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Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Regulations require that, in order to receive financial aid under the student financial assistance programs (PELL, FSEOG, FCWS, SCNBG, Federal Direct Loans, etc.) a student must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) according to the standards and practices below.
• A student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0;
• A student must maintain a cumulative completion rate of 67% and;
• A student must complete his/her program of study within a maximum time frame (150%). The maximum time frame for the completion of degree, diploma, and certificate programs is limited by Federal regulations to 150% of the published length of the program. Example: If a student's program of study requires 50 credit hours for completion, financial assistance will pay for 75 credit hours attempted in that program.
To view HGTC's full Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, a student may visit http://www.hgtc.edu/financialaid/fapolicies.html
Additional SAP requirements for the South Carolina Need Based Grant and the South Carolina LIFE Scholarship are outlined in the Certification forms which the student signs to accept these funds annually. Students who have been awarded either of these funds may visit the form within their myHGTC to view these SAP requirements.
Students are notified of their financial aid status at the end of each semester via their myHGTC accounts. It is every student's responsibility to check Financial Aid status at the end of each semester. Because of FERPA (Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act), this information cannot be communicated by phone.
To appeal Financial Aid suspension, the student must complete the Financial Aid Appeal form (located on the Financial Aid page of the HGTC website, in the Financial Aid Forms section). Appeal forms must include documentation of extenuating circumstances to verify the appeal statement and an academic plan approved by the student's academic advisor. Failure to complete the appeal process and provide documentation will result in cancellation of financial aid for any future terms. If the Financial Aid Appeal Committee decides that justifiable evidence of extenuating circumstances exists, aid may be continued and all payments may be made on a probationary basis. The Appeal Committee will determine how, or if, payments are disbursed, depending on circumstances.