Frequently Asked Questions - Academic Actions

Overview

Academic Actions that may impact student aid eligibility include:

•  Dropping classes
• Withdrawing from the university either during the term or at the end of a term
• Failing to meet academic requirements for institutional merit and need-based scholarship and grant aid, federal financial aid programs, and state aid programs (Louisiana students).

This page aims to answer some general questions that arise with each of these situations.  Students with questions should speak with their assigned financial aid counselor to insure they receive a specific answer for their unique situation. This page will mainly reference links for undergraduate students. However, the general concepts will apply to students enrolled in graduate and professional programs.

In This Section:

Dropping Classes | Withdrawing from Loyola|Readmits | Satisfactory Progress Standards |Maximum Time Frame

Dropping or Withdrawing from Classes

• If your financial aid package was based on the assumption that you would be enrolled as a full-time student for the semester, your aid award may be adjusted if you drop below "full-time status" (12 hours each  semester)  AND you receive a refund of tuition and fee charges based on your reduced enrollment for the semester. The adjustments will be based on the rules of each aid program.
• Except for the Pell Grant Program, federal student aid recipients must be enrolled  "on at least a half-time basis" (6 credits per semester) to maintain their eligibility for funds. Please speak with your assigned financial aid counselor to make sure you understand the financial implications associated with your decision.
• Remember, many scholarship programs (like  Louisiana's  TOPS scholarship Program) limit students to eight semesters of aid. Undergraduate students in 120 credit hour degree program should be completing a minimum of 30 credits during each academic year to "stay on track" to graduate after 8 semesters.
  • Renewal Requirements - Institutional Scholarships and Grants 
  • Academic Requirements - Federal Student Aid Programs

Withdrawing from the University

Withdrawal Process:

Students who have borrowed under any federal student loan program must complete an online "Exit loan Counseling"  session even if they intend to re-enroll at Loyola during the next semester

• End of the Semester: Students  who intend to return to Loyola University New Orleans must e-mail the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid with their enrollment plans.  Students should send  the e-mail the semester before they intend to return.  Please note that returning students must meet the priority application deadlines for completing the FAFSA form and must be in good academic standing for all other programs to have their aid packages reinstated.
  • Enrollment at Other Universities -  Your federal financial aid does not automatically "follow" you to another university. You must release your FAFSA information to a new university by logging into www.fafsa.gov . Contact the financial aid office at the new university for additional instructions.
• During the Semester:
  • Federal Student Aid Programs assume that students will remain enroll during the entire semester. Students who withdraw before the end of the semester will be subject to the mandatory refund requirements for Federal Student Aid Programs.
    • University Refund Policy --Note that this policy is DIFFERENT from that for federal student aid program recipients.
• Being dismissed from the University for other causes 

  The University reserves the right to cancel or reduce the scholarship of any student found guilty of disciplinary or honor code violations.

Students Readmitted to Loyola

"Readmits originally admitted in fall 1989 or in later semesters need only complete the application form if they have not attended another institution since their last enrollment at Loyola. Readmits who have attended another institution since their last enrollment at Loyola and have attempted more than 12 semester hours at the other institution are required to follow the same procedures as transfer students. Readmits with 12 or fewer transfer hours are required to submit official transcripts and will be evaluated for readmission based on their Loyola GPA and their transfer work. Rules for evaluation of transfer credit and courses which may be applied toward a degree program may have changed while students were not in attendance at Loyola. If such changes have occurred, previously evaluated credit will be reevaluated."

NOTE: Being re-admitted to the university DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY reinstate your eligibility for federal, state and institutional aid programs . Students should speak with their assigned financial aid counselor BEFORE making the final decision to return to Loyola.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards

• Renewal Requirements - Institutional Scholarships and Grants 
• Academic Requirements - Federal Student Aid Programs
• Renewal Requirements - Louisiana TOPS Scholarship Program

The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid must check the academic records of all students on aid at the end of each semester.  IF this is the first documented time that the student has experienced academic difficulty, the student will receive a "financial aid warning" letter  which will remind them of the minimum academic requirements for their aid programs AND  strongly urge them to take advantage of the academic services that are available to students. Students will be eligible to receive federal and institutional aid during this semester.These students will be notified that their records will be checked again at the end of the semester and that further action may be taken if there is not significant improvement during the current semester. Students can only receive aid for one semester under this "warning" status.

Financial Aid Probation: Students who are not in good academic standing at the end of one semester on "warning" status may receive a final semester of federal and institutional aid on Financial Aid Probation.  Students on financial aid probation must develop a specific academic plan to address the issues that have hindered their academic success. Students will  be allowed only one probationary semester during their academic program.

Grading Issues

•  Incomplete Grades: "This grade is to be assigned only when the instructor has been presented with serious and compelling reasons why the student should be allowed to complete the course at a later date. These reasons are customarily medical. The I grade is not an automatic extension. An I grade which has not been made up by the sixth week of the subsequent term, excluding summer terms, will be changed automatically to F."
• All subsequent disbursements of aid will be on hold until incomplete grades are resolved. Students will be responsible to notify the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid when any incomplete grade has been finalized
• Failing All Courses in a Semester -  Students must actively participate in their classes in order to maintain their eligibility to participate in federal financial aid programs. Students who are receiving federal financial aid funds AND who fail all of their courses during a semester MUST be able to document that they  "actively participated " in their classes through 60% of the semester. The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid must legally return a portion of the federal aid received by students who CAN NOT provide this documentation. 
• Grade Changes and Appeals  - Students must notify the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid of any grade changes that have been posted with the Student Records Office.  Depending on the type of aid the student is receiving and the time of the grade change, the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid will tell the student if financial aid funds can be reinstated for the current academic year.

Maximum Time Frame to Complete Degree Requirements

 The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid will monitor all aid recipients progress towards completing their degree requirements.  All aid programs expect that students will complete their degree requirements  within a reasonable time frame.

• Students who have borrowed under any federal student loan program must complete an online "Exit loan Counseling"  session even if they intend to re-enroll at Loyola during the next semester.
• As most aid programs require undergraduate students to complete a minimum of 24 credits each academic year, students who withdraw from all of their classes for a semester will normally have to  file an appeal to have their aid reinstated.
  • Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form (Federal Aid Recipients)
  • Request to Reinstate Merit Scholarship

Updated April 26, 2011