payment for a maximum of 95 credit hours.
  • HOPE SCHOLARSHIP for DEGREE PROGRAMS
    • A student may receive the HOPE Scholarship until reaching the Combined Paid-Hours Limit of 190 credit hours  from any combination of HOPE Scholarship Paid-Hours, plus HOPE Grant Paid-Hours, plus ACCEL Program Paid-Hours.
    • A student is ineligible to receive HOPE Scholarship payment once he or she reaches the Attempted-Hours Limit of 190 quarter credit hours, regardless of whether HOPE Scholarship paid for those hours or not.

HOPE Scholarship GPA Calculation

  • All college credit hours attempted (hours attempted while seeking a degree) at all colleges the student attends and their corresponding grades must be included in the HOPE cumulative grade point average, regardless of what hours are accepted or not accepted by the college the student is currently attending or if a course was repeated.
  • Credit hours attempted as part of a diploma or certificate program of study are not considered to be college credit hours and therefore should not be counted, unless those hours are accepted toward a degree.
  • Learning Support courses are included in the 190 hour limit and all corresponding grades must be included in the HOPE cumulative grade point average.
  • The HOPE grade point average is calculated by the Registrar’s office. The HOPE grade point average is calculated to the hundredth decimal, for example 2.99.
  • A student transferring from one HOPE-eligible college to another is eligible for a HOPE Scholarship if all eligibility requirements continue to be met.
  • A student transferring from a HOPE-eligible private college or university to a HOPE-eligible public college is eligible for a HOPE Scholarship if he or she meets all the requirements, just as if he or she had been attending a HOPE-eligible public college.
  • A student transferring from an out-of-state college or a Georgia college that is not HOPE-eligible to an eligible public college is eligible for a HOPE scholarship if he or she meets all requirements, just as if the student had been attending a HOPE-eligible college.

 

Learning Support and Financial Aid

Students who are enrolled only in the Learning Support program are not eligible to receive the Federal Pell Grant, Title IV aid programs. However, a student who is provisionally admitted to a program may receive the FEDERAL PELL GRANT or TITLE IV aid programs for the hours registered (not including Learning Support classes) in a Degree or Diploma program. A student, thusly admitted may not attempt more than forty (40) credit hours of remedial work. Students taking Learning Support courses may receive HOPE aid if they meet HOPE requirements for the Degree, Diploma, or Certificate program they wish to enter.

Transfer Students

Students transferring into a program from another technical college will be awarded credit for the courses taken at the original institution. Hours transferred in via course exemption and/or prior credit for previous training are not counted in determining the GPA. Students must maintain satisfactory progress as described above to continue their financial aid eligibility. Students transferring from one program to another at this College will continue to carry their GPA from one program to another for financial aid purposes and all credits and grades will count in the cumulative GPA and credit hours attempted requirements.

  • A student transferring from one HOPE-eligible college to another is eligible for a HOPE Scholarship if all eligibility requirements continue to be met.
  • A student transferring from a HOPE-eligible private college or university to a HOPE-eligible public college is eligible for a HOPE Scholarship if he or she meets all the requirements, just as if he or she had been attending a HOPE-eligible public college.
  • A student transferring from an out-of-state college or a Georgia college that is not HOPE-eligible to an eligible public college is eligible for a HOPE scholarship if he or she meets all requirements, just as if the student had been attending a HOPE-eligible college.

Previously Enrolled Students

For students who have previously attended Southwest Georgia Technical College all credit hours attempted and grades earned will be included in the "satisfactory progress" determination, regardless of whether the student received financial aid.

Course Repeats

If a course is repeated, all hours attempted will be counted for purposes of the 67% completion requirement and maximum time frame to maintain financial aid status, and all grades will be used in calculating the GPA.

Reinstatement of Aid

A student who has been terminated from aid due to a lack of progress may reapply for reinstatement of aid when he/she has met the minimum cumulative requirements for financial aid.

Determination of Overpayments

The length of each term at Southwest Georgia Technical College is ten (10) weeks. Federal Pell Grant and Title IV aid payments are made to students' accounts within 14 days of the start of classes each quarter.  Any unused financial aid funds are refunded to the student at the end of the fourth (4th) week of the quarter.  Students who withdraw from all classes after receiving a financial aid refund may be found to have received an overpayment and owe a balance. 

Return of Title IV Funds Policy

If the student totally withdraws from school, federal regulations require that his/her Pell award for the withdrawal term be recalculated as follows:

  • The number of calendar days attended during the term is divided by the total number of calendar days in the term.
  • The resulting percentage is multiplied by the Pell award for the term. This is the new Pell award amount he/she is entitled to receive.

If the student has received Pell Grant funds in excess of this new award amount, he/she may owe a balance.  If the student has received a financial aid refund for the term or had charges in the bookstore against his/her financial aid awards, he/she will be notified of any amount to be repaid.  Any student who owes a balance due to a financial aid over award will be ineligible for further financial aid assistance until he/she has repaid these funds.    

If an eligible student is receiving HOPE funds for the term, that award will be applied to tuition and fee charges before Pell Grant funds.