For financial aid purposes, academic progress is reviewed and certified at the end of each academic year by the Office of Financial Aid. Students are expected to maintain satisfactory progress based on qualitative standards (GPA) and quantitative standards (the number of courses completed.)
| By the end of | GPA | Courses completed |
|---|---|---|
| First year | 1.80 | 6 |
| Second year | 2.00 | 14 |
| Third year | 2.00 | 22 |
| Fourth year | 2.00 | 32 |
Eligibility for federal aid will be subject to the standards noted above. State aid is subject to the State Aid Guidelines for academic progress.
Students may have to take courses at their own expense in order to regain eligibility for federal aid. Those who wish to take courses at another institution should seek approval from the registrar in advance since not all courses may be transferable. Grades from courses taken at other institutions are not transferable and therefore cannot affect the GPA for academic progress standards.
Note: Federal and institutional aid will be suspended for any student(s) convicted of violating any federal or state drug possession or sale law.
Students may appeal the decision and the loss of federal aid by completing the Request to Appeal Loss of Title IV (Federal) Financial Aid Eligibility Due to Academic Progress which can be located under their Unsatisfied Requirements on their my.lafayette.edu. The Request to Appeal Loss of Title IV (Federal) Financial Aid Eligibility Due to Academic Progress must be submitted within two weeks of receiving the emailed Satisfactory Academic Progress notification.
Any changes to this policy and/or the academic progress standards will be posted on this website. Students may appeal the decision and the loss of federal aid by completing the Request to Appeal Loss of Title IV (Federal) Financial Aid Eligibility Due to Academic Progress which can be located under their Unsatisfied Requirements on their my.lafayette.edu.
It is your responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office of any grade-level changes due to additional coursework over the interim or summer courses and if you wish to request additional loan eligibility amounts during any given academic year.
Incomplete course work and withdrawals will not count toward the academic progress calculation. A withdrawal could affect academic progress if it causes you to fall below the quantitative standards for completed courses. In certain cases, students may need to make up the course at their own expense until they regain eligibility for aid.
According to federal guidelines, students have up to a maximum of 12 semesters of federal aid to complete their graduation requirements and are subject to the aggregate loan limits under the Direct Loan program. Lafayette College-funded aid is limited to a maximum of eight semesters.
Students who begin their enrollment at Lafayette in the spring semester must meet the same GPA requirements at the end of each academic year and will be prorated at 50% for the courses completed as stated above for the first semester.
Last-semester seniors approved for prorated enrollment status should expect to have their grants, scholarships and/or loans adjusted accordingly. Students must be enrolled at least half time to receive state, federal and/or institutional financial aid.
Students studying abroad may not receive the transcript of courses in advance of the grade-level and academic progress certification. A student in good standing prior to the study abroad will be certified as making progress for student aid and the loans will be processed at the grade level in place prior to the abroad term.
Academic progress will be checked when the study abroad grades are received to determine future eligibility for financial aid.
Financial aid students with academic concerns should contact the Office of Financial Aid, Office of the Dean of Advising and Co-curricular Programs, and/or Office of the Registrar with any questions.
Any changes to this policy and/or the academic progress standards will be posted on this website.