Financial Aid Policies

 

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

All students enrolled in an undergraduate degree completion program or graduate program through the School of Business & Society and School of Education must meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy as determined by the University of Redlands in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education. Students will be evaluated at the end of each year, or if their program is less than one year, after each payment period. SAP is evaluated both on quantitative (percentage of credits earned) and qualitative (cumulative GPA) measurements. See below for an explanation of both measurements.

Quantitative SAP: All students must complete at least 67% of their attempted units in each academic year. For example, a student whose program is 24 units for the year must complete a minimum of 17 units to be compliant.

Qualitative SAP: All students must maintain a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.0 in undergraduate programs and 3.0 in graduate programs.

Students who do not maintain the SAP requirements will be placed on financial aid suspension, and ineligible for financial aid. Students will be notified, and receive information on submitting an appeal to reinstate their financial aid if unusual or other considerable circumstances occurred. Otherwise, students may regain eligibility by meeting the GPA and unit completion requirements.

Withdrawal Policy

If you wish to withdraw from your program, or from classes within the program, you must contact your Student Services Manager. If you withdraw during a payment period Student Financial Services must perform a calculation of "earned" versus "unearned" federal aid. This federal policy assumes you earn your aid based on how much time has elapsed in your payment period. If you receive federal financial aid, that aid may be reduced as a result of your withdrawal. There are three steps that the University of Redlands must complete to comply with federal policy:

  1. Determine the withdrawal date.

  2. Determine the amount of earned federal aid.

  3. Return the unearned federal funds to the appropriate program(s).

The withdrawal date is the date you begin the withdrawal process. If you fail to withdraw officially, the withdrawal date will become the midpoint of the term, unless the University can document a later date. In certain circumstances, if an earlier date of last academic activity is determined, this date may be used in the calculation of "earned" federal aid. If you withdraw before completing 60 percent of the term, you "earn" federal funds in direct proportion to the length of time you were enrolled. The percentage of aid is determined by dividing the total number of calendar days enrolled by the total number of calendar days in the term. If you complete 60 percent of the term, you earn all federal aid for the term.

The responsibility to repay unearned aid is shared by the institution (University of Redlands) and the student. The institution's share is the lesser of unearned aid or unearned charges and must be repaid to the federal aid programs in the following order, before the student's share is considered:

  1. Unsubsidized Direct Loan

  2. Subsidized Direct Loan

  3. Perkins Loan

  4. PLUS Loan

  5. Pell Grant

  6. Academic Competitiveness Grant

  7. National SMART Grant

  8. Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

  9. TEACH Grant

  10. Other Title IV Assistance

If you are required to repay a portion of your loan through the student's share calculation, you will not be expected to return those funds immediately, but rather when repayment begins according to the terms and conditions of your promissory note. If your share includes grant funds, federal rules allow the grant to be reduced by 50 percent, and the University of Redlands will repay these grant programs on your behalf. You will be responsible for repaying the University directly for any student account balance remaining after funds have been paid to the federal government on your behalf.