Maintaining Your Federal Financial Aid Eligibility

To remain in good standing for federal financial aid, you must meet three progress requirements: GPA, completion rate, and completion within the maximum time frame. This is known as “Satisfactory Academic Progress.”

At the end of every semester, DCC will evaluate your academic progress. At that time, you’ll be:

  • In good standing; OR
  • Placed on financial aid warning status; OR
  • Denied financial assistance for future enrollment periods.

Student Financial Services will notify you if you’re placed on a warning or suspension status.

CHECK YOUR STATUS IN MYDCC

Evaluating Your Academic Progress

The following standards for maintaining eligibility apply to Pell, Federal Direct Student Loans, PLUS, FSEOG, and College Work/Study:

  • You maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 (a C average).
  • The grade point average requirement is based on all credit courses that have been attempted while at DCC.
  • Remedial & English as a Second Language credits’ grades are not calculated in the grade point average requirement.

You must complete a minimum of 2/3 of all course work (registered credit hours) attempted at DCC.

  • Earned A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D or J grades are considered completed credits.
  • Remedial & English as a Second Language credits are included in the student’s completion rate requirement.
  • Withdrawals (W), incompletes (I), grades of (F) and repeated courses are not considered completed credits.
  • If you change your course of study, the hours attempted under all courses of study are included in the calculation of attempted and earned hours.
  • Courses dropped during the 75% Refund Period of the semester are not counted in the calculation.

If you fall below the required completion rate or GPA requirement, you’ll be given a one-time warning status semester to regain eligibility.

After the warning status semester, if you have not regained eligibility, you may apply for a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal if you are able to document extenuating circumstances.

 

 

Maximum Credit Limit

You must complete your program within 150% of the credit hours required by the program. If you reach the maximum credit limit, you will be suspended from receiving financial aid. However, you have the option to apply for a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal.

  • Repeated courses and transfer credits accepted by DCC toward a degree
  • If you change your course of study, the hours attempted under all courses of study
  • Withdrawals, incompletes and courses repeated
  • Remedial credits
  • Courses dropped during the 75% Refund Period of the semester
  • Audits
Program Length Maximum Credit Hours that can be attempted
24 36
25 37.5
26 39
27 40.5
28 42
29 43.5
30 45
31 46.5
32 48
45 67.5
60 90
61 91.5
62 93
64 96
65 97.5
66 99
67 100.5
68 102
69 103.5
70 105
71 106.5
72 108
73 109.5
74 111
75 112.5
80 120

Contact Us

Student Financial Services


Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Phone: (845) 431-8060
Email: financialservices@sunydutchess.edu

53 Pendell Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

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