Academic Progress and Financial Aid
SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY FOR MASTER'S DEGREES
Financial Aid recipients must demonstrate through their scholastic records that they are making satisfactory academic progress toward completion of their program(s) of study in order to maintain eligibility for any form of Federal or Seminary financial assistance. Academic progress for financial aid is measured at the end of the Fall, Spring and Summer terms utilizing the following qualitative and quantitative standards.
Student must earn Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to maintain enrollment at Pentecostal Theological Seminary. SAP is earned when the students maintains a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and successfully completes 75% of attempted credit hours. Failed grades, ungraded courses, extensions, incompletes, and withdrawals are included when calculating this percentage.
It is advisable that any and all failed courses be repeated as soon as possible. Once a failed course is successfully repeated, the failing grade (F) will be removed and replaced with an R (Repeated).
ACADEMIC WARNING AND SUSPENSION
Transcripts are reviewed by the Registrar's Office at the conclusion of each Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms. Those students who do not demonstrate sufficient academic progress will automatically be placed on Academic Warning during the next term of enrollment. If sufficient academic progress is achieved by the student at the end of the probation period, academic warning status will be removed. If SAP is not achieved by the end of the probation period, the student may be placed on Academic Suspension.
A student on academic warning will conference with the Academics Office to formulate an academic plan, which the student will follow in order to correct the probation issues. The action plan may include an adjustment to the student's class schedule in order to improve academic performance. If a student does not improve his or her academic standing during the probation period, he or she will be required to withdraw from the Seminary (Academic Suspension) for at least one term to work toward resolving the issues that hindered Satisfactory Academic Performance.
When a student returns to the Seminary after academic suspension, the student returns on academic probation as he or she corrects any academic transcript issues.
ACADEMIC APPEAL
Students may appeal their academic suspension to the Office of the Vice President for Academics. If extenuating circumstances (i.e., illness, financial hardship, personal or family difficulties) are substantiated in writing by the student to the Vice President of Academics and are judged to be of sufficient nature as to impair student academic progress, consideration for reinstatement will be given. If reinstatement occurs, the the Office of the Vice President for Academics will provide the student an academic plan to help the student achieve satisfactory academic progress. The academic plan must be accepted by the student, the student's adviser, the Financial Aid Committee (if student is eligible for aid), the Registrar, and the Vice President for Academics.
The student may apply for readmission by submitting a letter to the Vice President for Academics stating: (1) the reason for requesting readmission; (2) any action taken to correct the problem; and (3) the applicant’s present academic/vocational expectations. Upon recommendation from the Vice President for Academics, this letter and the applicant’s academic file will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee for consideration of readmission.
QUALITATIVE STANDARDS FOR FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY
This standard measures a student’s quality of performance in terms of courses successfully completed and their cumulative grade point average (GPA) at the Seminary. Students enrolled in the Master's degree program must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. Students enrolled in the D. Min. degree program must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2.
QUANTITATIVE STANDARDS FOR FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY
This standard has two components: maximum time frame and course completion rate. The maximum time frame in which a student must complete a program of study cannot exceed 150 percent of the published program length, measured in credit hours attempted. Example: A student pursuing a program that contains 80 hours would be allowed to attempt a maximum of 120 hours [80 x 150 percent (1.5) = 120]. The number of hours attempted includes any transfer hours accepted from other institutions that are applied to the student’s program of study.
In conjunction with the maximum program length, students must successfully complete (measured as credit hours earned) at least 75 percent of all coursework attempted as they progress through their program of study. Attempted hours include failed grades, ungraded courses, incompletes, and withdrawals. This is a cumulative process, illustrated as follows: A student has maintained satisfactory academic progress for the first two semesters of enrollment. However, at the end of the third semester the student’s academic transcript indicates 45 hours attempted and 27 hours earned. The course completion rate is 60 percent (27 divided by 45). The student does not meet the required 75 percent standard and thus will be placed on Financial Aid Warning for the following semester. Note: all enrolled courses (including incompletes and withdrawals) are included as attempted hours when calculating percentage of earned hours towards course completion rate.
QUALITATIVE STANDARDS SPECIFIC TO THE MACMHC
Students in the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MACMHC) must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.7 (B-) for each term/semester (Summer, Fall, Spring) that they are enrolled. Students need a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.7 (B-) to graduate. MACMHC students must maintain a GPA of at least 2.7 (B-) to be accepted in the Practicum and Internship Programs. Students with a term GPA of less than 2.7 (B-) will have to retake any courses with a grade of less than 2.7 (B-) to be approved for the Practicum and Internship Programs (required courses towards graduation). Students with any course grade less than a 2.7 (B-) must retake the course as soon as possible, to prevent a delay in enrollment in the Practicum and Internship programs with subsequent delays in graduation and completion.
FINANCIAL AID ACADEMIC PROGRESS SUMMARY
Full-time Students
1. The student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
2. The student must have completed at least 75% of cumulative attempted hours. Cumulative attempted hours include failed grades, ungraded courses, extensions, incompletes, and withdrawals.
3. The student must be attempting at least 9 hours in a regular semester or 6 hours in the Summer session.
Part-time Students
1. The student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
2. The student must have completed at least 75% of cumulative attempted hours. Cumulative attempted hours include failed grades, ungraded courses, extensions, incompletes and withdrawals.
3. The student must be attempting at least 6 hours in a regular semester or 3 hours in the Summer session.
FINANCIAL AID WARNING
A student who does not meet satisfactory academic progress standards is placed on Financial Aid Warning for one semester. During the Financial Aid Warning, the student is eligible to receive financial aid funds. If the student meets the standards at the end of the warning semester, the student is removed from the Financial Aid Warning status and maintains financial aid eligibility. If the student does not meet the standards at the end of the warning period, the student is placed on Financial Aid Ineligibility/Financial Aid Suspension.
FINANCIAL AID INELIGIBILITY
A student on Financial Aid Ineligibility status is not eligible for any form of Federal or Seminary financial assistance. The student remains ineligible until satisfactory academic progress standards are met. The student may appeal for financial aid reinstatement. Some outside alternative loans are available for students working to regain academic progress.
FINANCIAL AID APPEAL PROCESS
Students placed on Financial Aid Ineligibility status can appeal to the Financial Aid Committee for financial aid reinstatement. The appeal must be submitted in writing to the Financial Aid Office and be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation.
Acceptable reasons for appeal are: (1) serious illness or accident on the part of the student; (2) death, accident or serious illness in the immediate family; (3) financial difficulties forcing incomplete and premature withdrawal; (4) other extenuating circumstances directly affecting academic performance.
If financial aid is reinstated, the student is placed on Financial Aid Probation for one semester. After the Financial Aid probationary term, the student must make Satisfactory Academic Progress or must be successfully following an academic plan. The student must meet with the Vice President for Academics to request an academic plan. Failure to meet the academic plan or academic progress standards will again result in a Financial Aid Ineligibility status. The student remains ineligible for financial aid until satisfactory academic progress standards are met, or until a successful financial aid appeal is approved. If the appeal is not approved, the student will have no additional recourse for financial aid from the Seminary, and therefore, must achieve satisfactory academic progress.
Students may be eligible to enroll in courses without financial aid assistance (Federal, Seminary or state aid) as long as they are not on Academic Suspension or if they have approval from the Office of the Vice President for Academics.
Transfer of Credit
Transfers of credits from another school are measured in the quantitative review/completion rate calculations, but are not included in the (GPA) qualitative standard review for academic progress.
Repeated Courses
Retaking Failed Coursework
Students may retake a failed course again while receiving federal aid/loans until the course has been passed by the student. If the student retakes a course and withdraws from the course, this is considered a retaken course. The student would be responsible for payment of the withdrawn course if retaken again and they would follow the Retaken Passed Coursework directions below.
Retaking Passed Coursework
Students may retake (one time only) any previously passed course while receiving Title IV federal loans. After repeating the course a second time and receiving a passing grade, the student is not allowed to retake the course again for federal loans. Students can retake the course but the retaken course cannot be counted towards the student’s enrollment status (full time/part time) for federal aid eligibility, since a passing grade was received and would be their financial responsibility .
RETURN OF TITLE IV REFUND POLICY
According to federal regulations, Title IV aid is earned in a prorated manner based on calendar days up to the 60% point of the semester. Title IV aid is viewed as 100% earned after that point in the semester. The institution will perform a return of funds calculation to determine the amount of aid that was earned, up through the 60% point in each payment period or period of enrollment. The institution will use the Dept. of Education’s proration schedule to determine the amount of return at the time of withdrawal. All unearned funds will be returned to the Title IV program within 45 days.
The return of unearned Title IV aid applies to any student who meets the following criteria:
1. The student completely withdraws (officially or unofficially) before 60% of the payment period. 2. The student received Federal Title IV or state aid (Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Graduate PLUS Loan, but not Federal Work-Study).
If a student withdraws before the 60 percent point of the semester during the period of enrollment (calculated using calendar days), the Seminary is required to calculate the amount of aid earned. Any unearned aid must be returned to the Dept. of Education, according to the provisions of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 in the following order:
1. Unsubsidized Direct Loans
2. Subsidized Direct Loans
3. Direct Plus Loans
A student is considered withdrawn per federal regulations when the student ceases enrollment during a semester, even if they completed courses in an earlier session during the semester. This type of withdrawal can occur by student request or by administrative removal from course/s (suspension, lack of participation, etc.). Similarly, students that withdraw from all PTS courses are considered withdrawn. Students that cease attendance in courses without requesting a withdrawal (to the Registrar’s Office), can also be considered a withdrawal.
Students that fail to receive a single passing grade (and have not otherwise officially withdrawn) are evaluated for possible unofficial withdrawal. Students that participate and attend courses but receive failing grades are considered as having earned 100% of their Title IV funds, since they have attended and participated but failed in spite of attendance and work. Students that have ceased attendance with a failing grade are considered unofficially withdrawn and the Financial Aid Office will calculate a RT24 calculation to determine the amount of earned/unearned aid.
The student is considered to be “Officially” withdrawn on the date the student notifies the Registrar of his or her intent to withdraw in writing at: registrar@ptseminary.edu the withdrawal date is the date that the Registrar receives the written notice. The withdrawal date is determined by the Registrar’s Office. If a student does not officially notify the institution of his or her withdrawal, 50 percent of the payment period may be used (or the school may choose to use a documented attendance date that is past the 50 percent point). The calculation of return of these funds may result in the student owing a balance to the Seminary and/or the Dept. of Education.
If the loan amount disbursed to the student is greater than the amount the student earned, unearned funds must be returned to the Dept. of Education. The student will be responsible for any balance due on the school account after Title IV funds have been returned. The student’s responsibility includes earned Title IV aid due to the lender and any tuition and fees due to the institution. Any return of funds to the Department of Education are covered by the terms and conditions of the original master promissory note executed between the student and the Department of Education, and repayment of these funds will follow those terms and conditions.
The student must return his or her portion of unearned Title IV aid owed to PTS within 45 days or they will be referred to the U.S. Department of Education for collection. The student will remain ineligible to receive future Title IV aid until his/her obligation is paid in full. If the Return of Title IV funds calculation results in a credit balance on the students’ account, the school must notify the student within 30 days allowing the student at least 14 days to accept or decline the post disbursement funds. Students must reply to accept or decline at 423-478-7727 or finaid@ptseminary.edu the student’s credit balance must be disbursed as soon as possible and no later than 14 days after the calculation of their return of funds.
Students that accept a post-withdrawal disbursement will have their post-withdrawal disbursement applied to their student account first and any credit resulting from the disbursement will be sent to the student (via the means of disbursement as requested on file at PTS). The institution may apply a portion of the post-withdrawal disbursement funds for tuition and fees. For all other school charges, a student must give authorization to PTS to apply these funds to the student’s charges. Please note that it is in the student’s best interest to apply the post withdrawal disbursement to the school charges to reduce their school debt. If the student’s response it not within the allotted time frame or the student declines the post withdrawal funds, we will return any earned funds being held to the appropriate Title IV Program.
The post withdrawal funds will be disbursed via direct deposit or by check via U.S. Postal Service (as requested by the student in writing on the Credit Balance Form in the Business
Office). If a direct deposit request is not on file, these funds will be mailed via U.S. Postal service directly to the student. If the credit balance check is not claimed by the student and is returned to the school, the funds will be returned to the Title IV Program. If the student does not claim the funds, the funds must be returned to the Dept. of Education no later than 240 days from the date the check was issued.
Students may authorize PTS to apply their post disbursement to their prior PTS educational expenses by completing an Authorization Form. This is available under the Forms page in the PTS Populi Portal and can be submitted to finaid@ptseminary.edu .