University Undergraduate Advising Handbook

STUDENT AID (FINANCIAL AID)
314 Shields Building,
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-6301

Credits Required for Aid Eligibility
Academic Actions that Affect Aid Eligibility

CREDITS REQUIRED FOR AID ELIGIBILITY

The regulations for the federal, state, and institutional aid sources require Penn State's Office of Student Aid to monitor a student's progress toward the completion of his/her academic program. To comply with this requirement, the University has established a Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard, stated below. Other factors, such as enrollment in the summer preceding an academic year, can also affect eligibility. Therefore, student aid recipients who are considering dropping a course should contact Student Aid.

If a student enrolls in 12 or more credits each semester, he/she must complete a minimum of 12 credits each semester to maintain aid eligibility.

If a student enrolls in fewer than 12 credits, he/she must complete all credits attempted to maintain eligibility.

ACADEMIC ACTIONS THAT AFFECT AID ELIGIBILITY

A number of academic situations can affect a student's eligibility for financial aid:

Auditing a Course: Audited credits are not counted toward financial aid eligibility.

Failing a Course: If a student receives an F in a course, the credits are not counted toward financial aid eligibility.

Leave of Absence: A student should contact the Office of Student Aid or the student aid representative at his/her Penn State campus before taking a leave of absence to discuss any potential problems with aid eligibility.

Nondegree Enrollment: Nondegree students are not eligible for student aid.

Reducing Credit Load by Dropping or Late Dropping a Course or Withdrawing: Information on Withdrawal and Aid and Dropping Credits and Aid is available on the Student Aid Web site. These actions can impact eligibility even when processed retroactively by petitioning the University Faculty Senate.

Repeating a Course: Credits earned in a course that is repeated are counted in meeting completed credit requirements for federal financial aid. However, many state grant agencies will not count repeated courses in their credit requirements. A student should check with his/her state grant agency when considering repeating a course.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grading: Credits satisfactorily completed under this grading system are counted toward financial aid eligibility.

Scheduling Courses at Another Institution: A student who wants to temporarily attend a school other than Penn State should consult with the Office of Student Aid or the student aid representative at his/her Penn State campus .

Transferring to Another Institution: A student interested in transferring to another institution should contact the Office of Student Aid or the student aid representative at his/her Penn State campus to find out what steps to take in order to continue to receive aid after transferring.

More information is available on the Office of Student Aid Web site.