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The Federal Government requires that all students who receive Federal Aid (Grants, Loans, Work-Study) must be working towards completion of their degree at TXWES. Also, if you are a recipient of a state grant, institutional scholarship, or an endowed scholarship, you must be working towards the completion of your declared major to maintain funding.
How is Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) measured?
Undergraduate Students: The academic calendar at TXWES begins in summer, fall, and spring. Your SAP will be calculated at the end of each semester. To remain in ‘GOOD” standing you must be earning a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.00 and have an overall completion rate of 67 percent. This means that you are required to pass 67 percent of all the courses that you attempt at TXWES.
Graduate Students: The minimum cumulative GPA for graduate students is 3.00 for the first term of enrollment and you are required to maintain a 3.00 for all subsequent semesters. As a graduate student, you should pass all your courses each semester. Be aware that when you apply and are accepted to graduate school, your SAP will be measured according to graduate student classification, whether a bachelor’s degree has been earned.
Upon being admitted to TXWES, we will calculate your SAP status. Federal Regulations mandate that we include ALL semesters that the student has attended at TXWES. We will not exclude any semesters where you were not receiving any federal or state aid.
How long can I receive Financial Aid?
Federal regulations stipulate that a student may receive federal aid for up to 150 percent of their declared program. This limit is effective whether financial aid was received when pursuing your degree. This calculation includes all credit hours registered for, earned, or attempted at any institution of higher education. This includes hours you have dropped, withdrawn from, failed, repeated, or never completed. College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and some military hours are subject to further evaluation. If you exceed the maximum number of hours allowed for your degree plan, your financial aid will be suspended.
How do I calculate my maximum hour limit?
Example: Mia is a first-year student at TXWES. TXWES is the first college attended for the academic career. The degree requires 120 credits. 120 X 150 percent = 180 credits. Mia will be paid financial aid for up to 180 credits. The degree may be completed early or it might take up to 180 credits to complete the degree. However, once reached 180 credits, financial aid will be suspended.
How do I calculate my maximum hour limit?
Example: Luther transferred into TXWES with 48 credits that apply towards their declared degree. Their degree requires 125 credits. 125 X 150 percent = 188 credits. Because Luther has earned 48 credits from another institution that will apply towards his degree, (188-48 = 140 credits) TXWES will pay for 140 credits for Luther to complete their degree.
Example: Michael earned their Bachelors’ degree at TXWES. They returned to complete a graduate degree. The graduate degree requires 60 credits. Michael received financial aid for their entire undergraduate degree. He is now a graduate student and none of the undergraduate classes apply towards his graduate studies. 60 X 150 percent = 90 credits. Michael may receive Direct Unsubsidized loans for up to 90 credits.
What are passing grades for TXWES SAP Policy?
A grade is assigned for each course in which a student is regularly enrolled. A passing grade may be earned only if the student is enrolled for the duration of the course. The following grades are used by TXWES.
- Passing Grades: A, B, C, D, P*, and CR* *Not counted in calculating grade point average (GPA).
- Non-Passing Grades: F, WF, DP, I, NR, T, W - These grades may appear on the transcript in place of a grade but are not included in the GPA calculation. Also, they are not passing grades for Financial Aid purposes.
- Auditing Classes: Federal and State Aid pay for credit classes only. Auditing classes are not eligible for Federal or State aid.
Remedial (Ram Success) Classes (courses that are below 1000 level):
Federal Regulations allow you to take 30 remedial credits at TXWES. These 30 remedial credits will NOT be counted against your maximum timeframe. However, they will be counted towards your cumulative GPA at TXWES.
Repeating Courses:
Federal regulations limit the number of times a student may repeat a course and receive federal financial aid for that course.
- A student may receive federal financial aid when repeating a course that was previously failed.
- A student may receive federal financial aid to repeat a previously passed course (with a D or better, including a Pass grade) one additional time, whether a student received federal financial aid for an earlier enrollment of the course.
- Once a student has completed any course twice and earned a passing grade (with a D or better, including a Pass grade) they are no longer eligible to receive federal financial aid for that course.
- If a student retakes a course that is no longer eligible for financial aid, the credits are excluded from the total enrollment and the student’s financial aid will be adjusted to exclude these credits.
Pass (P) or Fail (F) Classes:
An undergraduate student may take a maximum of five (5) elective courses (15 hours) towards a degree in which the student may choose to be graded on a “Pass/Fail” basis. Courses in which the grades of Pass or Fail are regularly awarded to all students enrolled do not count among these five courses.
Keep in mind that Financial Aid will pay for Pass and Fail Courses. However, you need to be mindful of your maximum timeframe and the completion of your degree at TXWES.
How do I know what my SAP Status is at TXWES?
- S = Satisfactory - You are in good standing and meet GPA and Pace requirements.
- W = Warning - Cumulative GPA is below 2.00 or your pace is below 67 percent. You may still receive financial aid for one semester. If at the end of that semester you have not pulled up your GPA or pace, your SAP status may go to “Unsatisfactory.”
- U = Unsatisfactory - Cumulative GPA is below 2.00 and pace is below 67%. (Remember you were granted one term of warning but were not able to bring your grades up to meet SAP). Your State and Federal Aid are suspended. Your institutional aid and scholarships are suspended as well.
- P = Probation - You filed a Financial Aid Appeal because you were in an Unsatisfactory status. The Financial Aid Office approved your appeal, and you are now placed on Probation. You will have a full academic year to bring your SAP status into compliance. (You need to maintain a cumulative 2.00 GPA and pass 67% of all the courses that you attempt at TXWES to earn your degree).
- MW= Max Time Frame - You have reached your maximum timeframe for receiving Financial Aid.
Appeal Process:
Federal Regulations state that students must have an option to appeal to have their financial aid reinstated. If you find yourself in ‘Unsatisfactory Academic Progress’ status in the financial aid office, you may file an appeal.
The Financial Aid Appeal form asks that you submit a written appeal with supporting documentation for reinstatement of financial aid eligibility. Mitigating circumstances may include:
- Significant injury of the student and/or the student’s immediate family
- Serious extended illness of the student and/or the student’s immediate family
- Death of the student’s relative or immediate family members
- COVID 19 complications for students or immediate family members
You must meet with your Academic Advisor to map out your next semester. Use this opportunity to get your academic career back on track.
If you have any questions about filing an appeal, visit or contact the Financial Aid Office.
Maximum Time Frame Appeal Process:
Federal regulations stipulate that a student may be allocated ‘additional credits to complete their degree. At TXWES our goal is to make sure that you leave with a degree from TXWES. Therefore, if you have reached your maximum timeframe, you may petition for additional credits to complete your degree. This is done for undergraduate and graduate students.
You will need to complete the Petition to Extend Appeal. You must explain why you were not able to complete your degree within the 150 percent maximum timeframe.
You must meet with your Academic Advisor to map ALL the classes you must take for your degree. If your appeal is approved, we will pay for the courses required to complete your degree.
If you have any questions about filing a Petition to Extend, visit or contact the Financial Aid Office.
How Many Appeals can I have?
Each student can have two (2) SAP Appeals and one (1) Petition-To-Extend during their academic career at TXWES.
The Office of Financial Aid may make exceptions to this policy due to extenuating circumstances.
What if I want to withdraw from all my classes during the semester?
Check in with the Office of Financial Aid if you are considering dropping a course or dropping all your classes. This may result in you owing funds back to The Department of Education. You must attend and participate in all your classes for up to 60 percent of the semester. Failure to comply may result in a repayment and suspension of your financial aid at TXWES.
Each student’s situation is different, so check in with the Office of Financial Aid so that we can assist you with making the best decision.
How Do I Avoid Unsatisfactory Progress?
- Attend and participate in all the classes that you register for
- If you are struggling in your class, talk with your instructor or Academic Advisor
- If you have questions about your financial aid, quickly visit to see a Financial Aid Advisor. Staff are available to meet with students in person, or on the phone, Monday - Friday, 8:30 - 4:00 p.m. (closed on Holidays and Fridays during June - July)
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