MINERAL AREA COLLEGE
MINIMUM ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY

(Effective July 1, 2011)

To maintain academic eligibility for federal & state financial assistance, a student must successfully complete a minimum of two-thirds of all course-work attempted each semester. * (See footnotes)

A minimum cumulative grade point average** of 2.0 or higher is required.

A student who fails to meet the above criteria will be placed on financial aid warning for the next semester of enrollment.  A student receiving financial aid while on financial aid warning must meet the minimum requirements or become not eligible for future aid at Mineral Area College.

Student not meeting the above standards may regain academic eligibility to receive financial assistance if after succeeding semester(s) he/she accumulates 12 or more credit hours with a 2.0 G.P.A. in those 12 or more credit hours. 

In the event of extenuating circumstances, the student may write a letter of appeal to the Director of Financial Aid requesting to be considered for retention of financial aid eligibility. The letter of appeal must include a degree plan completed by the student's academic advisor indicating cources that remain for completion of the student's degree. If the student does not agree with the Director's decision, he/she may request a hearing with the Dean of Students.

If an appeal is approved, the student will be placed on financial aid probation; students on probation may still receive financial aid, if they qualify. Students who receive financial aid while on probationary status must follow the academic plan as provided by their academic advisor. If a student fails to make academic progress during this probationary semester, the student will return to financial aid suspension and financial aid eligibility will be terminated. The student would then be required to accumulate 12 or more credit hours with a 2.0 G.P.A., in order to regain financial aid eligibility.

Students have a maximum number of semesters in which to complete their degree as follows:

A student pursuing a certificate that requires 30 or more credit hours for completion may attempt up to a maximum of 45 hours.  A student not meeting the above minimum academic standards or maximum time frame is not eligible for financial aid at Mineral Area College.

The minimum standards apply to the following programs:

Federal Student Loan Programs
Federal Grant Programs
Missouri Grant and Scholarship Programs
Federal College Work Study Programs

*TOTAL CREDIT HOURS ATTEMPTED will be verified at the end of the 20th  day of class work each semester. Grades of A,B,C,D,F,I and W are included in total credit hours attempted. (Withdrawals before the verification date and audit course are not counted in attempted course work.)

**CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE includes grades of A, B, C, D, and F.  A student on financial assistance may repeat a course one time in which a required grade was not attained.

***THE MAXIMUM TIME FRAME includes all terms of enrollment and credit hours attempted, even those for which the student did not receive aid from the Federal Student Aid Programs.