Financial Aid

Citrus College students are evaluated against the following standards:

• Qualitative Standard: Maintain a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)
  Students must maintain a minimum cumulative of a 2.0 Citrus College GPA.
  
  
• Quantitative Standard: Pace of Progression
  Students must maintain progress by successfully completing at least 67% of units enrolled.

Progress Percentage = Total Units with (EW, F, FW, I, MW, NP, and W) must = 33% or less (Total Units Attempted)

Note: Grades F, FW, and NP are calculated in the GPA. However, grades I and W are not calculated in the GPA.
EW - Excused Withdrawal
F - Failing
FW - Failing/Withdrawal
I - Incomplete
MW - Military Withdrawal
NP - No Pass
W - Withdrawal

Students who have completed a bachelor's degree or higher (including a foreign degree), or attempted more than 150% of the units required for their degree or certificate program at Citrus College, will be denied financial aid.

Units attempted at Citrus College and/or units earned at all other colleges attended will be calculated into the total number of units attempted.

Up to 30 attempted units of remedial coursework at Citrus College may be deducted from the total units attempted.

ESL classes are counted towards the total number of units attempted.

Students who enroll in excessive remedial courses that don't apply to their degree or certificate may exhaust their financial aid eligibility prior to completing their program.

To determine the student's GPA, the most recent grade for a repeated course will be used. All units (both current and prior) from repeated courses are counted toward the 150% maximum units a student is permitted to have. Students are not eligible to receive aid for more than one repetition of a course that has been previously passed with a grade of "D" or better.

Students who fail to meet the SAP standards for one semester due to GPA and/or Pace requirements will be placed on warning for one semester. During the warning period, students may be eligible to receive financial aid. All Student who are notified of their WARNING status should seek academic counseling and view the GetSAP counseling at http://citruscollege.get-counseling.com/flag-session/22239 and take advantage of all other student services available to ensure student success.

Students who do not meet the SAP standards for more than one term, will be disqualified from receiving financial aid. Because SAP is checked after each fall, spring, and summer semester/term, a student may be dismissed prior to starting the semester and/or after just one semester without receiving a warning if they exceed the number of maximum units allowed for their program or complete a degree. Being on disqualification status does not prohibit a student from continuing their education. Students who have lost their financial aid eligibility may be reinstated once they demonstrate satisfactory academic progress.

To re-establish eligibility for financial aid students must:

1. Meet all financial aid satisfactory academic progress standards (qualitative, quantitative, and maximum time frame)
   or
2. Submit an appeal (as stated below and complete GetSAP counseling and attach confirmation to appeal) and receive an approved notification and successfully complete and meet the guidelines of the appeal approval. Students should be sure to check the appeal deadlines which can be found on the financial aid web page under important deadlines and on the appeal form.

Students who do not meet the satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards may be eligible to appeal the denial of financial aid if they meet the Appeal Eligibility criteria and submit an Appeal Form by the published deadline with all supporting documentation to the Financial Aid Office. If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation during that semester. At the end of that semester, SAP will be reviewed to determine continued financial aid eligibility for the following semester.

Students who have attempted 150 or more units are not eligible to appeal the denial of aid regardless of the reason (total attempted units include units earned from all other colleges). If a student has been approved on appeal prior to reaching 150 units, the student may continue to receive aid until the end of their program as long as they meet the requirements of their probation. If the student fails to meet the requirements of their probation and is beyond 150 units, the student is no longer eligible for appeal.

If a student is determined ineligible for financial aid due to not meeting SAP standards, the student can appeal this decision by providing additional information surrounding any unusual circumstances beyond their control that has led to not meeting the SAP standards by following these instructions:

1. Contact Counseling and Advising Center to complete a Student Education Plan by clicking here.
2. Gather all supporting documentation by clicking here.
3. Submit all required forms online by clicking here.
4. Check your Citrus College student email for updates and results.
   
   In order for the student to be eligible to appeal the denial of aid due to: 
   
   
   1. Not successfully completing at least 67% of all coursework taken at Citrus College, the student must provide the following documentation that covers all periods of enrollment at Citrus College where the student failed to complete at least 67% of the courses attempted:
      1. Medical documents that support that the student was medically unable to attend classes for reasons beyond the student's control, or 
      2. Verification (obituary or death certificate) of a death in the student's immediate family. Immediate family for purposes of a financial aid appeal is parents, siblings, children, spouse, or grandparents, or
      3. Verification of military orders for military personnel and their families that have been temporarily reassigned or called to active service, or 
      4. Verification of natural disaster beyond the students control that impacted the student's academic performance, or 
      5. Personal tragedies that are beyond the students control and is documented by a third- party professional, i.e. police, courts, or medical, and 
      6. Statement from the student detailing the reason for the deficiencies, what action has been taken to ensure it will not occur in the future, and 
      7. A Student Educational Plan developed by Citrus College.
      8. Must complete the GetSAP counseling and attach the confirmation of completion to the appeal application access by clicking on this link: https://citruscollege.get-counseling.com/flag-session/22240
         
         
   2. Not successfully completing courses at Citrus College with a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.0 of all coursework, the student must provide the following documentation that covers all periods of enrollment where the student failed to complete the semester with a semester GPA of at least 2.0:
      1. Medical documents that support that the student was medically unable to complete the semester with a GPA of at least 2.0 or higher for reasons beyond the student’s control, or 
      2. Verification (obituary or death certificate) of a death in the student's immediate family. Immediate family for purposes of a financial aid appeal is parents, siblings, children, spouse, or grandparents, or
      3. Verification of military orders for military personnel and their families that have been temporarily reassigned or called to active service, or 
      4. Verification of natural disaster beyond the students control that impacted the student's academic performance, or
      5. Personal tragedies that are beyond the students control and is documented by a third-party professional, i.e. police, courts, or medical, and 
      6. Statement from the student detailing the reason for the deficiencies, what action has been taken to ensure it will not occur in the future, and 
      7. A Student Educational Plan developed by Citrus College
      8. Must complete the GetSAP counseling and attach the confirmation of completion to the appeal application access by clicking on this link: https://citruscollege.get-counseling.com/flag-session/22240
         
         
   3. Attempted more than 150% of the units required for their degree or certificate program (total attempted units include completed units from all other colleges), the student must provide the following documentation and meet the requirements listed: 
      1. For students who have attempted more than 150% of the units required for a degree or certificate: Statement from the student detailing the reason for any deficiencies and/or reasons for remaining at this level of education and what action has been taken to ensure it will not occur in the future, or 
      2. For students who have completed a degree: Explain why you are not currently using the degree you have completed and why you are returning to a community college, and 
      3. Student takes coursework that is applicable to their degree or certificate program, and 
      4. Student completes at minimum 67% of all courses attempted in each semester following the appeal approval, and 
      5. Student completes all coursework with a semester GPA of 2.0 or higher in each semester following the appeal approval, and 
      6. A Student Educational Plan developed by Citrus College 
      7. Must complete the GetSAP counseling and attach the confirmation of completion to the appeal application access by clicking on this link: https://citruscollege.get-counseling.com/flag-session/22240

Students who have attempted 150 or more units (total attempted units include units completed from other colleges) or have bachelor’s degree or higher are not eligible to appeal the denial of aid regardless of the reason. If a student has been approved on appeal prior to reaching 150 units, the student may continue to receive aid until the end of their program as long as they meet the requirements of their probation. If the student fails to meet the requirements of their probation and is beyond 150 units, the student is no longer eligible for appeal. 

Students may appeal (once) either for the fall or spring semester and once for the summer semester for a total of two times per the academic award year. 

If a student does not submit documentation to support their appeal for all periods of deficiency, their appeal is subject to being denied. Submission of an appeal does not guarantee reinstatement. 

The committee's appeal decision is final and can only be changed on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the director of Financial Aid. Once you have resolved your deficiencies and meet the satisfactory academic progress criteria, your financial aid eligibility will be reinstated.