Maintaining Financial Aid Eligibility

Need-based financial aid awards are not automatically renewed each year. To maintain eligibility, students must continue to:

• File the FAFSA
  • New students must file the FAFSA by March 1
  • Continuing students must file the FAFSA each year by May 1
• Demonstrate financial need
• Make satisfactory progress toward degree requirements
• Remain in good academic standing

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

The receipt of financial aid is a privilege that creates both rights and obligations. The United States Department of Education requires every postsecondary institution receiving federal funds (Title IV) to have an academic progress policy that is used to determine eligibility for and continued receipt of federal funds. Title IV federal funds affected by this policy include the Federal College Work-Study program, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal PLUS Loans, and Federal Stafford Student Loans. Drexel also uses this standard to renew need-based aid. Merit aid has different standards. Recipients of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) Grant must also follow certain academic progress guidelines (contact PHEAA for these guidelines). Drexel University has designed an academic progress policy that meets the requirements of both federal and state agencies.

• Undergraduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00
• Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00
• Law students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.20

In addition, all students must complete at least 80 percent of all courses attempted during the previous academic year. The completion ratio is measured by dividing total hours earned by total hours attempted.

Students failing academic progress requirements will be granted one year of financial aid probation. After that year the student must be back to the required standard or further aid will be denied. No student may be considered for aid for more than 150 percent of his or her published program length.

Academic progress is checked at the end of each academic year (Drexel’s academic year is measured from September to September for quarter programs and August to August for semester programs). Failure to complete the minimum number of credit hours per academic year or maintain the minimum GPA will result in the cancellation of all Title IV and institutional funds. Students whose aid is canceled are not eligible for additional financial aid until the necessary coursework is completed or the GPA is improved.

In certain cases, students may be considered for a one-time exemption of progress requirements. Progress requirements will not be waived more than once under most circumstances.

Note: merit awards have a different standard.

Grade Levels Used to Determine Eligibility

Grade levels are used to determine the amount of money students are eligible to borrow under the Federal Stafford Student Loan program.

The chart below demonstrates how grade level is determined at Drexel.

Enrollment Requirements

Generally, University-administered aid is awarded to full-time students. Students must register for a minimum of 12 credits per term to be considered full-time as an undergraduate and 9 credits for graduate students.

Part-time students (enrolled at least half-time) may be eligible for a Federal Stafford Loan or a Federal PLUS Loan, but they must also maintain satisfactory academic progress.

Withdrawing from Courses

Withdrawing from courses may impact your financial aid awards. Before withdrawing from class, you should contact the SRC/Financial Aid Office to determine the consequences.

Withdrawing from the University

Students who totally withdraw and receive aid may owe the University money if federal funds must be returned. Before withdrawing from the University, you should contact the SRC/Financial Aid Office to determine the consequences.

Federal Verification

Some students are required by the federal government to document certain requirements with the SRC/FA. Funds cannot be disbursed until these are satisfied. Initially these will be requested by mail, but you can monitor what is needed as well as your status via DrexelOne. For more information, please refer to Drexel's Verification Policy.