Title IV Financial Aid Regulations

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS FOR FINANCIAL AID PURPOSES

Federal Title IV financial aid regulations require undergraduate and graduate students receiving federal student financial aid to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) at the university in order to remain eligible for this aid. Satisfactory Academic Progress standards are also required for some state and institutional financial aid programs. The Financial Aid Office evaluates SAP at the end of each semester, once grades are posted. There are three components of SAP: a qualitative standard (i.e., GPA), pace of progression (number of credits attempted and earned for each year of study), and a maximum time frame to complete the degree or program. All semesters of enrollment including summer must be considered in the determination of SAP. SAP standards, including grade point average, pace, and maximum time frame, begin anew for students seeking a graduate or professional degree after completing an undergraduate degree. For detailed information on how SAP is evaluated for undergraduate and graduate students, see the SAP UCentral website. For information on the the financial aid warning, financial aid suspension and financial aid appeal process for students who do not meet SAP see the Satisfactory Academic Policy for Undergraduates and the Satisfactory Academic Policy for Master’s and Doctoral Students documents on the SAP UCentral website.

WITHDRAWING AND RETURN OF TITLE IV AID

Federal Pell Grant
Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Direct Loans
Direct PLUS Loans
Federal Perkins Loans

Even though Federal Work-Study is a Title IV program, it is exempt from the Return of Title IV calculation. The student is able to keep all Federal Work-Study earnings up to the time of withdrawal, but is ineligible to work after the withdrawal date.

In addition to the information below, visit the Withdrawing and Return of Funds UCentral website.

Students Who Officially Withdraw

When federal Title IV grants or loan assistance is disbursed and the recipient withdraws, the law requires that The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley calculate the amount that must be returned by the school and/or student to Title IV programs.

Official withdrawal is when a student provides official notification of her or his intent to withdraw and/or by following UTRGV’s withdrawal process. The date the student initiates the withdrawal (or intent to withdraw) is considered the last date of attendance for the student and is used for calculating the percentage used in the formula for Return of Title IV funds. The number of days from the first-class day to the withdrawal date divided by the number of days in the payment period (semester) equals the percentage of Title IV funds earned. If the withdrawal date is after the 60 percent point of the semester, the student has earned 100 percent of the Title IV funds. If the withdrawal date is before the 60 percent point of the semester, the student will be responsible for returning the unearned funds. The student will be notified of the responsibility to repay unearned funds to the appropriate program and/or to UTRGV.

Students Who Unofficially Withdraw

If a student receiving federal financial aid who began attendance and has not officially withdrawn fails to earn a passing grade in at least one course during the semester, UTRGV will assume, for Federal Title IV purposes, that the student has unofficially withdrawn, unless UTRGV can document that the student completed the semester. Federal regulations require the school to determine if the student earned the failing grades or if the student dropped out of school. If UTRGV is unable to determine that the student completed the semester, then it must assume that the student withdrew unofficially and must apply the Return of Title IV Funds Policy. The consequence of applying the Return of Title IV Funds Policy is that some financial aid funds may have to be returned to the federal aid accounts, causing the student to owe a balance to the school or to the federal government. The balance must be paid within 45 days or the student’s account will be reported to the U.S. Department of Education for collections. The student will be notified of the responsibility to repay unearned funds to the appropriate program and/or to UTRGV.

Students Who Withdraw from Study Abroad

Any time a student withdraws from the study abroad program, he or she will be responsible for repayment of federal financial aid funds, if applicable.

COURSES NOT IN PROGRAM OF STUDY (CPOS)

As per federal regulations, a school cannot award federal Title IV aid for credit hours/course work that will not count toward the completion of a student’s degree program requirements. At UTRGV, this requirement is applied to all types of financial aid such as Federal, State and Institutional aid. Thus, students enrolling in courses that are not required as part of their degree could see their financial aid prorated and/or cancelled as required by the US Department of Education. Students should consult with their graduate program coordinators. Medical students should consult with the SOM’s designated registrar official. For more information, see the Stay on Track UCentral website.

VERIFICATION OF ATTENDANCE AND ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT

UTRGV requires faculty to report students who had no academic engagement between the beginning of a semester and census day (official 12th class day) or (4th class day for Summer). Academic engagement consists of active participation by a student in an instructional activity related to the student’s course of study. Examples of academic engagement include, but not limited to attending (physically or online) a synchronous class, lecture, or laboratory activity, submitting an academic assignment or taking an exam. Federal regulations state that a student must begin academic engagement in all classes for which he/she/they enrolls in order to establish Title IV program eligibility (i.e., loans & grants). A student who is reported as not having academic engagement will have his/ her/their financial aid reduced and the cost of attendance budget adjusted.