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Award Conditions

  1. Accepting and Declining Awards
  2. Changes to Awards
  3. Title IV Refund Policy
    1. Return of Title IV Funds
    2. Refund Policy for Students
    3. Who Receives Federal Financial Aid
    4. Applicability
    5. Refund Policy
  4. Enrollment Requirements
  5. Satisfactory Academic Progress
  6. Default
  7. Renewal of Aid

Accepting and Declining Awards

Acceptance of all awards is assumed. If the student wishes to decline all or a portion of the aid offered, the student must either complete the Financial Aid Change Form or contact the Student Financial Services Office.


Changes to Awards

Revised Award Letters will be posted to the web only for both prospective incoming and returning students to WebAdvisor or MyKSC, respectively. The College reserves the right to adjust a student’s financial aid awards if any of the following conditions exist:

  • The family provides inaccurate or under-estimated information on the FAFSA. If the Student Financial Services Office (SFSO) receives information that indicates that any of the financial data provided on the FAFSA is inaccurate, we will increase or decrease the student’s awards according to any change in the student’s need level. Depending upon the extent of the error(s), any part of the aid package may be changed. If this is a major concern for you, it is better to over-estimate your income figures to avoid any reduction in aid. Family size can affect financial aid eligibility, so please read the instructions carefully. Contact our office if you have questions with specific considerations in these categories.

  • Receipt of funds (awards/scholarships) not reported on the FAFSA or not expected when the original aid offer was made.

    1. Students often receive unexpected awards/scholarships from local agencies after applying for financial aid. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the SFSO of the amount and conditions of the(se) award(s) by forwarding a copy of the scholarship notification to the Student Financial Services office. Students can normally expect a revision to the original aid offer if such scholarships are received.
    2. The SFSO will usually estimate the amount of the student’s eligibility for state grant funds. This estimate is based on the most accurate information available at the time of the original offer. Should this estimate be inaccurate, the student may receive an adjustment to other financial aid. If the student receives notification of eligibility for a state fund, please forward that notification to Student Financial Services office.
    3. It is to your advantage to notify the SFSO as soon as possible if either of these conditions exist to ensure that revisions are made promptly and prior to the billing due date.
  • Special Conditions
    The U.S. Department of Education gives the Student Financial Services Office (SFSO) latitude in considering special circumstances not reflected on the FAFSA. Special circumstances that might call for the Student Financial Services Office to professional judgment include loss or reduction of income, changes in family dynamics not shown on tax returns, and unreimbursed medical expenses.

  • If you have extraordinary costs for food, housing, books and supplies, etc., you may request a review of your cost of attendance budget. Please make requests in writing that detail your above average costs - with attached receipts - via email to Student Financial Services office.


Title IV Refund Policy

Return of Title IV Funds

Refund Policy for Students

Who Receives Federal Financial Aid

Applicability

This refund policy applies to all full-time and part-time students enrolled at Keene State College who are receiving Federal Title IV Financial Aid and withdraw from all classes.

This policy is mandated by federal regulations.

This policy deals only with the percentage of aid that is earned by a student. Charges incurred by a student who withdraws from the College are determined in accordance with the Institutional Refund Policy.

Refund Policy

The percentage of the semester that a student remains enrolled is derived by dividing the number of days that a student remains in attendance by the number of days in a semester.

Refund of Federal IV Financial Aid will be based on the date a student completely withdraws from the College as described above. During the first 60% of the semester a student earns Title IV funds in direct proportion to the length of time he or she remained enrolled. A student who remains enrolled beyond the 60% point earns all aid for the semester. A statement reflecting these changes will be sent to the student by electronic means.

It is very possible that a student who receives federal financial aid and withdraws from the College will owe a balance to the Keene State College Student Accounts Office and may be required to repay funds to the U.S. Department of Education. Students considering withdrawing from Keene State College are advised to contact the Dean of Students Office. Please review the Cost Adjustment policy for full details.


Enrollment Requirements

It is typically assumed that students will be enrolling full time for the entire academic year.

If you plan to enroll less than full time, we strongly recommend that you consult the Financial Aid Office in advance to discuss financing possibilities. Most financial aid requires full-time enrollment; some forms of aid are eligible for students enrolled half time on a prorated basis. The Pell Grant is typically the only form of aid that is available to qualifying students who are enrolled less than half time. Note: If you drop to a less than half-time status and have a Federal Direct Student Loan, institutional loan, or private loan, your grace period and subsequent repayment will begin. Please notify us in writing if you plan to enroll less than full time.

Information about enrollment status can be found with the Registrar’s Office


Satisfactory Academic Progress

In accordance with requirements of the Higher Education Act (34 CFR 668.34), Keene State College has established certain standards for evaluating the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) of Title IV Financial Aid recipients. The College reviews its Satisfactory Academic Progress policies and procedures when changes at the federal or institutional level require us to do so to ensure compliance with federal regulations. This policy also extends to state and institutional aid programs (grant, loan, and work study).

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the measurement of a student’s academic progress towards the completion of their degree. The measurement evaluates three components to determine eligibility for financial aid. The review of a student’s SAP status is based on his or her entire academic record, even if he/she did not receive financial aid for previous semesters of enrollment. In order to be eligible for financial aid, students must satisfy all three components.

Undergraduate students must meet the following SAP criteria:

  1. Minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0
  2. Minimum completion rate of 67%
  3. Maximum time frame of 150% of defined academic length for bachelor’s degree programs

Graduate students must meet the following SAP criteria:

  1. Minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 
  2. Minimum completion rate of 67%
  3. Maximum time frame of 150% of defined academic length for master’s degree programs

The completion rate is calculated by dividing total attempted credits by total earned credits. A student’s completion rate must stay above 67% to be considered satisfactory for this component.

Attempted credits include successfully completed courses (i.e., grades of A, AB, B, BC, C, CD, D, P), non-passing grades (i.e., grade of F, IX), incomplete (i.e., grade of I, IP, XF), withdrawn courses (i.e., grade of W), transfer credits and repeated courses. Audited coursework are not included in attempted credits or GPA. Earned credits include successfully completed courses (i.e., grades of A, AB, B, BC, C, CD, D, P) and transfer credits. Audited coursework not included.

The maximum time frame is calculated by multiplying the published program length by 150 percent. Example: Published program length of 120 credits X 150% = 180 credits maximum time frame allowed to complete degree requirements. Implication: A student has attempted (not necessarily earned) 180 credits and has now exhausted his/her eligibility for financial aid.

Evaluations and Notifications

The Financial Aid Office evaluates SAP annually at the end of each spring term for undergraduates and graduates, or upon re-enrollment into the college. SAP is also reviewed at the end of each probationary period as applicable. Students must be making SAP to continue to receive financial aid in a subsequent payment period, including summer term. Financial aid applicants not meeting SAP standards will be deemed ineligible to receive financial aid and will be sent notification to the student’s college email account.

Financial Aid Termination

Students that do not meet the college SAP standards are not eligible to receive financial aid. SAP status applies to financial aid eligibility and does not impact registration or academic standing.

Appeal Process

Students who do not meet the minimum SAP requirements for continuance of financial aid have the right to appeal when special circumstances exist. Conditions when a student may appeal include:

  • If you or an immediate family member experienced a serious injury, illness or mental health condition
  • If you experienced the death of immediate family member
  • If you experienced other circumstances beyond your control

If you chose to appeal, you will need to:

  1. Complete an SAP Appeal Form: for the correct academic year or write a letter detailing the circumstances. Student statement must include why the student failed to meet SAP and what has changed that will allow the student to meet SAP at the end of the next evaluation period.
  2. Meet with Academic Advising Office and develop an academic plan: Both student and Academic Advising Office representative must sign SAP Academic Plan Form.
  3. Submit completed forms and supporting documentation to the Financial Aid Office for review. Appeals will not be reviewed until ALL required forms have been completed and submitted.

Appeal documents submitted for a specific term will not be granted for that term if the student has stopped attending that term or the student withdraws from all courses or the college while waiting for an appeal decision during that term.

An appeal reviewed by the Appeals Committee does not guarantee reinstatement of financial aid eligibility.

All appeals are reviewed by representatives of the Financial Aid Office. Students will be notified of the appeal decision within 3–4 weeks of submission. All appeal decisions are final.

Approved Appeals

Approved appeals will result in a period of financial aid probation. Written SAP approval notification will be sent to the student’s College email account.

Denied Appeals

Students whose appeals are denied are ineligible for financial aid. The student may enroll in coursework but will be responsible for payment in full of all incurred costs. Written denial notification will be sent to the student’s College email account. Students may wish to explore private/alternative education loans here; however, please note that some private loan lenders require SAP for participation in their loan program. Be sure you are selecting a lender that does not require SAP (SAP denied students are not eligible to receive a PLUS loan).

Financial Aid Probation

A student who fails to meet SAP but has successfully appealed will be placed on financial aid probation for one semester. During this probationary period, the student is considered eligible for financial aid. At the end of the probationary period, the Financial Aid Office will re-evaluate the student’s academic record to determine a current SAP status. Students who meet the requirements of their probation will remain eligible for financial aid. Students who do not follow their academic plan will lose eligibility and subsequent appeals may not be considered. Students who withdraw without extenuating circumstances while on an academic plan will not be allowed to appeal until they have met all SAP requirements.

Re-Establishing Financial Aid Eligibility

A student may regain financial aid eligibility by successfully meeting the College’s SAP policy requirements or successfully meeting the requirements of the established academic plan. Students must notify the office in writing of their intent to use financial aid again.

SAP and Paying Your Bill

If you are denied SAP or are currently on probation, the Student Accounts Office’s bill due date in many cases will be before the Financial Aid Office is able to review your most recent semester’s grades. You may need to make other payment arrangements (private loan that does not require SAP or a payment plan) to pay your balance while you wait for your grades to officially post and a subsequent review. Should you be approved for financial aid, loans and payment plans can be canceled or adjusted to compensate for the aid you are now eligible to receive.

Veterans Benefits

The Satisfactory Academic Progress policy stated herein applies to students using veterans tuition benefits under the GI BIll® and participating students who fail to meet the standards of the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy after a term of probation will be subject to termination of those veterans tuition benefits.


Default

You may not receive Title IV Federal Aid payment if you have a defaulted federal student loan. In addition, if you owe a refund of federal grant aid received from any institution, you won’t receive additional federal money until you’ve repaid the money you owe.


Renewal of Aid

Financial aid awards are based on the information contained in each year’s application materials. Since your family’s resources are subject to change during your career at KSC, we reserve the privilege of reviewing and revising awards each year you apply for aid based on your demonstrated need and the availability of funding on federal, state, and institutional levels. Awards are made for a one-year period only and are not guaranteed beyond that point.

Contact Student Financial Services

Student Financial Services
Keene State College
229 Main Street
Keene, NH 03435-2606

800-572-1909 • 603-358-2280
ksc.sfs@keene.edu
Fax: 603-358-2794

Book an Appointment with a Financial Aid Counselor