Types of Financial Aid

MACC is authorized to participate in the Federal Pell Grant Program, the Federal Stafford Loan Program (Subsidized and Unsubsidized), the Federal College Work-Study, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, Access Missouri Grant, Marguerite Ross Barnett Scholarship, and Bright Flight.

General Eligibility Requirements

To receive financial aid from federal and state programs the student must:

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
2. Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
3. Be registered with Selective Service if male, at least 18 years of age and born after December 31, 1959, and not currently a member of the active armed forces. (Register online at www.sss.gov).
4. Demonstrate financial need if applying for need-based aid.
5. Be enrolled at least half-time (audited and other non-credit classes do not apply).
6. Be working toward a degree or certificate.
7. Make satisfactory academic progress as defined by MACC's Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
8. Not be in default on any loan or owe a refund on any grant made under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, at any institution.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Guidelines

Moberly Area Community College students receiving federal financial aid are required to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards, according to federal and state laws and regulations. Being eligible to enroll in classes does not mean the student has an eligible SAP status for financial aid. Academic records are reviewed for all students receiving financial aid or being considered for financial aid from the following sources:

	• Federal Pell Grant	• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
	• Missouri A+ Scholarship	• Access Missouri Grant
	• Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan	• Veterans Benefits
	• Federal Work-Study Program	• MACC Scholarships and Fee Waivers
	• Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program (Subsidized and Unsubsidized)

The review of a student's SAP status is based on the entire academic record, even if the student did not receive financial aid for previous semesters of enrollment. This includes all transfer credit hours being accepted by the College and Developmental courses taken at MACC. The SAP status is monitored after each semester's grades are posted.

After each semester has ended, a student's SAP status will be calculated. A student who received federal aid in that semester will receive a notice from the MACC Financial Aid Office if he or she did not meet the SAP requirements. Financial aid awards for subsequent semesters will be adjusted accordingly.

A student is considered to have an eligible SAP status if he or she:

Maintains the required Cumulative Grade Point Average. All MACC students are expected to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or better. However, to remain in acceptable status, a student must maintain a cumulative GPA in his or her program of study in accordance with the following criteria:

Number of Hours Completed	Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average
Less Than 30 Hours	1.85 CGPA
30 and above	2.0 CGPA

Satisfactorily completes enough credit hours to have a pace of completion of 67.0% or higher each semester. Students are expected to complete at least 67.0 percent of their total attempted classes. The total number of attempted credit hours are multiplied by 0.67 to obtain the minimum hours that the student must have completed successfully. Rounding down is not permitted. For example:

Attempted Hours	Required Pace	Minimum Hours Required	Hours Required- Rounded Up
32	0.67	21.44	22
24	0.67	16.08	17
15	0.67	10.05	11
12	0.67	8.04	9
9	0.67	6.03	7
6	0.67	4.02	5
5	0.67	3.35	4
4	0.67	2.68	3

A student who receives a final grade of "A", "B", "C", "D" or "P" for a course has successfully completed those credit hours. However, withdrawals from classes or a final grade of "F", "I", "WD", “WS”, or “NR” are not considered satisfactory. Transfer hours accepted by MACC will be used in calculating the remaining semesters of financial aid eligibility and the minimum hours to be completed.

Will graduate within 150% of the credit hours required to complete the program. A student who maintains the standards for academic progress is allowed to receive aid until the maximum credit hour limit is reached, or the requirements for the current declared degree are reached. A student is not allowed to receive aid if he or she has attempted more than 150% of the credit hours required to complete a specific program. For example, a student seeking a degree requiring 64 credit hours may attempt a total of 96 credit hours. This is referred to as the "maximum-time policy".

Financial Aid Warning

A student who has not met the minimum CGPA requirement, AND/OR has not completed the minimum credit hours will be assigned a classification of Warning for one subsequent semester. During the Warning semester a student may receive financial assistance.

Financial Aid Suspension

If a student does not attain SAP during the Warning semester, the student will be assigned a classification of Financial Aid Suspension, and consequently, is ineligible for financial aid for subsequent semesters.

Other situations that will cause Financial Aid Suspension include withdrawal from all classes, earning all “F's”, or finishing a semester with a combination of withdrawals and “F’s”; or, suspension from the College. A student will be notified in writing if he or she is placed on Financial Aid Suspension.

Developmental Hours

A student may receive financial aid for a Developmental course if the course is required for placement into a course that is required for a student’s declared degree at MACC. Developmental courses are not considered college-level semester hours; therefore, letter grades earned in Developmental courses are designation only and are not included in any grade point average calculation. Completion of a Developmental course with a satisfactory grade will be evaluated as a completed course in the pace of progression calculation.

Repeated Courses

Students may receive most financial aid programs for repeating courses; however, if retaking a previously passed course, financial aid can only be used for one repeat of the course. Any courses that are repeated will be used in the calculation of a student's Satisfactory Academic Progress status. A grade earned in a repeated course replaces the previously earned grade, if higher; this may positively affect CGPA. The Missouri A+ Scholarship will not pay for a course more than one time.

Reinstatement of Financial Aid/Appeal Procedures

A student who is ineligible for financial aid can become eligible for financial aid again by fulfilling one of the following conditions:

	1.	Enroll in a subsequent semester (at the students own expenses) and eliminate the academic deficiencies by: 1) successfully completing the pace of completion requirement, and/or, 2) complete enough credit hours to achieve the minimum cumulative GPA; or,
	2.	Successfully appeal the ineligible status by demonstrating unforeseen, documentable extenuating circumstances.

A student with unforeseen, documentable extenuating circumstances who is ineligible for financial aid may appeal in writing by obtaining an Academic Progress Appeal form from the Financial Aid Office or online. For each semester in which the student did not meet the required CGPA and/or a semester completion rate of at least 67.0%, the student must submit information and documentation explaining why the SAP standards were not met and what has changed that will allow the student to meet SAP in the future. The appeal form and all required supporting documentation must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office before an appeal will be considered. The Financial Aid Office will respond in writing to an appeal fifteen (15) to twenty (20) business days after it is received.

Circumstances for an appeal that will be considered include unexpected injury or illness of the student, work schedule change, daycare or transportation problems, death of a close family member or other unforeseen extenuating circumstances. For those students who are appealing because they have exceeded the maximum timeframe, in addition to the reasons already listed, the appeals committee would consider classes taken toward a second degree.

Financial Aid Probation

If a student's appeal is approved, he/she will be placed on Financial Aid Probation. While on Probation, the student may receive financial aid for one semester. In order to be eligible for aid for subsequent semesters, the student must meet the terms of the appeal. For all Probation students this includes:

	•	Successfully complete all the courses attempted during the semester with no withdrawals from classes (including withdrawals after the financial aid freeze date, even if the class has not started), or a final grade of "F" (failing), "I" (incomplete), "WD/WU/WS" (withdrawn), or NR (not recorded).
	•	Maintain a semester grade point average of 2.00 or higher.
	•	If requesting an extension of the 150% timeframe, successfully complete my degree or certificate within the date listed on my appeal, and by following the academic plan and timeframe provided in my appeal.
	•	Follow any other academic plan stipulations listed in the appeal approval notice.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Some financial aid programs may have specific academic progress criteria that recipients are required to maintain for eligibility in addition to the SAP standards established by MACC. For example, the A+ Program, Access Missouri Grant, and most Institutional scholarships require a minimum grade point average of 2.50 for renewal and may require a higher completion rate. Financial aid programs with specific academic progress guidelines are not eligible for reinstatement by appeal. Please refer to specific financial aid program guidelines for credit hour and GPA requirements.