1. If you are a Pell Grant recipient, you are highly encouraged to maintain at least 12 required hours*  per semester for get the most financial benefit. *as of the 2025-2026 Academic Year

2. You must complete your FASFA and all verification requirements each year. If you need help, contact Financial Aid. You can also discuss this process with your TRIO SSS advisor before being referred to financial aid. 

3. We do not have a GPA requirement to remain in TRIO SSS but please review the following:

   • The University requires that students stay in Good Academic Standing (retaining a cummulative GPA of 2.0 or higher). If a student does not remain in Good Academic Standing then they will be moved to Academic Probation. Please see the Academic Probation & Suspension website.

   • Additionally, in order to maintain eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid, a student must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward the completion of a degree or a teaching certificate. Read more about SAP requirements by clicking here or watching this hyperlinked video. 

   • Lastly, any TRIO SSS student on probation or continued probation will be required to meet weekly with a graduate student academic coach in the program throughout the term(s) that they are not in Good Standing. Please click here to read the whole policy and reach out to your advisor if you have any questions. 

Items marked with an * contain more detail and have their own subpage explanations 

• *Weekly mentoring during your first year in the program with a graduate student mentor

• *Cohort Classes that you will take with all your TRIO SSS peers 

• *Financial Support through grants, scholarships, additional funds, and free printing

• *Advising Support with the same academic advisor for all four years (PLUS your major advisor once you declare) 

• *Optional Spring Service Trip fully funded through TRIO SSS

• * Optional TRIO SSS Leadership Certificate

• Priority Registration for each currently enrolled semester until you graduate 

• Academic coaching support during your second year and beyond with a graduate student academic coach *optional for students in good academic standing, required for students on academic probation or continued probation

• Optional prioritized on-campus housing for every year enrolled on main campus as long as you meet the minimum credit hour amount set by University Housing 

• Professional development workshops hosted in collaboration with campus partners, alumni, and community resources 

• Community events sponsored by the program to spark connection between program peers

• Fully-Funded Educational Trips (examples include: Grandfather Mountain Biosphere, the Greensboro Civil Rights Museum, one to two optional fully-funded regional graduate school trips, and more!)

• Loaner equipment (graphing calculators, scientific calculators, and a limited amount of laptops)