Financial Assistance Information

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College believes that the primary purpose of student financial aid is to provide assistance to students who, without such assistance, would be unable to attend college. The main responsibility for educational financing is the obligation of the student and his or her family.

In most cases, financial aid is awarded to eligible students on the basis of financial need. Exceptions are scholarships, which have been provided by donors for the purpose of recognizing academic promise or achievement, and the Georgia HOPE Scholarship and Grant. Students may be eligible for more than one type of financial aid. Special Admit students are ineligible for any federal or state financial aid.

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College does not participate in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. WGTC will certify private loans that are disbursed to the college from a student’s private lender.

Students applying for the Federal Pell Grant and Georgia’s HOPE programs will complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://fafsa.ed.gov/. Applicants who are applying for HOPE programs only may apply by completing the Georgia Student Financial Aid Application System (GSFAPPS) online at http://gafutures.org. High school students will complete the Dual Enrollment Application online at http://gafutures.org or complete a paper DE application as applicable. Applications, computers, and assistance are available in the Office of Financial Aid, or designated areas on each campus.

The determination of financial need is provided to Wiregrass Georgia Technical College electronically through the use of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Financial aid is available in the form of federal and state grants, scholarships, federal work-study, and private sources. Information may be obtained online at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/ or http://gafutures.org.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the preferred application for students applying for financial aid (except for high school students). A FAFSA booklet may be requested by calling 1-800-433-3243 or the TTY line at 1-800-730-8913 for the hearing impaired. The completed application must be mailed in the envelope provided. The FAFSA can also be filed electronically at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa (which is the fastest and recommended method). The information reported must be accurate and is subject to verification.

An application for student financial aid must be completed each academic year. Wiregrass Georgia Technical College’s academic year consists of Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. The FAFSA is available online beginning October 1 of each year. Tax filers will use tax information from two tax years back. For example, the 2018 tax return is used for the 2020-2021 FAFSA. The 2019 tax return is used for the 2021-2022 FAFSA and so on. Students selected for the Verification process; or requiring other actions on their FAFSA will be notified electronically and will submit documents online at https://wiregrass.verifymyfafsa.com. The federal deadline to complete a FAFSA to apply for federal aid is June 30 for the respective academic year.

General Eligibility Requirements – Who Gets Aid?

Most students receive some type of financial aid. To receive federal and/or state financial aid, a student must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Be enrolled as a regular or provisional student in an eligible technical certificate, diploma, or degree program of study and meet all specific program requirements;
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen;
• Demonstrate financial need (if applicable);
• Be at least 16 years of age for federal programs or at least a 9th grade student for DE;
• Have earned a high school diploma or equivalent unless enrolled in DE or other eligible program;
• Not hold a bachelor’s degree (if applicable);
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP);
• Be able to prove registration with the Selective Service (Males 18 years of age or older – unless able to prove
• exemption);
• Not be in default on a federal student loan or State of Georgia educational loan, or owe a refund due to an overaward on a Federal Title IV or State of Georgia student financial aid program, or any other way be in violation of Federal Title IV program regulations or State of Georgia student financial aid program regulations;
• Agree to use any funds received for educationally related purposes only;
• Certify that he or she will not engage in the unlawful manufacture, distribution, possession, or use of a controlled substance while receiving financial aid;
• Cannot be recently convicted on felony drug related charges.

NOTE: Students receiving Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) should not apply for a loan unless they no longer desire to receive TAA. TAA participants are advised of this during orientation sessions, in the trade act handbooks, and in the DOL 2417 Application for training participant acknowledgements that, “students may not use loans or personal funds to pay any part of their direct training costs.”

Federal Financial Aid Programs

Federal Pell Grant

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College participates in the Federal Pell Grant program. The Pell grant is awarded to students who do not have a bachelor’s or professional degree and who are enrolled in a degree, diploma, or eligible technical certificate. The Federal Pell Grant Program is the largest federal student aid program available. Unlike educational loans, grants do not have to be repaid. To have eligibility determined, students must submit an application for federal student aid once a year, no later than 6 to 8 weeks before fall semester. The Department of Education uses a standardized formula, which is revised and approved annually by Congress, to evaluate the information reported by students when they apply for the Pell Grant program. The amount actually awarded will depend on a student’s enrollment status (full-time or part-time), length of annual enrollment, and the cost of education. Early application is encouraged to ensure availability of funds for enrollment. The Pell Grant is not available to students who are enrolled in high school, accepted with a Special Admit or Pending Admit status, or those who are concurrently attending two or more colleges as a regular student. The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds a student may receive over his or her lifetime is limited to 600% of Pell Grant funding. Effective with the 2017-2018 academic year, the maximum amount of Pell Grant funding a student can receive each award year is equal to 150% when attending full-time for Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Once a student has reached the 600% Pell lifetime limit eligibility will end.

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Grant recipients with exceptional financial need may be eligible for the FSEOG which is a campus-based program administered through the Financial Aid Office. The award amount is contingent upon the availability of FSEOG funds,and the amount of other aid received by the student. Eligible students are processed first by selection of those with the lowest Expected Family Contributions (EFC) attending at least half-time and making satisfactory academic progress. The FSEOG Grant is not available to students whose admission status is Move When Ready or learning support; students who are concurrently attending two or more colleges as a regular students; or students who have reached the Pell Grant lifetime limit.

Federal Work-Study (FWS)

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a campus-based program that provides Pell Grant applicants with part-time employment to assist with the cost of their college education. Students must be enrolled in an eligible technical certificate, diploma, or an associate degree program and attending classes to be eligible. Students must be enrolled at least half time and demonstrate financial need based on their official EFC and the cost of attendance. Students normally work 20 hours per week and income from work study and all other aid cannot exceed their cost of attendance for any given semester. FWS pay rate may vary based on place of employment and type of work. If at all possible, students are employed on campus in jobs related to their area of study. Off-campus jobs may be available to support federal community service requirements. Any interested students should check the Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Job Listings and apply online at the Employment link on the home page. The FWS is not available to students who are concurrently attending two or more colleges as a regular student.

State Aid Programs

The HOPE Scholarship and Grant Program – Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally, funded by the Georgia Lottery for Education and administered by the Georgia Student Finance Commission, provides financial assistance to qualified Georgia residents and active duty military personnel stationed in Georgia and their dependents. (See Georgia Residency Requirements section below for more information on residency eligibility requirements.)

For Academic Year 2020-2021, the HOPE Grant will pay for tuition at the rate of $76 per credit hour. The HOPE Grant will continue to pay for remedial coursework and joint enrollment coursework at the $76 per credit hour rate.

The HOPE Grant will pay for up to 63 semester hours of study. A student must meet a GPA requirement of 2.0 at the point that the student has accumulated 30 semester hours of courses toward a diploma or certificate for which the student received HOPE Grant funds.

This applies to currently enrolled students. Students with 30 semester grant paid hours must have a 2.0 GPA based on previously paid HOPE Grant hours to continue their grant eligibility into the following semester. There will be two eligibility checkpoints for the HOPE Grant: 30th semester hour and 60th semester hour based on HOPE Grant paid hours.

Students can regain HOPE Grant eligibility once at the second check point. Any coursework paid for by HOPE, with the exception of remedial and Joint Enrollment coursework, will apply to the GPA calculation and checkpoints. However, such credit hours for which a student received HOPE Grant payment prior to his or her high school graduation must be counted as paid-hours, if the student was participating in Joint Enrollment.

Students with a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for the HOPE Grant.

The Zell Miller HOPE Grant is an expansion of the HOPE Grant program that pays 100% of tuition for technical college students who are HOPE Grant eligible in a technical certificate or diploma program with a GPA of 3.5 or greater.

The HOPE Scholarship program, also funded by the Georgia Lottery for Education and administered by the Georgia Student Finance Commission, is a merit-based scholarship program available to Georgia residents seeking associate degree level programs or higher, who have demonstrated specific academic achievements.

For Academic Year 2020-2021, HOPE Scholarship will pay for tuition at the rate of $76 per semester hour.

There are several ways to gain eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship:

- Graduate from an eligible high school as a HOPE Scholar (determined by Georgia Student Finance Commission with a high school transcript provided by the student’s high school upon graduation).

- Earn it while in college (apply at Tier 2 (>= 30 semester hours of Degree seeking credit with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater.

- For those who graduated from an ineligible high school, completed an ineligible home study program, or earned a high school equivalency credential- earn in the 75^th percentile on a single National or State Administration of a standardized college admission test, such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), or the American College Test (ACT), as compared to the national composite for the academic year in which the student earned the score,

Eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship is determined in the Office of the Registrar by designated staff. HOPE Scholarship Evaluation Applications must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar. Final official transcripts must be received from all previously attended postsecondary schools prior to the HOPE Scholarship Evaluation being processed. All previous degree-level coursework counts in a student’s attempted-hours and towards their GPA. Students may be required to provide additional residency verification for HOPE Scholarship. (See Georgia Residency Requirements section below for more information on residency eligibility requirements.) Students who did not graduate from a Georgia high school or home school program must be Georgia residents for 24 months prior to the first day of the term. Active duty military service members, spouses, or dependent children stationed in Georgia must meet residency requirements.

Eligible freshmen students receive HOPE assistance for the first 30 semester hours attempted. First time recipients of this award on or after July 1, 2019, must use the scholarship within 10 years. First-time recipients of this award on or after July 1, 2011, MUST use the scholarship within seven years (excludes Military service time if applicable) of graduating high school, receiving their high school equivalency credential (or within seven years of when their high school class graduated, whichever comes first), or completing a home school program. Students who have not received HOPE Scholarship prior to July 1, 2011, and who graduated from high school more than seven years ago cannot receive HOPE Scholarship. (HOPE Grant recipients changing to a degree level program must meet all eligibility requirements for the HOPE Scholarship.)

HOPE Scholarship eligibility is evaluated at the 30th, 60th, and 90th semester hour check points, called tiers, to see if the student is still meeting HOPE Scholarship standards. Additionally, GPA is checked at the end of each spring semester and the Three-Term Checkpoint. If the student loses the HOPE Scholarship at their first check point due to GPA dropping below 3.0, he or she is eligible to reapply for HOPE Scholarship once at the next check point, provided the cumulative Attempted-Hour GPA is a 3.0 (see Attempted-Hour definition below). Students can only regain eligibility one time after losing it.

This provision takes into account prior eligibility status. If a student had lost eligibility in the past and has since regained it, another loss of eligibility would be permanent.

A student that is not eligible during the term in which they have accumulated 90 Attempted-Hours (Tier 4 checkpoint) cannot regain HOPE Scholarship eligibility. Regardless of the funding source, once a degree seeking student has accumulated 127 semester Attempted-Hours of degree credit, or has received any combination of HOPE Scholarship, HOPE Grant, and/or applicable dual enrollment payment for a Combined-Paid total of 127 semester hours, or has earned a baccalaureate (four-year) degree, the student is no longer eligible for the HOPE Scholarship/Grant programs.

Attempted-Hours: Credit hours are counted as attempted-hours regardless of whether the course was completed, the hours were earned, or a letter grade was recorded on the student’s official academic transcript. Credit hours are counted as attempted-hours regardless of whether the student receives payment for those hours from HOPE. There is no expiration date for attempted-hours. Credit hours are counted regardless of whether they transfer towards the degree or are considered expired. HOPE Scholarship will not pay for remedial coursework; however, all remedial coursework previously counted in attempted hours will remain counted in the Attempted-Hours calculation (Taken prior to Fall 2011).

Combined-Paid Hours: Means the total number of paid-hours a student has accumulated from any combination of the HOPE Scholarship Program, HOPE Grant Program, and Accel Program (for applicable years).

Students graduating from an eligible Georgia high school with a grade point average of 3.7 (determined by GSFC) combined with a minimum SAT score of 1200 or minimum composite score of 26 on a single national or state/district administration of the ACT, as well as meet the academic rigor requirement, may apply for the Zell Miller Scholarship. For Academic Year 2020-2021, Zell Miller Scholarship pays 100% of the standard tuition amount. Students who entered college as a freshman between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2011, may be eligible as a recipient at the sophomore, junior, or senior levels. The Zell Miller Scholarship will also be awarded to the top two graduates from each high school (must still meet HOPE Scholarship eligibility requirements excluding the SAT/ACT test score and the 3.7 high school GPA).All recipients must maintain a 3.3 grade point average for all check points (30/60/90 semester hour check
points).

If the student’s GPA falls below 3.3, but is at least a 3.0, the student would be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship If a student loses eligibility for any reason, they may regain eligibility one time if they re-qualify at one of the eligible checkpoints. This provision takes into account prior eligibility status.

If a student lost eligibility in the past and has since regained it, another loss of eligibility would be permanent.

For complete regulations and additional definitions regarding the HOPE Scholarship/Grant program, go online to gafutures.org, or call the customer contact center at 1-800-505-GSFC (4732) or (770) 724-9000 in Metro Atlanta. GSFC’s mailing address is 2082 East Exchange Place, Tucker, GA 30084.

Other Financial Assistance

Nelnet Payment Plan Option

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College offers students a payment plan option through Nelnet Business Solutions for a small enrollment fee of $15 for summer and $25 for fall. A minimum down payment is required with the remaining balance due in 1 to 4 monthly installments. The amount of the down payment, number of monthly payments, and the enrollment fee are determined by the date of enrollment in the plan. If a student defaults on payment to Nelnet, the remaining balance becomes due directly to the college along with a $40 non-refundable administrative fee. Information is available online at https://www.wiregrass.edu/admissions/apply.

Private Loans

Private loans are credit-based loans to help students “bridge the gap” between the financial aid they have been awarded and any additional amounts that may be needed to pay for outstanding educational expenses, such as tuition, fees, books, or supplies.

Student Access Loan - Student Access Loan (SAL)
Student Access Loan – loan for eligible Georgia students attending an institution within the Technical College System of Georgia. Information is located online at https://www.gafutures.org/hope-state-aid-programs/loans/sal/

Students are selected randomly for SAL based on fund availability.

The first selection of applications will be current HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship recipients and previous 2020-2021 SAL borrowers in good standing based on funds available. Any following selections of applications will be first come first serve based on funds available.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a federally funded job training program designed to provide assistance to those needing occupational skills in order to obtain employment or advance with their current employer. WIOA is a competitive scholarship given to a limited number of qualified applicants each semester. WIOA is designed to assist dislocated workers who have lost employment due to technological changes, plant closures, or foreign competition, displaced homemakers, or other individuals who are unable to pay the cost of attending Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. Applicants must intend on returning to the workforce once they have completed their training program.

• WIOA has funds allocated for students who have been laid off from their jobs, are recently divorced, or who are youth (ages 16-24) returning to obtain an education
• WIOA may be used in conjunction with HOPE and Pell
• WIOA assists with student expenses for tuition, fees, books and any other required school expenses not covered by other types of financial aid
• WIOA offers limited financial assistance to help with the costs of childcare and transportation

Applicants must be attending Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in a degree, diploma, or technical certificate of credit program. Medical students must have completed the required core classes and be accepted into their program of study.

After completion of training, WIOA students can receive individualized career counseling, resume preparation, job search assistance and other services to aid them in obtaining employment.

Interested students should speak with the WIOA staff for further information on eligibility requirements.

Veterans Benefits

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is approved for veterans training under U.S. Code 38. Eligible persons should complete the application for veteran’s education benefits using VA Form 22-1990 through their local or regional Veterans Administration Office or online through the Veterans On-line Application (VONAPP) at vabenefits.vba.va.gov.

Students applying for Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Program use VA Form 22-1900. The VA Certifying Official in the Veterans Support Services Office is available to assist applicants in filing for education benefits.

In order to receive benefits, students must meet VA attendance requirements. If a student drops or is dropped from a class, termination is forwarded to the VA Regional Office in Atlanta. However, the student may continue attending other classes without veteran benefits. The VA will not pay for any courses that are not listed in the student’s program curriculum. Students receiving VA benefits are required to notify the School Certifying Official as soon as possible in regards to enrollment status (i.e. adding/dropping classes, withdrawals, or transfer or school), change in program of study, and graduation. Students may be responsible for the return of any funds that are unearned due to dropping, withdrawing, or failure to attend a course that the funds were awarded to cover. See Refund Policy for more details.

Students receiving VA educational benefits are required to provide the School Certifying Official a copy of their Certificate of Eligibility from the VA for the following financial aid benefits:

• Post 9/11 GI Bill- Chapter 33
• Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty- Chapter 30
• Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve- Chapter 1606
• Reserve Educational Assistance Program- Chapter 1607
• Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program- Chapter 35

In addition, Chapter 1606 and 1607 students are required to obtain a Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) from their Commanding Officer to be provided to the School Certifying Official.

For students receiving benefits under the Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Program, a copy of the Authorization and Certificate of Entrance into Vocational Rehabilitation (VA Form 28-1905) must be provided to the School Certifying Official.

VA students should contact the VA Education and Training Office at 1-888-GIBILL-1 or online at http://www.benefits.
va.gov/gibill/ for more information.

Georgia’s HERO Scholarship
Helping Educate Reservists and their Offspring (HERO) is a non-need based scholarship to provide educational scholarship assistance to members of the Georgia National Guard and U.S. Military Reservists who served in combat zones, and the children and spouses of such members of the Georgia National Guard and U.S. Military Reserves. Eligible recipients may receive up to $2,000 per academic school year. Award amounts are prorated for school terms in which recipients are enrolled for less than full time (12 hours).

Vocational Rehabilitation
Individuals with disabilities who qualify may receive financial assistance while attending Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. Contact your local vocational rehabilitation counselor for assistance.

Georgia’s Public Safety Memorial (GPSM) Grant

The GPSM grant funded by the Georgia Lottery for Education and administered by the Georgia Student Finance Commission was created to provide educational assistance to the dependent children of public safety officers permanently disabled or killed in the line of duty. The Georgia General Assembly appropriates funds each year during the preceding legislative session. For more information contact the WGTC Financial Aid Office or GSFC.

HOPE Career Grant

The Hope Career Grant is a state funded grant. Students within the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) receiving Hope Grant or Zell Miller Grant funds and enrolled in Air Conditioning Technology, Automotive Technology, Commercial Truck Driving, Early Childhood Care & Education, Healthcare Technologies, Business Education and Computer Science, Practical Nursing, or Technical and Industrial programs may be eligible for Hope Career Grant. Students with a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for the grant. Visit our website for a complete list of updated programs.

Deadlines

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available in October for students to reapply for financial aid for the following award year. Application for financial aid is made once each year. Once approved, it is effective fall semester through summer semester of that award year. All HOPE and Pell financial aid expires at the end of summer semester of the current year.

Financial Aid Application Process
Associate of Science Degree/Diploma/Technical Certificate Students: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)(https://fafsa.gov/) at least six to eight weeks prior to the expected registration date.

Georgia residents and active duty military stationed in Georgia and their dependents will automatically receive the HOPE Grant, based on results of the FAFSA, if pursuing a diploma or certificate of the required length. HOPE degree-seeking students must have their HOPE Scholarship eligibility determined by Wiregrass Georgia Technical College’s Office of the Registrar.
NOTE: Military members who separate in the State of Georgia must establish Georgia residency for 12 or 24 months if their home of record at the time of separation was not Georgia. Students who receive aid must report any other assistance received, regardless of source, to the Financial Aid Office.

Students selected for the Verification process; or requiring other actions on their FAFSA will submit documents online at https://wiregrass.verifymyfafsa.com.

Federal Citizenship and State of Georgia Residency Requirements for Student Financial Aid

To be considered for any form of student financial aid from the Federal government, a student must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen. An eligible non-citizen is defined as a student who is:

A United States permanent resident with an Alien Registration Receipt Card (1-551), or a conditional permanent resident (1-551C) or a non-citizen with an Arrival-Departure Record (1-94) from the U. S. Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) showing any one of the following designations: “Refugee”, “Asylum Granted”, Indefinite Parole”, “Humanitarian Parole”, or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant”. The following examples of U.S. Immigration and Naturalization documents DO NOT meet the eligible non-citizen criteria:

• An F1 or F2 Student Visa
• A J1 or J2 Exchange Visitor Visa
• A G Series Visa (pertaining to international organizations) or any other temporary U.S. Visa

Georgia Residency Requirements
In addition to being a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, a student must meet the Georgia residency requirement to be considered for the State of Georgia scholarships and grants. Verification documentation that may be requested include, but are not limited to a copy of your (or your parents’) most recent Georgia income tax return; a copy of your driver’s license; or a copy of your voter’s registration card; location of property, including home purchase, and taxes paid
thereon; reason for initially coming to Georgia; location of checking, savings, or other banking accounts and automobile title registration and tag taxes.

All documents must verify 24 consecutive months of domicile in the State of Georgia (which indicates the person’s intent to maintain a permanent presence) or graduation from a Georgia High School which requires 12 consecutive months. For more information, please see Technical College System of Georgia, Policy and Procedure Manual online at https://tcsg.edu/tcsgpolicy/tcsg_policy_manual.pdf.

Federal Student Aid Verification
It is the policy of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College to verify all Student Aid Reports selected by the central processor for verification. This verification procedure will be conducted in compliance with the latest regulations published by the U.S. Department of Education in the Title IV Student Financial Aid Handbook.

Applicants selected by the central processor for the verification process will be notified by the Office of Financial Aid as to the documentation they will be required to provide. The Office of Financial Aid must receive all documents within 45 days of the date of notification. Applicants who do not provide all of the requested documentation will be considered not eligible for the Pell Grant or any other Title IV Financial Aid Programs. Students should review their financial aid award on BanWeb to see the results of their verification. Actual award updates will be posted on the student’s BanWeb account.

Unusual Enrollment

The U.S. Department of Education has established new regulations to prevent fraud and abuse in the Federal Pell Grant Program by identifying students with unusual enrollment histories. Students who received a Federal Pell Grant at multiple institutions in recent academic years (2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020) will have their 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) flagged for unusual enrollment history (UEH). The flags “2” and “3”will be indicated on the Student Aid Report (SAR) and the Financial Aid Office will be required to review the student’s enrollment history to determine whether or not the student is enrolling only long enough to receive cash refunds of Federal student aid. Unusual Enrollment History (UEH) must be resolved before the student will receive Federal financial aid.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policies

Federal and state regulations require that students make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order to continue to receive aid. SAP measures whether students applying for financial aid are in good academic standing and making SAP toward completion of their programs. Satisfactory progress is evaluated at the end of each semester for all students. (A student is not required to be meeting the Eligible Postsecondary Institution’s SAP policy to receive payment from the
HOPE GED® Grant Program; however, all other requirements must be met.)

1. Qualitative Standard: GPA Requirement
Financial aid recipients must maintain the same minimum GPA as any other student enrolled at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. Please refer to the Academic Regulations section of the Student Handbook for the method of determining GPA. The minimum GPA allowed is 2.0. Students falling below those minimums at the time of review will be placed on financial aid warning and will have one semester to remove themselves from that status by completing the required number of semester hours of coursework to achieve a cumulative 2.0 or higher GPA. Financial aid is extended for the warning semester for all classes not affected by the federal repeat coursework provision. Students who do not attain the 2.0 GPA at the end of the warning semester are on financial aid suspension and their financial aid award is terminated. Students on financial aid suspension must pay for and successfully complete the required number of semester hours to achieve a cumulative 2.0 GPA and a 67% earned rate to have aid reinstated. HOPE Grant students must maintain a 2.0 GPA at the 30th and 60th hour GPA checkpoints. Zell Miller Grant students must maintain a cumulative HOPE GPA of 3.5 at the 30th, 60th, 90th and end of spring check points to retain the Zell Miller Grant. HOPE Scholarship students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 to retain eligibility for the Scholarship. Zell Miller Scholarship students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.3. If the GPA falls below 3.3, but is at least a 3.0, the student would be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship.

2. Quantitative Standard: Earned Rate
Financial aid recipients must successfully earn at least 67% of the credit hours attempted to remain eligible for financial aid. The earned rate is calculated by dividing the cumulative number of credit hours the student successfully completed by the cumulative number of credit hours the student has attempted. Cumulative and earned hours include accepted transfer credit. Students who receive a “Z” grade for a qualifying emergency will have those credits excluded from the attempted hour calculation. Credit hours for all prior terms of enrollment at Wiregrass’ merged colleges, East Central Technical College and Valdosta Technical College, are included in the calculation. Students falling below the 67 percent earned rate at the time of the review are placed on financial aid warning. Students placed on financial aid warning must complete the warning semester with the required number of semester hours of coursework to achieve a minimum of 67 percent earned rate. Failure to do so will result in financial aid suspension. Students on suspension must pay for and successfully complete the required number of semester hours to achieve a cumulative 2.0 GPA and a 67 percent earned rate to have aid reinstated. Note: 66.5 to 66.9 percent earned rate will be rounded to 67 percent.

3. Maximum Time Frame (MTF)
Students must complete their educational program within a maximum time frame of one and a half (150 percent) times the length of the program in which they are enrolled. For example, if a program is 36 credit hours, the maximum time frame is 54 attempted hours (36 x 1.5 = 54). This means that students will no longer be eligible to receive financial aid once they have attempted one and one-half times the number of credit hours required for graduation in the program in which enrolled. All periods of enrollment are included when calculating maximum time frame, even terms in which the student did not receive financial aid. Under extenuating circumstances, the student may submit an appeal for maximum time frame. Students graduating from one program and beginning a new program will have their 150 percent maximum time frame restart for the new program. Students admitted to a program of study and required to enroll in learning support courses may receive federal aid for those courses up to a maximum of 30 semester hours. Learning support coursework is excluded from the maximum time frame calculation. Credits for “Z” grades due to a qualifying emergency will be excluded from the maximum time frame calculation.

4. Grades
Grades included in the GPA calculation are “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, and “F”. Grades of “I”, “IP”, “W”, and “Z” are not included in calculating a student’s SAP GPA. Grades of “I”, “IP”, and “W” are counted as coursework attempted and will be used to determine SAP status for attempted hours. Students who receive all “Z” grades will maintain their last SAP assignment. If the SAP status was “warning”, the SAP assignment for the upcoming semester will be “warning”. If the SAP status was “suspension”, the SAP assignment for the upcoming semester will be “suspension”. If this is the first SAP term, the student will be evaluated at the end of the next SAP evaluation.

Incomplete and in progress grades, transfer credit, exemption credit, credit for previous experience, grades for audited courses and articulation credit are not included in the financial aid GPA. Students who receive “I” or “IP” grades will have those grades factored in their attempted or earned rate when a grade has been assigned. The grade must be assigned by the next semester’s SAP evaluation period. The student’s financial aid award will not be retroactively affected; however, the financial aid award will be affected going forward if the final grade(s) results in financial aid warning or suspension. Grades received for Learning Support do not affect GPA, but the hours are calculated in the formula to determine the 67 percent completion rate. ESL coursework is excluded for SAP requirements.

5. Termination of Financial Aid
Financial aid will be terminated when a student is determined by the Financial Aid Office to be ineligible, if the office has evidence that the student has falsified information on the application materials, or if federal or state funds are not provided to meet the award.

6. Appeal Process/Reinstatement of Aid
Students have the right to appeal the denial of financial aid if they have extenuating circumstances which prevented them from making satisfactory progress. The student must complete the form and attach documentation to support the appeal. The completed form will be submitted to the Financial Aid Office. Students who are approved for an appeal will be placed on financial aid probation for the semester the appeal was approved. In certain situations, an academic plan may be appropriate to outline the academic rigor the student will need in order to achieve the SAP policy. The Committee will review the appeal and if properly documented may approve the appeal for one semester. Subsequent appeals may be granted on a case-by-case based on the extenuating circumstances. If not properly documented, the appeal will be denied and the student will not be awarded financial aid for the semester.

The Committee reviews appeals via an online process in Navigate. Written notification by letter or e-mail will be provided within ten (10) working days of the Committee’s decision. Appeals of the Committee’s decision can be made to the Financial Aid Director or Vice President of Enrollment Management with ten (10) working days of notification of the Committee’s decision. Approved appeals are effective for the current academic year in which the appeal was submitted.

Professional Judgment

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College understands there may be cases of extenuating circumstances affecting a student’s financial aid eligibility. The student, or the student’s parents (in the case of a dependent students), may request special consideration called “professional judgment” by submitting the appropriate Special Circumstances Appeal form though an online process at https://wiregrass.verifymyfafsa.com. Extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to: loss of employment; loss of income due to divorce or separation; loss of untaxed income; loss of income due to death of a spouse; a one-time income increase such as lottery winnings; loss or hardship due to natural disaster.

Professional judgment may also be sought for students who want to be considered for a dependency override. This override will allow consideration for dependent students to change to an independent status due to an unusual or life threatening family situation, death of a custodial parent, or students who have no contact with their natural parents. All professional judgment decisions will be determined by the Director of Financial Aid, Assistance Director, or Financial Aid Coordinator. Professional judgment decisions may take 4 to 6 weeks to process.

Repeat Coursework – Financial Aid Implications

Effective July 1, 2011, students may only receive federal financial aid funding for one repetition of a previously passed course; a previously passed course is one in which any grade higher than “F” was received. A student may receive federal financial aid funding more than once for repeating the same course in which a failing grade has been received, however the normal Satisfactory Academic Progress policy will still apply. Any student who is using federal financial aid to repeat a course, and withdraws before completion of the course, will not have this attempt count against his or her one attempt to retake a previously passed course. However, if after passing the first attempt the student decides to receive federal funds to retake a course for a second time and fails it, the second attempt failure will count as the one allowed repeat of a previously passed course and the student will not be paid for retaking the course a third time.