Financial Aid: Satisfactory Academic Progress

All students are required to maintain certain standards of academic performance called Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), including those who receive federal financial aid. A student must make satisfactory progress toward the completion of his/her degree or certificate program.
NPC has both a qualitative and quantitative measure of academic progress:

Qualitative Requirement: Maintain a minimum cumulative (based on at least 2 semesters of course work) grade point average of 2.0 or above;
Quantitative Requirements: Satisfactorily complete at least 67% of the courses in which the student is enrolled, based on the following schedule:

Credit Hour Load:	67% Minimum Completion Each Semester:
Full-time based on 12 or more credits	completes 8 cr.
3/4 time based on 9 - 11 credits	completes 6 cr.
1/2 time based on 6 - 8 credits	completes 4 cr.

Students enrolled for 5.0 or fewer credits must complete the number of hours funded (i.e., if a student is funded for 4 credits hours, the student must complete the 4 credit hours).

"Satisfactory Completion" means earning a passing grade of A, B, C, D, or P. Grades of I, W, or F are not considered passing grades.

Students may be funded up to 150% of published program length with or without financial aid based on a 2-year program (64 credit hours x 150% = funded up to 96 credit hours) of study. This includes all attempted NPC courses as well as all transfer, CLEP and assessed credit hours. In addition, this includes all semesters at NPC with or without financial assistance.

Exception: Students accepted and enrolled in NPC's Nursing Program may be funded up to 124.50 credit hours, including all attempted NPC courses and all transfer, CLEP and assessed credits.

Academic Progress toward the degree/certificate program will be measured at the end of each semester.
Students may repeat a course four (4) times (if passing grade is not received) and receive financial aid funding provided all academic progress requirements are met. Also, students may receive funding for a maximum of six (6) repeatable special projects or special classes.
Eligibility for federal financial aid is limited for students required to take "pre-college" TLC/BSK courses at NPC. Students are limited to the equivalent of 1 year, or 30 credit hours of approved TLC/BSK classes. Ineligible TLC/BSK classes will not be funded and will be counted toward the 30 credit limit.

Students who do not meet SAP Requirements Will:

1st be placed on Probation

2nd be placed on Suspension

Financial Aid Probation

Recipients of Student Financial Assistance will receive a probation notice after any semester in which their cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 and/or they fail to satisfactorily complete 67% of the credit hours in which they are enrolled.

The probation letter serves as a WARNING to the student that s/he did not maintain satisfactory academic progress during the last semester of attendance at NPC. Students are eligible to continue to receive financial assistance while on probation if all other eligibility requirements are met. Students will be removed from probationary status after completing the following semester in good academic standing.

Financial Aid Suspension

Recipients of financial assistance will be suspended from aid if they fail to meet the 2.0 minimum cumulative grade point average, and/or fail to complete 67% of their enrollment for 2 semesters of academic course work.

A student who has been suspended from financial aid may continue to enroll in classes at NPC without receiving financial aid assistance.

A student will be reinstated or required to reapply for their financial aid after completing six (6) credit hours at NPC for which they have paid expenses in full with no third party assistance (i.e., Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Voc-Rehab, Tribal, tuition waiver, etc.). Student must also meet all Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. A student is also required to contact NPC's Financial Aid Office once requirements are met.

Financial Aid Appeal

Students who are suspended from financial aid may appeal their eligibility status to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee by filing a

Petition for Reinstatement form. Such an appeal should be based on extenuating circumstances as documented by the student.

Petition for Reinstatement forms are available by contacting NPC's Financial Aid Office.

Financial Aid Helpful Hints!

Have you registered for a PIN?

Register for a Personal Identification Number (PIN) at www.pin.ed.gov. PIN is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
Sign your FAFSA with your PIN. If you are providing parents' information, one parent must also apply for a PIN.

Have you done your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a Renewal FAFSA (for continuing students), must be completed each school year.
Complete the FAFSA application at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
NPC's Federal School Code is 011862.

Complete your NPC Financial Aid Information Sheet.

Contact the NPC Financial Aid Office or an NPC Academic Advisor or download the form.
Additional information may be required; the NPC Financial Aid Office will contact you.

Do you have a degree plan/audit yet?

See your NPC Academic Advisor.