Financial Aid

Standards of Progress

MATC has established the following standards for satisfactory academic progress:

• Qualitative Standards: Students must maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average.
• Quantitative Standards: Students must complete at least 67% of the credits they enroll in for each semester. Withdrawals and Incompletes are counted as credits attempted.

Date of Record

The payment of financial aid is based on the number of credits enrolled as of the Date of Record for that semester. If you add any classes after the Date of Record, your financial aid eligibility will not increase. There are no exceptions.

• If you are on a waitlist for a class, then you must be removed from the waitlist and registered for that class before the Date of Record in order to receive financial aid for that class.
  
• If you have registered for an interim course or a class that starts after the date of record, you must be registered for that class before the Date of Record in order to receive financial aid for that class.

Evaluation Period

Students are evaluated at the conclusion of each enrollment period (fall, spring and summer). Students who completely withdraw from all classes at MATC during an enrollment period will be suspended from financial aid eligibility. Written notification from the Financial Aid Office will be sent to students whose financial aid has been terminated for noncompliance of satisfactory progress. To regain financial aid eligibility at MATC, a student must maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average and complete 67% of the cumulative credits attempted. The 67% must be equal to no less than six credits.

Duration of Financial Aid Eligibility

All classes enrolled in at MATC or credits attempted at other colleges are included as credits attempted regardless of whether the student received financial aid when enrolled in those courses. The maximum time frame in which a student must complete their educational program is:

• Two-Year Programs: Associate Degree, Liberal Studies, Two-Year Technical Diploma: students will be funded for 102 credits attempted
• One-Year Technical Diploma: students will be funded for 48 credits attempted.
• Barber/Cosmetologist: students will be funded for 78 credits attempted.
• Less than One Year Program (Therapeutic Message, Dental Assistant and EMT-Paramedic are the only programs eligible ): Only curriculum courses will be covered and the program must be completed in designated time frame.

All classes including repeated classes, withdrawals, and incompletes, will be counted toward credits attempted. Classes in which full tuition refunds are issued do not count as credits attempted.

Repeated Classes

Courses that have been assigned grades of “C” or higher, “I,” “W” will not be eligible for funding if a student enrolls in those courses in a subsequent semester.

Suspension of Financial Aid

Academic progress is evaluated after each semester. Students are notified that financial aid is suspended if they:

• withdraw from all classes;
• achieve a GPA of less than 2.0;
• drop more than 33% of your Credits Attempted as of the First Day of Classes for each semester; or
• exceed the number of Credits Attempted (see Duration of Financial Aid Eligibility above) during your college career.

Reinstatement of Financial Aid

To regain financial aid eligibility, all tuition and fees must be paid until the student:

1. Earns at least a 2.0 GPA during the semester suspended from financial aid; and

2. Completes at least 67% of the total Credits Attempted (67% of the classes completed must equal a minimum of 6 credits) during the following semester of enrollment.

Appeal Process

Students with extenuating circumstances may submit a written appeal with appropriate documentation to the Director of Financial Aid. The appeal must include:

1. A statement explaining why the student failed to complete the satisfactory academic progress requirements;

2. A statement outlining the student's educational goals at MATC and the strategy to be used to attain these goals;

3. Supporting documentation from third parties (physician or academic advisor) that support the circumstances of the appeal

Standards of Progress for Financial Aid Appeal (PDF Form)

MATC must also monitor all Credits Attempted during your lifetime, including credits earned at all other colleges. Students who attempt more than 150% of the number of credits required for graduation are subject to Financial Aid Suspension. Your appeal must include:

1. A statement explaining why you've exceeded the Maximum Timeframe. (For example, you've changed academic programs during your collegiate career, or you were place on a waitlist for several semesters.)

2. A statement outlining your educational goals while attending MATC and a strategy of how you will obtain these goals. (For example, how many program credits are still needed and when you will graduate.

The MATC Maximum Timeframe Appeal (PDF Form)

Conditions for Repayments of Grants

Repayment of grant funds, as a result of withdrawal, is related to the terms and conditions of the fee refund policy. If a student receives financial aid and withdraws from MATC before completing 60 percent of the semester, the student may have to repay a portion of the grant. Continued eligibility for aid is outlined under Standards of Progress.

If you have additional questions, visit Ask MATC to view frequently asked Financial Aid questions, or phone the Financial Aid Office at (608) 246-6170.

Last Modified: February 28, 2008