Satisfactory Academic Progress Instructions
Request for Review of Title IV Aid Eligibility Suspension
Right to Request a Review
If your eligibility for Title IV aid has been suspended because you have not met one or more of three standards of academic progress, you may request a review of that suspension to the University Committee on Student Financial Aid. You must have experienced unusual circumstances that affected your ability to meet those standards in order to appeal.
Definition
An unusual circumstance for this purpose is a serious situation outside the student’s control that has had a negative impact on the student’s ability to complete courses at UNA and maintain satisfactory grades. Freshman or transfer year adjustment, for example, is probably not a truly unusual circumstance.
Review Process
Requests for review are screened and are considered individually and independently by Committee members who are appointed by UNA’s president. Allow at least 2-3 weeks for complete review and more time during interim periods. If you submit a written request for review, you will be notified via email or letter of the Committee’s decision, which is final. Check your UNA Portal e-mail for updates on your status.
Types of Title IV Aid
Pell Grant
Federal Work Study
Alabama Student Assistance Program
Stafford Loan, including Unsubsidized
Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students and Graduate PLUS Loan for Graduate Students
Preparing Your Appeal
If you decide to appeal, here are some suggestions that we recommend to include with your submission:
- You may attach additional pages or supporting documents to your appeal, if necessary.
- Stick to the facts. Write about facts relevant to the unusual circumstances leading to your academic standing.
- Discuss how you plan to improve your academic performance in future semesters.
- Don’t write about your “need” for financial aid. It is not the function of the Committee to evaluate your financial need. Rather, the Committee determines the impact of your unusual circumstances on your academic progress.
- Be specific. Call attention to the specific semesters or years in which the unusual circumstances took place. Remember that the committee reviews your entire academic history, so make sure your statement addresses each and every semester that was affected by the unusual circumstances.
- Observe Standard English and college composition guidelines.
- Type or neatly handwrite your request to the Committee.