Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Graduate Students

The University of Nebraska at Kearney is required to establish minimum academic standards that students must meet to be eligible or maintain eligibility for federal financial aid. Failure to meet these standards for two consecutive semesters (fall, spring, summer) means the student is no longer eligible to receive federal financial aid.

Students must meet both a qualitative requirement (GPA) and a quantitative requirement (Pace) to maintain eligibility. Additionally, students may receive aid for a maximum time frame. 

The quantitative requirements for graduate students measures the amount of academic work completed on a cumulative basis. To calculate the quantitative standard (pace) we compare the total hours a student has completed to the total hours attempted. 

  • Attempted hours are based on enrollment at the end of the first week of classes during the fall and spring semester.
  • During the  summer semester, the cumulative measure of attempted hours are based on the class start date. If a student drops a class prior to the first day it will not be counted in attempted hours. 
  • A student becomes ineligible for aid (suspended) when it becomes mathematically impossible to complete the program of the student within the maximum time frame. 

Quantitative, Qualitative, and Maximum Time Frame Requirements for Graduate Students are: 

Quantitative

  • Successfully complete 67% of attempted hours 

Qualitative

  • Must have a minimum university GPA of 3.0

Maximum Time Frame

  • Attempted hours cannot exceed more than the 150% of published length of the program. A student becomes ineligible (suspended) when they reach this limit. 
  • Students should review their specific program length to determine maximum time frame requirements. Below are some maximum time frame examples:
    • The maximum time frame for a 69 credit hour published program is 103 cumulative attempted hours 
    • The maximum time frame for a 60 credit hour published program is 90 cumulative attempted hours
    • The maximum time frame for a a 36 credit hour published program is 54 cumulative attempted hours

Quantitative, Qualitative, and Maximum Time Frame Requirements for Second Bachelor's Degree, Initial Teaching Certification, and Endorsement Seeking Students are:

Quantitative

  • Successfully complete 67% of attempted hours

Qualitative

  • Students who already have a bachelor's degree, and who are admitted to a second bachelor's degree program, must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above.
  • Students who are seeking their first teaching certificate must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or above.
  • Students who are seeking an additional subject or field endorsement to their teaching certificate must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or above.

Maximum Time Frame 

  • A student becomes ineligible for aid (suspended) when they fail to meet their academic plan. 

Successful Completion of Courses

To be counted as successfully completed or earned credit hours, the student must receive a grade of A, B, C, D or CR. Withdrawals (W), incompletes (I) or failures (F) are counted in the attempted credit hours but are NOT counted in the earned credit hours.

If a student fails to meet one or both (qualitative or quantitative) of the minimum standards for one semester the student is placed on financial aid warning for the following semester. The student will maintain financial aid eligibility and continue to receive financial aid during the warning semester. Students are notified via email when placed in warning status.

If the student fails to meet one or both of the standards again in the subsequent semester, the student is no longer eligible for financial aid.

Regaining Financial Aid Eligibility

Students on financial aid suspension can enroll for classes without financial aid in order to meet the minimum standards. The Office of Financial Aid will check academic standing after each semester. The student may also notify the Office of Financial Aid in writing once the minimum standards have been met. Students also have the right to appeal their suspension. The appeal must be submitted in writing to the Office of Financial Aid by the due date indicated in the suspension letter. The decision of the Appeals Committee will be communicated to the student via email to their university designated email address.