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Satisfactory Academic Progress

To be eligible for student financial aid, a student must be making satisfactory academic progress. Evaluation of that progress varies by academic program.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

To be eligible for student financial aid, a student must be making "satisfactory academic progress". The Student Financial Aid Office standards for satisfactory academic progress may not be exactly the same as academic standards of the University, or any academic department or school. The Student Financial Aid Office standards may be the same or stricter than what has been established by the academic department for students who are not receiving Title IV assistance. The established guidelines (based on federal regulations) for evaluating a student's progress take into consideration cumulative KUMC qualitative assessment (grades, GPA, etc.) and quantitative assessment (the number of courses that were started vs. the number completed). The requirements vary by academic program (undergraduate, graduate and medical) as outlined below.

Specific Standards by Program of Study

The Student Financial Aid standards of satisfactory academic progress differ according to academic program.

MEDICAL STUDENTS

ACE Curriculum - Qualitative Assessment

Students in the ACE curriculum will receive grades on a pass/fail grading system for the first two years of medical school. To meet Student Financial Aid's Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements for these two years, students must pass all courses to remain in good standing. Students who fail one course will be placed on "Warning", and those who fail more than one course may appeal to be placed on an "Academic Plan" until failed courses are successfully remediated. More information on these statuses can be found later in this policy.

Legacy Curriculum and Third Year/Fourth Year Medical Students - Qualitative Assessment

Students in the Legacy Curriculum, and students in the third and fourth year of medicine, will continue to receive grades for the courses taken. To receive federal financial aid, these medical students must have a KUMC cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale to be eligible for financial aid.

Completion Rate - Quantitative Assessment

School of Medicine students will be allowed to receive financial aid for a maximum of 12 terms. A term is an enrollment for summer, fall, or spring. Any semesters required to complete the degree beyond the twelfth must be self-financed unless an appeal has been submitted and approved. Additionally, students must complete at least 67% of all coursework attempted while attending KUMC.

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Grade Point Average - Qualitative Assessment

To receive federal financial aid, a graduate student must have a KUMC cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale to be eligible for financial aid.

Completion Rate - Quantitative Assessment

Graduate students will be allowed to receive financial aid for a maximum number of terms (summer, fall, or spring) as listed below, which is estimated at 150% of the time it takes to complete the student's program. A full-time term is defined as one where the student takes at least 9 credit hours. A half-time term is defined as one in which the student is enrolled in at least 5 credit hours and fewer than 9 credit hours. A less-than-half-time semester is a term where the student is enrolled in fewer than 5 credit hours.

Any semesters required to complete the degree beyond the amount listed in the chart must be self-financed unless the student produces information from his or her academic department to indicate that the student has not yet been enrolled 150% of the typical time it takes to complete the student's program. Additionally, students must complete at least 67% of KUMC coursework attempted while attending KUMC.

Program Maximum Full-Time Semesters
PhD 24
All Other Graduate Programs 12

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Grade Point Average - Qualitative Assessment

To receive federal financial aid, an undergraduate student must have a KUMC cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 to be eligible for financial aid, unless otherwise noted below:

Program Required Cumulative GPA
Nursing 2.0
Clinical Laboratories Science 2.3
Cardiovascular Sonography 2.5
Diagnostic Ultrasound and Vascular Technology 2.5
Health Information Management 2.5
Nuclear Medicine Technology 2.5
Respiratory Care 2.5
Post-Baccalaureate in Health Sciences 3.2

 

Completion Rate - Quantitative Assessment

Undergraduate students will be allowed to receive financial aid for a maximum of 180 hours of course work that will apply towards the student's academic program. This amount is determined by adding the accepted coursework a student took prior to attending KUMC plus all coursework taken at KUMC. Students in certificate programs that evaluate students on a pass/fail basis will be required to receive a passing grade from the department. All students are required to complete at least 67% of all coursework attempted at KUMC.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Warning

KUMC reviews students' satisfactory academic progress status at the end of each semester, to include summer, fall, and spring.   If it is determined that a student has not met the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements, students will be placed on financial aid "warning", and be allowed one additional semester with which to improve the deficiency to the required Satisfactory Academic Progress policy requirements.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Academic Plan

Students who do not meet satisfactory academic progress requirements at the end of the financial aid "warning" semester will not be eligible for federal student financial aid without appealing for the continuation of aid beyond the "warning" semester. If the appeal is approved, students will be allowed to receive financial aid as long as the terms of appeal, the "academic plan", are being met.

Students who do not meet the terms of satisfactory academic progress, and who either elect not to file an appeal, or who failed to meet the terms of their financial aid academic plan will not be eligible for financial aid until the time in which the student meets all requirements set forth in the original satisfactory academic progress policy.

Incompletes, Withdrawals, Failures and Repetitions

Classes graded as failure ("F","U"), "incomplete", "no credit", "drop" or "withdraw" will be evaluated as courses attempted, although not successfully completed. Attempted hours include all hours enrolled in on or after the first day of classes. Repeated courses will count toward academic progress as indicated in the University catalog applicable to the student.

Transfer and KU Credit Hours

When determining if a student is within the requirements of KUMC's Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, KUMC will consider only the hours that transfer in or that were taken at KU, and that are applicable to the student's academic program at KUMC.

Transfer credit grades are not considered in a student's GPA. The GPA used for Satisfactory Academic Progress policy only considers classes taken at KUMC.

Appeal Procedure

Any student denied financial aid due to the policy may appeal to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee. The appeal should initially be made in written form explaining the reason(s) for failing to meet the academic standards outlined in the policy, and what has changed that will assure success in meeting the policy in the future. Students may want to include letters of support (from their academic department, etc.). This appeal should be submitted to the Director of Financial Aid, who will then present it to the committee. Appeals may take 2 - 4 weeks to process. Student will be notified in writing of the results of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal once a decision has been made.

A student who is denied financial aid due to not meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, but later meets the requirements set forth in this policy, is able to reapply for financial aid using the standard application process for all eligible students.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

The University of Kansas Medical Center does not offer English as a Second Language courses. As a result, Satisfactory Academic Progress is not impacted by ESL courses.

Remedial Coursework

Courses that are required of students for remediation are included when calculating Satisfactory Academic Progress measurements.

For More Information

For more information, contact the Department of Student Financial Aid, (913) 588-5170 or email financialaid@kumc.edu

Student Financial Aid

University of Kansas Medical Center
Student Financial Aid Office
Mailstop 4005
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City, Kan. 66160

Location: G035 Dykes Library
Phone
: 913-588-5170
Fax: 913-588-8841
Email: financialaid@kumc.edu