Academic Progress and Winter Break
As someone who received notification of failing to meet academic progress standards, we know you likely have questions right at a time the university is closed for Winter Break. We are sorry that staff are not immediately available, but we wanted to give you an understanding of your situation and guidance to follow.
The university is closed and staff are not available during holidays and winter season days.
Take a moment to review the following information to best guide your next steps.
Term Review Requirement
Students are only subject to term-by-term review of their academic progress for aid eligibility if they are in 2 categories:
- Students who are in aid-eligible certificate programs.
- Due to the short length of their program as usually a year or less, these students must be reviewed term-by-term for academic progress to evaluate problems prior to an annual review.
- Students who are receiving aid based on an approved academic progress appeal.
- These students must be reviewed each term to ensure they are meeting the conditions of their approval.
- Students only move to annual review once their cumulative record is again complying with academic progress standards.
In all cases, we understand the timing of the notification and the start of the break period were not good. Student Financial Aid conducted the review as soon as fall grades were finalized (generally midweek following finals). We alerted affected students as soon as possible in order that alternate financial plans could be made for spring.
Steps Available during Winter Break
If you did not meet the requirements set forth in a previous appeal approval, it is highly unlikely that a further appeal will be approved. Your appeal approval had defined, specific course completion requirements and a 2.0 GPA to be met each term until your cumulative record was again meeting academic progress standards. Students (other than those exceeding timeframe) are encouraged to complete at least 12 hours of coursework with a 2.0 GPA or higher with no federal aid or make up their pace or GPA deficiencies before asking for aid reinstatement.
Students who were informed they did not meet standards but have a grade post or change can alert us to re-review your eligibility by writing enrollmentservices@uc.edu using the subject “GRADE CHANGE – REVIEW SAP.” Emails will not be reviewed during winter season break but will be reviewed in date-received order upon the university’s reopening.
Certificate students failing academic progress for the first time may make an appeal to have aid reinstated. Appeals will not be reviewed during winter season break but will be reviewed in date-received order upon the university’s reopening.
Following Break
Student Financial Aid will review grade changes and appeals as quickly as possible to restore aid when appropriate. Our goal is to have reviewed all grade change notifications and appeals received during break prior to spring classes.
We ask that you do not make repeated inquiries. Students will be notified via their UC email as updated determinations are made.