Procedures, Disclosures & Forms

Recipients of federal and institutional financial aid must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress as a condition of aid receipt. This is measured by reviewing a student’s quantitative and qualitative progress toward their degree goals. In general, a student must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better and must earn a minimum number of cumulative credits to ensure the student is meeting their pursuit of program requirements and can graduate within the 150% maximum allotted time for financial aid purposes.

Satisfactory Academic Progress is checked after every semester for the entire student population. Students who are not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress for the first time are notified in writing that they are in danger of losing their federal and/or institutional financial aid. The student will be placed on Financial Aid Warning; which will give the student financial aid for the subsequent semester but require them to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress at the end of that semester to qualify for financial aid in future semesters. Should the student not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress after their Financial Aid Warning semester; they will lose their Financial Aid for the following semester.

The chart below is used to determine Satisfactory Academic Progress for federal and institutional aid. Students must be aware that failed courses, withdrawals and incomplete courses will negatively affect their pursuit of program and/or cumulative GPA; additionally, withdrawals and repeat courses can negatively affect their pursuit of program and/or cumulative GPA. Students who transfer in credits from another institution will have those credits added to their academic record and those transfer credits will count towards the students attempted and earned credits for Satisfactory Academic Progress.

For Undergraduate Students

For Graduate Students

Federal Waiver Appeals

Students who lose their Financial Aid have the option to apply for a Federal Waiver Appeal if the student had extenuating circumstances that prohibited them from meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress. This application must be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid along with any supporting documentation, such as a letter from the student explaining the reasons for poor academic performance as well as what has changed within their situation that will allow the student to make Satisfactory Academic Progress at the next evaluation.

Appeals are reviewed on a case by case basis; generally, regulations dictate that the appeal should be granted for a one-time failure to meet standards for an otherwise academically successful student. Extenuating circumstances might include death of a family member or friend, illness of the student, or other circumstances that prohibited the student from successfully completing his/her coursework.

• When a Waiver is Denied: If a student does not have extenuating circumstances or they apply for a Federal Waiver Appeal and it is denied; the student can regain federal and institutional financial aid once they meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines.
• When a Waiver is Approved:  If a Federal Waiver Application is approved students are notified in writing that the application has been approved and is given the criteria to be eligible to receive federal financial aid in the future. This consists of the student passing all his/her courses in the semester the waiver is applicable to. Therefore, students are notified that they cannot receive a grade of a ‘W’, ‘I’ or ‘F’ in addition to having to maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Exceptions may be made on a case by case basis at the Assistant Director’s discretion with the Director of Financial Aid’s approval.

Students who are determined to need more than one Federal Waiver Appeal to regain Satisfactory Academic Progress will also be required to be on an academic plan. Students, who are approved for a Federal Waiver Appeal and have an academic plan in place, will have their academic plan reviewed at the end of semester in addition to their Satisfactory Academic Progress until they regain their SAP eligibility. Applicants whose waivers are denied are also notified in writing of the decision and are notified to contact the Financial Aid Department to discuss alternative options to help fund their education.

Approximately 30% of FAFSA applicants across the country are selected for a process called verification. If you are selected for verification, the U.S. Department of Education requires our office to double-check information on your FAFSA before you can be awarded financial aid. Our office may need to verify information such as, but not limited to, your household size, the number of family members attending college, income information, child support paid, or other untaxed income. 

If you are selected for verification you will receive notification that we are in need of additional documentation. You must submit that documentation within 30 days. Failure to submit requested documentation within 30 days, may result in a forfeiture of your aid eligibility.

In the event your eligibility for aid changes, you will receive a notice to review your new eligibility through the ConnectOW portal. 

You may change or correct your data at any time. We may correct your data at such time as we receive documents verifying certain data elements.

A conviction for any offense, during a period of enrollment for which the student is receiving Title IV, HEA program funds, under any federal or state law involving the possession or sale of illegal drugs will result in the loss of eligibility for any Title IV, HEA grant, loan, or work-study assistance [HEA Sec. 484(r)(1); (20 U.S.C. 1091(r)(1)].

The primary goal of the financial aid professional is to help students achieve their educational potential by providing appropriate financial resources. To this end, the staff of the Office of Financial Aid at SUNY Old Westbury follows these principles and the code of conduct outlined by Office of the New York State Attorney General.

An institutional financial aid professional is expected to always maintain exemplary standards of professional conduct in all aspects of carrying out his or her responsibilities, specifically including all dealings with any entities involved in any manner in student financial aid, regardless of whether such entities are involved in a government sponsored, subsidized, or regulated activity. In doing so, a financial aid professional should:

• Refrain from taking any action for his or her personal benefit.
• Refrain from taking any action he or she believes is contrary to law, regulation, or the best interests of the students and parents he or she serves.
• Ensure that the information he or she provides is accurate, unbiased, and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential personal gain.
• Be objective in making decisions and advising his or her institution regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
• Refrain from soliciting or accepting anything of other than nominal value from any entity (other than an institution of higher education or a governmental entity such as the U.S. Department of Education) involved in the making, holding, consolidating or processing of any student loans, including anything of value (including reimbursement of expenses) for serving on an advisory body or as part of a training activity of or sponsored by any such entity.
• Disclose to his or her institution, in such manner as his or her institution may prescribe, any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.