(effective with the entering Fall 2005 first-time freshman class.)

First-time freshman students who receive a grade of D or F in a course within their first two terms in residence are eligible to repeat the course and have the original grade excluded from the computation of academic average. Grade substitution may be used only once per course, with a maximum of two courses total. More information is outlined at www.registrar.gatech.edu.

Impact of Grade Substitution Policy on the HOPE Scholarship:

All credit hours attempted after high school graduation are calculated when determining HOPE Scholarship eligibility, even if a course is forgiven by the institution. Therefore, if a student utilizes the Grade Substitution policy and repeats a course, the credits and grades issued in both occurrences are included in the HOPE calculations. For example, if a student takes MATH 1501 (Calculus I) and earns a "D" in the course, retakes the course and earns a "B", then applies for a grade substitution, both Calculus courses would be included in his HOPE Attempted Hours and GPA." Note that HOPE is also subject to the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy discussed below. Visit www.finaid.gatech.edu/hope for more information on the HOPE Scholarship.

Impact of Grade Substitution Policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Georgia Tech's SAP policy has three components. See "Satisfactory Academic Progress" for the complete policy.

The quantitative and maximum time frame standards refer to number of attempted hours and are not impacted by this policy. It is important to note, however, that repeated coursework does not count as additional hours earned for purposes of determining Satisfactory Academic Progress. This is true whether or not grade substitution is requested for the repeated class.

The Qualitative Standard, the third component of the SAP Policy, looks at a student's official cumulative GT GPA to determine if it meets the requirement for the student's grade level. If a student's official GPA is recalculated, eligibility from that date forward is evaluated based on the new GPA. Any change in eligibility would not be retroactive to prior terms. Similarly, decisions about eligibility may not be based on anticipated changes to GPA. The requirements are that the student must maintain a cumulative minimum grade point average of 1.7 as a freshman, 1.9 as a sophomore, 2.0 as a junior and senior, and 2.7 as a graduate student

To ensure that Georgia Institute of Technology is in compliance with all Federal, State, private, and Institutional policies, the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid (OSFA) must be aware of all types of student assistance (federal, school, state, private, etc.) received by students regardless of the source.

1. All monies awarded to students must be administered in a way that ensures any information the school receives is communicated to and coordinated by the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid (OSFA) in collaboration with the Bursar’s Office.
2. Awards must comply with all fund specific requirements/restrictions.
3. Students must be enrolled in course work to be eligible to receive the payment. Payments requested for any non-current term either past or future, co-op, or internship work periods must be reviewed/approved by the Director of OSFA.
4. If required, awards will be adjusted to resolve any over award situations, including adjustments to awards that exceed the student’s total cost of attendance.

Certain groups of students are required to purchase health insurance. Students for whom insurance is not mandatory may purchase insurance voluntarily.

Mandatory Groups:

Undergraduate and Graduate International Students holding "F" or "J" visa status.

Undergraduate and Graduate Students enrolled in academic programs that require proof of health insurance.

Graduate Students receiving Qualified Graduate Assistantships, defined as any type of graduate assistantship of at least 1/3 time. This includes general graduate assistantships, teaching assistantships, laboratory assistantships, and research assistantships, regardless of the source of funds; as well as Graduate School Assistantships and Graduate Recruitment Opportunity (GRO) assistantships.

Graduate Students receiving Qualified Fellowships, defined as fellowships administered by the Institution that provide funding for the student in an amount equal to or greater than the prevailing in-state tuition rate for graduate students. Such fellowships include, but are not limited to, Institution Presidential Graduate Fellowships, National Research Service Awards, National Science Foundation Fellowships, and other state and federally funded fellowships.

Graduate Students receiving Qualified Training Grants, defined as state or federally funded training grants administered by the Institution that provide funding for the student in an amount equal to or greater than the prevailing in-state tuition rate for graduate students.

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires institutions of higher education to establish and apply standards of academic progress that must be met by all students in order to qualify and remain eligible for assistance from the Title IV student financial aid programs. Georgia Tech has elected to apply the standards set forth below to all students who receive aid from any of the following programs: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE), Federal Work-Study (FWS), Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Student Loan, the Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, and Institute grants and scholarships. The standards against which applicants for and recipients of financial assistance are measured include both qualitative and quantitative measures.

Qualitative

You must maintain a cumulative minimum grade point average of:

1.7 as a freshman,

1.9 as a sophomore,

2.0 as a junior and senior,

3.0 for a Masters program, effective Summer 2012 (previously 2.7)

and a 3.0 for a PhD program

Quantitative/Pace

You must also satisfactorily complete a cumulative minimum of 75 percent of all credit hours for which you are registered at the end of each Phase III registration.

The academic record of each aid recipient is reviewed at the end of each semester. The review includes all semesters of attendance at Georgia Tech, whether or not financial aid was received. If you fail to meet either of the above requirements, you will be placed on financial aid warning until the next review; you will remain eligible for assistance while on warning status.

If you are already on warning and have not removed the deficiencies and met both the qualitative and quantitative cumulative minimums at the end of the next semester of attendance, you will be placed on financial aid suspension; you will not be eligible for further assistance until such time as the cumulative minimums have been met. Courses in which the following grades are received constitute credit hours satisfactorily completed: A through D; S for pass/fail courses. Courses in which the following grades are received do not constitute credit hours satisfactorily completed: F - failure; I - incomplete; U - failure of pass/fail course; W - withdrawn. Courses audited may not be used to qualify for financial aid and are not counted in determining the number of hours for which you have registered. Courses repeated do not replace the original grade. Your scholastic average will include both grades, and both times the course is taken will count as hours for which you have attempted. Repeated coursework, however, does not count as additional hours earned for purposes of determining Satisfactory Academic Progress.

If you are required to take PREP (developmental) courses, you must pass all requirements within the first three semesters in residence. Such courses are taken on a pass/fail basis and are not counted in determining the number of hours for which you have registered.

Courses completed at other institutions are not used in determining eligibility under the qualitative measure. However, transfer hours accepted for credit toward a degree from Georgia Tech will be counted for purposes of the maximum time frame (see next section). Such hours will be counted by subtracting them from the hours normally required for graduation in your program of study. Effective Fall 2011, accepted transfer hours are calculated into the quantitative/Pace requirement.

Maximum Time Frame - Undergraduates

The Higher Education Act requires that institutions establish a maximum time frame in which students receiving Title IV funds are expected to complete the program of study and beyond which they no longer qualify for assistance. At Georgia Tech, eligibility to receive Title IV assistance ends when you have registered for 133 percent of the number of hours required for graduation in your program of study, including any transferred hours accepted for credit toward the degree. For an undergraduate student, this equates to approximately six academic years of course work, depending on the specific major.

Maximum Time Frame - Graduates

Maximum time frames for graduate studies are: master's - 6 semesters; doctoral - 12 semesters. Graduate students whose programs of study cannot be accomplished within these maximums must furnish documentation from their department to support any extension. OSFA knows and understands that several factors contribute to a graduate student's academic progress. The standard we utilize looks at hours attempted and terms enrolled, but we recognize that your graduate/thesis advisor is the authority that we need to depend upon to help us properly document our files and assess your situation appropriately.

Grade Substitution Policy

For more details on the impact of the grade substitution policy on financial aid , please visit: Grade Substitution Policy

Appealing a Satisfactory Academic Progress Suspension

Information on appealing a suspension of your financial aid due to not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress standards can be found on our Appeals page.

The OSFA routinely makes decisions concerning a student's eligibility to initially receive or continue to receive student financial aid. You may appeal in writing all decisions that impact your eligibility to receive student financial aid. The appeal decision is made by the counselor, who is charged with the overall processing and updating of the individual student file. Procedures have been developed in an effort to expedite the appeals process, to reach consistent decisions, and to center the initial decision at the counselor level.

The following is a chronological list of the general procedures for a student appeal:

• You appeal in writing, requesting that special consideration be given to a specific situation.
• The committee uses professional judgment to make a decision on the request.
• If the appeal is approved, you are notified as to the specific restrictions of the approval.
• If the decision is denial, the appeal is automatically presented to the Internal Review Committee.
• The committee approves or denies the appeal and notifies you.
• The committee's decision should be considered final. However, if there is additional information/documentation, you may appeal the decision to the Associate Director of the OSFA, providing the new support for your request.

Following are the most commonly requested exceptions to the policy, including a brief description of the minimum documentation required.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

If an appeal is approved for the following situations, SAP status will be updated to "probation".

GPA/75 percent minimum credit hours:

You must complete and submit an Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension form explaining the causes beyond your control that brought about the current situation. You should include with this form any documentation that would support the appeal (i.e., hospital records, etc.).

Maximum time frame:

You must complete and submit an Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension form explaining why you have exceeded the maximum time frame, including valid reasons for an extension (e.g., transfer hours, change of major, etc.). The form must include a specific list of the courses you are required to take in order to complete your degree. The maximum number of attempted hours allowed through appeal is 150% of the number of hours required for the degree program.

Dependency

Independence is granted in cases with unusual circumstances where there is a legal or physical obstacle to obtaining parental information. For example, a dependent student whose parents are institutionalized, incarcerated, or under a restraining order would be considered a likely candidate for independent status. In such a case, you must submit a detailed letter explaining your position, accompanied by a court document verifying a legal obstacle to obtaining parental information, or two notarized statements (from a counselor, member of the clergy, teacher, etc.) verifying a physical obstacle.

Adjustment to Income

The OSFA will consider adjusting your (or your parent's) income figures to reflect a change in employment if the change was involuntary, permanent, and resulted in substantial loss of income. You must submit a letter explaining the change in income. The letter must include valid reasons why the OSFA should consider an adjustment. You also must submit substantial third-party documentation of income change (e.g., separation from employment notice). Additionally, you must submit a statement of projected income to include sources of income and any other supporting documents such as check stubs or letters from employers. Click here for additional information on Special Circumstances Appeals.

Cost of Attendance

Eligibility for financial aid is based on standardized cost of attendance figures. Certain other costs in excess of these amounts may be taken into consideration.

Voluntary Student Fees - If a student is registered for 4 or more billable hours during the current semester, these fees are included in the mandatory fees already assessed to the student account. Sign up is not required for students registered for 4 or more billable hours to have access. Eligible students (see definition below) can elect to pay fees voluntarily and receive access to the services and activities these fees support.

The elective fees to choose from are:

• Campus Recreation Center (CRC) Fee
• Health Services Fee
• Athletics Fee

Eligibility requirements to elect these fees are as follows:

• Students registered for 1-3 billable hours during a semester
• Co-op students and interns for the current semester
• Students not registered for the current semester who were registered the immediately preceding semester
• Students not registered for the current semester who are pre-registered for the immediately subsequent semester (previously enrolled students only)

Charges and payments made for voluntary fees are posted to the student's account the next business day. The individual departments (Health Services, CRC, Athletics Dept) grant access to the services as soon as practical after that posting.

For additional information and to pay Voluntary Student Fees, please click here .