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Financial Aid Policies

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Financial Aid Policies

Satisfactory Academic Progress

All students receiving federal Title IV financial aid monies (Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Direct Student Loans, and College Work-Study program) and some State of Michigan programs (Michigan Competitive Scholarship, and Tuition Incentive Program) must meet the following academic standards in order to qualify for continued aid eligibility.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be measured at the end of each semester, including summer, and also measures semesters where financial aid had not been received. Students not meeting the SAP requirements will be sent a notice by US Mail, in the week following the final exam period for the semester. A student must meet all three (3) of the following requirements to remain eligible for financial aid:

  1. Grade Point Average (GPA). The following is the cumulative GPA requirements: 

    Credit Hours Completed

    G.P.A.

    0-15

    1.7

    16-30

    1.8

    31-45

    1.9

    46 & up

    2.0
  2. Pace of Completion. All students must maintain a minimum pace of completion of 67%. Pace of completion is calculated by dividing the cumulative credit hours successfully completed by the cumulative number of attempted credit hours.
  3. Maximum Timeframe.
    A student in a certificate program may not exceed 45 attempted credit hours.
    A student in an associate degree may not exceed 90 attempted credit hours.
    A student in a bachelor's program may not exceed 180 attempted credit hours.

A student not meeting any one of the 3 requirements above is not meeting SAP. A student who fails to meet SAP at the end of a semester will lose their financial aid eligibility for their next semester of attendance. Exceptions are granted, on a semester basis, to students who are placed on either financial aid warning or financial aid probation.

A student meeting all 3 requirements of SAP at the start of a semester, and at the end of the same semester is not meeting either SAP requirements 1 or 2 will be placed on financial aid warning for their next semester of attendance. While on financial aid warning a student will continue to be eligible to receive financial aid. A student will not be placed on financial aid warning when they exceed the maximum timeframe.

Note: A first-semester student at Alpena Community College is considered to be meeting requirements 1 and 2.

A student who is not meeting SAP, and not placed on financial aid warning may submit a financial aid appeal to the Financial Aid Office and if the appeal is approved the student will be placed on financial aid probation. While on financial aid probation a student will continue to be eligible to receive financial aid for a duration of only one semester. At the completion of the semester of financial aid probation, the student must meet all 3 requirements of SAP or lose their financial aid eligibility until the requirements are met.

Definitions:
Attempted credit hours - The number of credit hours a student is enrolled in after the ‘last day to drop with a full-tuition refund’ date for the semester. All attempted credit hours are used in requirements 2 & 3 listed above.

Audited course – Audited course credits do not count as attempted or successfully completed credit hours and are not calculated into the GPA.

Incomplete grade (I) – Incomplete grades are counted as attempted credits, but not successfully completed credit hours, and are not included in GPA calculations.

NG grade – A temporary grade assigned when a final grade has not been received by the grading deadline. Grades of NG are counted as attempted hours but not as successfully completed credit hours. NG grades are not included in the GPA.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory – A grading option that allows coursework to be taken for credit but not included in the GPA. A grade of S (satisfactory work) is included in the attempted and successfully completed credit hours. A grade of U (unsatisfactory work) is included in the attempted credit hours only.

Remedial course – Courses numbered below 100. Credits will be included in attempted and successfully completed if appropriate as determined by the grade received. Remedial course grades are included in the GPA.

Repeated course - The same course, or direct equivalent, taken in a subsequent semester. Each semester the attempted credit hours are counted, but only the best grade will be included in the GPA calculation, (a 4-credit hour course taken twice will total 8 attempted credit hours, a maximum of 4 credit hours successfully completed and the GPA will include only the best grade of A through F). Note: Students may repeat a successfully completed course only one-time utilizing financial aid.

Successfully completed credit hours - Credit hours that have been earned and have a grade value of A through D- or S. 

W grades – Grade given when a student drops a course after the second week of the semester or withdraws completely from the college after the official add/drop period, resulting in a W grade being assigned for all dropped courses. W grades are counted as attempted but are not successfully completed, credit hours. W grades are not included in the GPA.

Students with Transfer Credit
Transfer credits accepted by Alpena Community College for your degree program are counted as both attempted and successfully completed credit hours for measuring the pace of completion and maximum timeframe. Alpena Community College does not transfer in the GPA from another institution, and it is not figured into the GPA for this policy.

Appeals and Reinstatements
Students not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) are able to reinstate their eligibility for financial aid by taking coursework in subsequent semester(s) and meeting all 3 SAP requirements again. The student re-establishes their financial aid eligibility when at the start of the semester all 3 SAP requirements are met. If completion of temporary grades (I or NG) or other transcript changes (e.g. grade changes) warrant reinstatement, the student should notify the Financial Aid Office at the time such changes occur.

Students not meeting the satisfactory progress requirements because of mitigating or extenuating circumstances (i.e. death of a relative, illness or injury of the student, pursuing an additional degree, etc.) may request reinstatement of financial aid by submitting a Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form along with the specified documentation described on the form. This form can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office or downloaded at the link above. 

Appeals should be submitted to the Financial Aid Office no later than the first day of class of the semester the student wishes to be considered for financial aid probation. If a student’s appeal is approved, they will be placed on Financial Aid Probation and be eligible for financial aid for that semester. The Financial Aid Appeal Committee’s decision is final and no further appeals can be made for that semester.

Repetitive Course Enrollment

Alpena Community College credit courses may be repeated only once where any grade (i.e., A-W) has been earned. Specifically, if a course has been taken twice and any grade was earned, written permission from the office of the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs is required prior to a third enrollment.  The highest grade in the course will be used in calculating the student’s grade point average. However, all courses will be used in calculating Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Important Information for Students Receiving Financial Aid:
Courses taken for Audit and courses repeated more than once after previously passing the course do not count as part of a student’s financial aid enrollment status, and can affect your financial aid offer.

Non-Payment

You are responsible for payment of all charges by the applicable due dates. ACC may drop your classes if you owe a balance after the due date. You must drop any classes that you do not plan to attend. Otherwise, you will be responsible for payment of charges incurred and will receive a grade at the end of the semester. All prior semester balances must be paid before registering.

Grades and other records may be withheld from those students who have not met all of their financial obligations.

Payment Due Dates

  • Spring 2025
    • Payment for tuition and fees is due December 6, 2024, for Spring semester. If registering after December 6, 2024, payment is due when you register.
  • Summer 2025
    • Payment for tuition and fees is due May 2, 2025, for Summer semester. If registering after May 2, 2025 payment is due when you register.
  • Fall 2024
    • Payment for tuition and fees is due August 2, 2024, for Fall semester. If registering after August 2, payment is due when you register.

Disbursement

Refunds are distributed every semester. Refund dates depend on a variety of things such as, but not limited to, the type of aid, your borrower status (i.e. first time borrower, etc), when you applied for the aid, when we received the aid, etc; loans can be disbursed at a different time than all other aid.

Generally, one-semester loans are disbursed in two payments within one semester. Two-semester loans are disbursed in two payments over the two semesters; one payment in Fall semester and one payment in Spring semester. A first-time borrower will have to wait 30 days before their first loan disbursement.

Please see the enclosure “Understanding your 2024-2025 Financial Aid” in your offer notice for the refund dates. These dates will also be posted in various places at Alpena Community College's main campus and the Oscoda campus.

Refunds

Full refunds (100%)
A refund of all tuition paid will be issued providing a Drop/Add Form is processed and in the possession of the Registrar's Office (Van Lare Hall) prior to 3:30 p.m. of the last day of the enrollment period of the semester, or if a miscellaneous course, prior to the end of the enrollment period of the course.

The "enrollment period" is defined as: not less than 1/10th of the calendar days between and including the first day of the semester and the final exam period. This college uses a Predominant Calendar System for determining the actual enrollment period for regularly scheduled semester courses (Fall, Spring, Summer). Other individually scheduled courses have independently determined enrollment periods.

The "enrollment period" starts with the first instructional day of a semester or miscellaneous course and ends when the appropriate number of calendar days have elapsed.

Financial aid students are subject to federal regulations requiring a refund calculation for all students who totally withdraw or stop attendance prior to the 60 percent mark of the semester. The student may be required to repay all or a portion of the total dollars received. No scholarship or grant funds will be refunded to the student. Books can be returned to the ACC Bookstore for the proper credit. Fees currently being charged to students include a registration fee, student services fee, facilities maintenance fee, and a technology fee. A request for refunds for extenuating circumstances must be submitted to the Vice President of Instruction/Student/Community Services.

Return of Title IV Funds (Federal Aid)
Students who completely withdraw from all courses prior to completing more than 60 percent of a semester will have their eligibility for aid recalculated based on the percent of the semester completed. This policy shall apply to all students who withdraw, drop out, receive failing grades in all courses or are dismissed from Alpena Community College (ACC) and receive financial aid from Title IV funds.

The term "Title IV Funds" refers to the following federal financial aid programs: Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, Federal Direct PLUS Loans, Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Iraq Afghanistan Service Grant.

Title IV Funds are earned in a prorated manner on a per diem basis up to and including the 60 percent point in the semester. Title IV Funds and all other aid are viewed as 100 percent earned after the 60 percent point in the semester.

View a detailed explanation of the required Return of Title IV Funds Calculation.

Terms and Conditions

As a financial aid recipient at Alpena Community College, be aware that:

Your financial aid could adjust any time due to, but not limited to, the following:

  • Change in federal, state, or institutional availability of funds
  • Change in federal, state, or institutional regulations or policies
  • Change in your academic progress for financial aid (SAP)
  • Change in your eligibility
  • Receipt of additional funds intended for educational financial assistance
  • Computer or human error

If your financial aid adjusts, even after you receive a refund, you may owe the college.

You are responsible for any debt you owe the college regardless of the fact you may be receiving financial aid assistance.

Federal law requires that you be degree-seeking and making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to receive Title IV Federal Financial Aid.

You must be in attendance in your classes to be considered eligible for your financial aid. If you fail to attend one or more classes, your financial aid may be adjusted.

You are responsible to officially withdraw/drop from your classes. If classes are withdrawn or dropped you may still owe the college for those costs as well as possible bookstore charges, it is encouraged that you speak with the Financial Aid Office before doing so.

Your financial aid will be calculated on the number of your enrolled credit hours (not contact hours) at the time aid is finalized for the semester.

Refunds will be processed within 14 days by the Business Office after the enrollment period based on the financial aid that has actually PAID to your account.

If you withdraw or stop attending, your financial aid may be adjusted because the school is required to complete a Federal Return to Title IV Refund calculation to determine how much financial aid you earned. If ACC is required to return any funds to the US Department of Education, you will be required to repay those funds to ACC.