State University of New York Institute of Technology
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Academic Requirements for
Financial Aid Eligibility


What are the academic requirements for students receiving financial aid?
To be academically eligible for financial aid, you must:

1)  be matriculated (accepted into a degree program);
2)  be enrolled for at least:
    • 6 credit hours for the federal aid programs (you may qualify for Pell at less than half time);
    • 12 credit hours (6 during the summer) for the New York Tuition Assistance Program (TAP);
    • at least 3 but less than 12 credit hours for the New York Aid For Part-Time Study (APTS) program; and
3)  be in good academic standing as defined later in this document.
What aid programs are covered by these requirements?
All financial aid programs are covered by these requirements. These include but are not limited to the following:
  • Federal Pell Grant
  • Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
  • Federal Work Study Program
  • Federal Direct Student Loan Programs
  • Federal Nursing Student Loan Program
  • Federal Perkins Loan Program
  • NYS Tuition Assistance Program
  • NYS Aid for Part-Time Study Program
  • NYS Vietnam Veterans Tuition Awards
  • NYS Health Service Corps Scholarships

Why do I have to meet these requirements to receive financial aid?
In the early 1980s, students would enroll for classes, collect their financial aid refunds and then stop attending classes. They would then enroll for the next semester, again collect their financial aid and then stop attending classes, in effect making no progress toward earning a degree. To stop this abuse, both the federal and state governments required colleges to establish academic requirements that students must meet in order to continue receiving financial aid.

If I am a graduate student, do I have to meet the same criteria as an undergraduate?
Yes, the criteria listed on this site and in the SUNYIT catalog apply to both graduate and undergraduate students.

What do I have to do to be in good academic standing for federal aid?
In order to remain academically eligible for federal financial aid programs, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Reasonable Length of Time Requirement: must meet all degree requirements within 150% of the credit hours needed to earn the degree; and
  • Minimum Scholastic Requirement: must maintain a cumulative grade point average greater than that which would result in your academic dismissal; and
  • Measurable Progress Requirement: must pass at least one course each semester and 66% of all SUNYIT credit hours attempted (66% measurement begins when you have attempted 24 credit hours).
Are the requirements for New York State aid programs different?
Yes. While the three categories are the same, the individual criteria differ.

First, the cumulative grade point average you must maintain varies according to the number of state awards you have received. As a general rule, if you maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average you will meet this requirement.

Second, the number of credit hours you must complete each semester varies according to the number of state awards you have received. As a general rule, if you complete at least 12 credit hours each semester you will meet this requirement. Please note that while you must pass the credit hours for federal financial aid, you only need to complete the credit hours for state financial aid. In addition to "A-D", grades of "F", "S", "U" and "I" are also considered completed.

Third, the total number of credit hours you have accumulated toward your degree increases with each additional state award. This means the number of hours you transferred in plus the number of hours you passed at SUNYIT must be equal to or greater than the number required for your next state award.

Please refer to the Good Academic Standing paragraph of the Financial Aid Information section of the SUNYIT Undergraduate College Catalog for detailed information about these requirements.

Can I receive financial aid for a course I'm repeating?
Courses you are retaking to improve your grade will count toward the minimum hours enrolled requirement for the federal aid programs. However, a repeated course will count toward the minimum hours enrolled requirement for state aid only if your original grade failed to meet the minimum grade required for the course. For example, accounting majors must have a "C" or better in all courses in their major. If the student wanted to retake a required course because he/she received an "F" or "D" that course would count toward the minimum credit hours for state aid. However, if the student previously received a "C" or better grade, the repeated course would not count.

What happens if I withdraw from a course?
Any classes you withdraw from will not count toward the number of hours you must "pass" for federal aid or "complete" for state aid.

What happens if I don't meet the federal academic requirements?
If you do not meet the federal academic requirements, you will be placed on financial aid suspension. Therefore, you will lose your eligibility for federal aid until the requirement has been met during a subsequent semester.

Does failing to meet the New York State requirements result in suspension?
Yes. The failure to meet any of the state requirements results in the loss of eligibility for state awards for subsequent semesters.

If I am academically dismissed, withdraw from all classes, or do not pass any classes, do I lose my eligibility for financial aid?
Yes, you would be placed on financial aid suspension and would lose your eligibility for financial aid for subsequent semesters.

If I am on financial aid suspension can I still take out student loans?
No. Student loans are part of the federal financial aid family and as such are subject to the same academic eligibility requirements as the other federal aid programs.

There must be some way I can regain my eligibility for financial aid.
Actually, there are three ways you can re-establish your eligibility for your next semester of enrollment.

1. An otherwise academically successful student (usually defined as a student maintaining at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average and passing 66% of their total credit hours attempted) can receive a one-time waiver of the Good Academic Standing requirements. This can be accomplished in one of two ways:

  • If you have been academically dismissed and re-admitted to the college and have not already received a waiver, you will receive an automatic one-time waiver of the Good Academic Standing requirements (Federal Aid only).
  • If extraordinary circumstances of a one-time nature (death in the family, prolonged medical condition which prevented you from attending classes, etc.) result in your not meeting the minimum standards, you can submit a Request for Waiver form to the Financial Aid Office along with supporting documentation. If warranted, a waiver may be granted for federal and/or state aid programs.

2. You can enroll at SUNYIT and pay your college costs (tuition, fees, etc.) from your own resources and/or other aid programs for which you remain eligible. Once you meet the appropriate standards, including passing at least one course each semester and a total of 66% of all SUNYIT credit hours attempted, your eligibility would be reinstated for your next semester of enrollment. (Federal and State Aid)

3. If you do not enroll at SUNYIT during the 12 month period immediately following the semester in which you lost your eligibility your eligibility would be reinstated for your next semester of enrollment. (Federal and State Aid - This does not apply to the 2.0 cumulative grade point average requirement for the Tuition Assistance Program)

If I have a grade changed from an "I" or "F" to a passing grade would my eligibility be reinstated?
It would depend on whether your revised hours passed and cumulative grade point average met the minimums. It would be your responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office of such a grade change at which time we would review your status.

I would like additional information about the Good Academic Standing requirements. Where would I look?
A detailed description of the Good Academic Standing requirements is published in the SUNYIT Undergraduate College Catalog. Further, please give us a call or stop by the Financial Aid Office should you wish to discuss these requirements.






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