Undergraduate Students:

An undergraduate student must meet minimum academic progression standards as established by the South Dakota Board of Regents. These standards are based on the student’s cumulative grade point average and system term grade point average. The system term grade point average is based on credits earned from the six Board of Regents universities during a given term. The cumulative grade point average includes all credits earned (transfer plus system credit). All remedial and audited coursework is excluded from this calculation. Making satisfactory academic progression is as follows:

Undgraduate Students:

A student with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better.

A review takes place at the end of every term (summer, fall, spring). A student placed on academic suspension is also placed on financial aid suspension. Being reinstated academically does not guarantee financial aid reinstatement. The student must separately appeal the financial aid suspension as outlined below (Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension).

Graduate Students:

A graduate student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0.

In order to maintain satisfactory progress toward the completion of their degree, all students must successfully complete 67% of cumulative attempted credit hours. Attempted credit hours include all hours that would appear on a student’s academic transcript at the end of any given term, including withdrawals, incompletes, repeated courses, remedial coursework, transfer hours and hours attempted at any time when not receiving Federal Student Aid. Audited coursework is not included. Hours that may have been part of a successful academic amnesty appeal will still be included. Successfully completed hours for both graduate and undergraduate students include grades of A, B, C, D and S. A grade of EX for undergraduate students is also considered successful completion. All other grades would not be considered successful completion. Evaluation of this quantitative standard will be measured once per year, generally at the end of the spring term.

The U.S. Department of Education has established a limit on the number of credit hours a student can attempt and still remain eligible for Federal Student Aid. This limit is based on 150% of the credit hours needed to complete the degree for which the student is pursuing.

Type of Degree Maximum Credit Hours Attempted

• Two-Year Associate 90
• Four-Year Bachelor 180
• Two-Year Master 53

Students who have had their eligibility for Federal Student Aid suspended may complete an appeal form to explain mitigating circumstances. There is no guarantee for approving a financial aid eligibility appeal. Such appeals will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. An appeal form is available in the BHSU Student Financial Services or on their website. To ensure a timely review, students should make an appeal at least one month in advance of the start of the term for which they wish to receive aid. Being reinstated academically does not guarantee financial aid reinstatement. Based upon the circumstances of an approved appeal, the Appeal Committee reserves the right to place conditions which the student must meet in order to be considered for financial aid on a probationary basis for subsequent terms. 

APPEAL FORM 

Students who have lost their Federal Aid eligibility, but have subsequently met the qualitative and/or quantitative standards as stated above, will have their aid eligibility reinstated. Reinstatement will be considered effective with the next term of attendance.

There are also non-federal sources of financial assistance (institutional, local, private, state), which may require students to meet satisfactory academic progress standards. Students who apply for non-federal forms of aid are advised to review their academic standards in order to determine or ensure continued eligibility. BHSU’s institutional aid has the same Financial Aid Suspension guidelines as stated above.