Financial Aid

Wake Tech's Financial Aid Office strives to provide quality assistance to all students and makes every effort to ensure that no qualified student is denied the opportunity to continue his or her education because of economic disadvantages. Through a program of scholarships, grants, work-study and loans, the Financial Aid Office provides students with options for supplementing their own and their families’ resources to pursue their education goals.

To apply for financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) online. The FAFSA^® should be completed as soon as possible on or after December 1 for the upcoming academic year. If you prefer not to complete the application online, you may complete the FAFSA^® in PDF format and mail it to the processing center or request a paper FAFSA^® by calling 800-433-3243. If you are hearing impaired, you may call the TTY line at 800-730-8913.

Deadlines and priority dates
To allow time for processing and offering financial aid to students before the first day of classes, priority deadlines have been established for each semester:

NOTE: If any deadline falls on a weekend or a holiday, the paperwork is due the next business day.

Students will be notified of their offers once all required documentation has been received in the Financial Aid Office. Students who submit applications and documentation after the deadlines must be prepared to pay for their tuition, fees and books. Students may view their financial aid information during each stage of the process through Self-Service - Financial Aid.

To receive federal Title IV and/or state assistance, a student must meet the following requirements:

• Demonstrate financial need through the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®)
• Have a valid high school diploma or a High School Equivalency certificate on file with the college
• Be enrolled in an eligible program of study at Wake Tech
• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress
• Certify that he or she is not in default on a federal student loan and does not owe money on any federal aid

NOTE: Students with a high school diploma determined to be invalid are not eligible for financial aid. A diploma will be deemed invalid if there is reason to believe that limited coursework was required to complete the diploma or that a fee was charged by the agency that issued the diploma.

Students with an invalid diploma may establish eligibility for financial aid as outlined below. "Enrollment," as used below, is defined as officially registered and attending classes.

To receive financial aid funds, a student must be qualified to study at the post-secondary level. A student qualifies if he or she meets the following requirements:

• Has a high school diploma
• Has the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma, such as a  GED or other state-sanctioned test or diploma-equivalency certificate
• Has completed homeschooling at the secondary level, as defined by state law
• Has completed one of the ability-to-benefit alternatives and is either currently enrolled in an eligible career pathway program or first enrolled in an eligible post-secondary program prior to July 1, 2012
• Has an accredited associate degree
• Has successfully completed at least 60 semester credit hours that do not result in the awarding of an associate degree but that are acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor's degree at any institution
• Is enrolled in a bachelor's degree program where at least 60 semester credit hours have been successfully completed, including hours transferred into the bachelor's degree program

Students will not be denied admission to Wake Tech; however, they will not be eligible to receive financial aid until one of the above items is completed. More information is available in the Financial Aid Office.

For financial aid purposes, full-time enrollment is always considered 12 credit hours, regardless of whether the student is enrolled in the Fall or Spring semester or Summer term. Students receiving veterans' benefits should contact their Wake Tech Department of Veterans Affairs representative.

To receive the maximum Pell Grant offer, a student must be enrolled for 12 credit hours or more each semester in an eligible program of study. Depending on eligibility, a reduced Pell Grant offer may be given to students enrolled three-fourths time (9-11 credit hours), half time (6-8 credit hours) or less than half time (1-5 credit hours). Only courses in a student's program of study can be included when determining the offer for each semester. For example, a student who is enrolled for 12 credit hours but is taking a five-credit-hour course that is not part of his or her program of study will receive Pell Grant funds for seven credit hours only. Students should refer to Financial Offer Information to learn more about disbursement requirements.

• To receive funding from the North Carolina Scholarship, students must be enrolled at least half-time when funds are released.
• To receive funding from the Direct Loan Program, students must be enrolled for at least six credit hours when funds are released and must maintain continuous enrollment with at least six credit hours.
• Students must register for all courses, including "mini-mesters," by the last day to drop for the term.

Post-9/11 GI Bill^® students who receive monthly housing allowance and/or kicker payments are required to verify their enrollment to continue receiving their payments. By regularly verifying your enrollment, you protect your GI Bill entitlement by preventing charges for classes or training you did not attend.

Students using MGIB-Active Duty (Chapter 30) or MGIB-Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606) must verify their enrollment each month to receive payment for that month. Your enrollment can be verified starting on the last calendar day of the month by using VA Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) or by calling a toll-free Interactive Voice Response telephone line at 877-823-2378.

Vocational Rehabilitation is a public service program operated through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in the North Carolina Department of Human Resources. Vocational Rehabilitation offers several financial resources to assist individuals with disabilities. Students may be eligible for financial assistance to complete a course of study to meet individualized needs. Prospective students should contact the nearest Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services office.

Any student who transfers to Wake Technical Community College must provide official transcripts from all schools attended, including high school. Wake Tech will evaluate all transcripts to determine if an offer of financial aid can be made.

Financial aid received at any other institution within the same academic year may reduce the amount of financial aid available to the student at Wake Tech. Students are not permitted to receive federal Pell Grant  and state grant funds simultaneously at two institutions.

Students wishing to repeat courses for which they have already received transfer credit will have to be evaluated on an individual basis with consideration given to previous aid received in accordance with federal repeated coursework regulations.

Wake Technical Community College offers several different federal and state grant programs. Grants are gifts of financial aid and, as such, do not generally have to be repaid as long as a student remains enrolled each semester. Students who withdraw completely may be required to repay a portion of federal grant funds received.

Federal grant programs

• Pell Grants
  The student must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident enrolled in an eligible program, demonstrate financial need and meet all other eligibility requirements. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®). For 2023-24, annual offers range from $750 to $7,395, depending on enrollment status. The maximum Pell-eligible Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) is $6,656. Offer ranges are subject to change based on congressional action.
   
• Year Round Pell
  An eligible student may now receive a full federal Pell Grant for the Summer term even if they received a full Pell Grant during the Fall and Spring semesters. Year-round Pell allows students to receive up to 150% a regular grant offer over the course of the academic year so that they can continue taking classes in the Summer and finish their degrees faster than they would otherwise. 
  With careful planning, Pell Grant recipients may take advantage of this regulation to earn their degree faster. However, students should keep in mind that the Summer term is shorter (8-10 weeks) than Fall and Spring semesters (16 weeks). Students should consult with their academic advisors to develop a manageable course load for the shorter Summer term. Just because students may be eligible for full-time Pell Grant funds does not mean students are required to carry a full-time load.

NOTE: Any Pell Grant received will be included in determining the student's Pell Grant duration of eligibility and Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). To be eligible for additional Pell Grant funds, a student must meet the following requirements:

• Be otherwise eligible to receive Pell Grant funds for the payment period
• Be enrolled at least half-time in the payment period(s) (6 credit hours) during the Summer term
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress
  
  Pell Grants are limited to a lifetime maximum of the equivalent of 12 full-time semesters or six years (or 600%) for community colleges, vocational schools and public and private four-year universities. Limits will be tracked by the U.S. Department of Education for each institution the student has attended.
  
  A full year (100%) of eligibility is counted regardless of the amount of the grant received. For example, a student who is eligible for $3,000 in Pell Grant funds who received $1,000 in the Fall semester, $1,500 in the Spring semester and $500 in the Summer term has been offered 100% for the year. Pell Grants are available only to undergraduate students. Once a bachelor's degree is earned, the student is no longer eligible for Pell Grant funds, even if the 600% eligibility has not been met. Students are required to meet and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress standards to maintain eligibility.
   
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)
  The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) provides grant funds to exceptionally needy students. Eligibility is determined by a student's submission of the FAFSA^® and all required documentation. The maximum offer at Wake Tech is $1,000 per academic year; offers may be reduced. Students who submit the FAFSA^® by March 15 and all required documentation work by June 1 will receive priority consideration.
   
• Federal Work-Study Program
  Federal Work-Study provides part-time employment opportunities to students in need of financial assistance. Students generally work 10 to 20 hours per week. This grant is administered based on the availability of funding. Students must complete the FAFSA^® and turn in all required documentation in order to be considered for this grant. In most instances, a student must be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible diploma or associate degree program and must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress to qualify. Federal Work-Study earnings are paid on a monthly basis after a time record has been signed, approved and processed by the Financial Aid Office and Human Resources. For more information pertaining to the Federal Work-Study Program, visit the Financial Aid Office.
   
• Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG)
  You may be eligible for an Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant if you meet the following conditions:
  • Your parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. armed forces and died as a result of military service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after the events of September 11, 2001
  • You were under 24 years old or enrolled in college at least part-time at the time of your parent's or guardian's death
  • You meet all requirements for the federal Pell Grant, but your Expected Family Contribution makes you ineligible

State grant program

Next NC Scholarship
The Next NC Scholarship is for North Carolina residents who demonstrate financial need and are enrolled at least half-time at a North Carolina community college or a University of North Carolina institution.

Qualifying students at community colleges are guaranteed at least $3,000.

Eligibility

• A North Carolina resident as defined by North Carolina Residency Manual
• Graduated high school or completed a high school equivalency program
• In a household with an adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less
• Enrolled for at least six credit hours in a financial aid-eligible program

Applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) listing a UNC System institution or North Carolina community college.

Consideration for funding is automatic once the FAFSA^® is filed. The FAFSA^® filing priority date is June 1. Applicants completing the FAFSA^® after June 1 may be denied if sufficient funds are not available.

The U.S. Department of Education offers three types of loans through the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program:

• Direct Subsidized Loans
• Direct Unsubsidized Loans
• Direct PLUS Loans

Student loans must be repaid.

2023-24 Direct Loan interest rates and fees
Interest rates for 2023-24 federal student loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2023, are:

• 5.498% for undergraduate Federal Direct Stafford Loans
• 7.048% for graduate Federal Direct Stafford Loans
• 8.048% for Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loans

Interest rates on federal student loans have been set annually according to the 10-year Treasury note rate, plus a fixed percentage that differs by loan type.

• Direct Subsidized Loans
  Subsidized loans are need-based: To qualify for a direct subsidized loan, a student must demonstrate financial need as a result of filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®). Eligibility is determined by the institution; funds are provided by the U.S. Treasury and repaid to agencies designated by the U.S. Department of Education. The amount that may be borrowed per year ranges from $3,500 to $5,500 for undergraduates, depending on grade level; it is set by the federal government. Interest on the loan is paid by the government as long as the student is enrolled at least half time. The student becomes responsible for repayment (principal and interest) six months after graduating or dropping below half-time enrollment.
   
• Direct Unsubsidized Loans
  Unsubsidized loans are not need-based; however, to qualify, students must still complete a FAFSA^®. Eligibility is based on the cost of attendance minus other expected financial aid. Students are charged interest from the date the loan funds are disbursed. Annual maximums, interest rates, and repayment provisions are the same as those for direct subsidized loans.
   
• Direct PLUS Loans
  Parents of a dependent undergraduate student may apply for a PLUS loan to help meet costs of attendance not covered by other financial aid. Completion of a FAFSA^® is required, and parents must submit a PLUS Request form to the Financial Aid Office. PLUS loans generally offer better interest rates and repayment options than other non-federal education loans. Repayment typically starts when funds are disbursed; however, deferments are available upon request.
   
• Forgivable Education Loans for Service (NCFELS)
  The Forgivable Education Loan for Service is state-funded aid that provides financial assistance to qualified students who are committed to working in North Carolina in fields designated as critical employment shortage professions. The College Foundation of North Carolina has more information on the application process, specific program details and deadlines.

The Wake Tech Foundation offers a variety of merit-based and financial need-based scholarships for Wake Tech students enrolled in curriculum (for-credit) programs. For information about scholarships for students in Workforce Continuing Education programs, students should contact the Workforce Continuing Education Division.

To be considered for a scholarship on the basis of financial need, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) and supply all necessary documentation to the Financial Aid Office prior to the April 30 scholarship deadline.

Scholarship applications are available during Spring semester. Applications are accepted online via the website from March 1 through April 30 for the upcoming academic year. Selections are made in June.

Applications are evaluated by a committee of Wake Tech faculty and staff. Only applicants who have received an acceptance letter from Wake Tech Admissions by the scholarship application deadline will be considered.

Students are strongly encouraged to apply for scholarships to offset tuition costs.

The return of Title IV funds procedure shall apply to all students who withdraw, drop out or are expelled from Wake Tech and receive financial aid from Title IV funds. The term "Title IV Funds" refers to the federal financial aid programs authorized under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (as amended) and includes the following programs:

• Pell Grants
• SEOG
• Direct Loan programs (subsidized and unsubsidized)
• Direct Parent PLUS loans

Students who withdraw from all classes prior to completing more than 60% of an enrollment term will have their eligibility for aid recalculated based on the percent of the term completed. For example, a student who withdraws completing only 30% of the term will have "earned" only 30% of any Title IV aid received. The remaining 70% must be returned by the school and/or the student. Wake Tech encourages you to read this procedure carefully. 

If you are thinking about withdrawing from all classes prior to completing 60% of the semester, you are strongly urged to contact the Wake Tech Financial  Aid Office to see how your withdrawal will affect your financial aid. It can negatively affect your overall academic progress and it may create a debt to Wake Tech, the Department of Education or both that you are responsible for paying. Once you have completed more than 60% of the enrollment term, you earn all the assistance that you were scheduled to receive for that period. You are also exempted if you complete a module ("mini-mester") or combination of modules that include 49 percent or more of the number of days in the payment period or complete coursework equal to or greater than six credit hours.

The withdrawal date is determined as either of the following:

• The date the student began the institution’s withdrawal process or officially notified the institution of intent to withdraw
• The last date of attendance required by course instructions. If a student is enrolled in more than one course, the last date of attendance used to calculate the withdrawal date will be the latest date the student remained enrolled.

Title IV aid is earned in a prorated manner on a per diem basis up to and including the 60% point in the semester. The percentage of Title IV aid earned shall be calculated by dividing the number of days completed by the student by the total number of days* in the semester or term. The percentage of term completed shall be the percentage of Title IV aid earned by the student.

*The total number of calendar days in a term of enrollment shall exclude any scheduled breaks of more than five days. For purposes of the 49 percent calculation, you take the total number of calendar days in a term of enrollment and exclude any breaks between modules ("mini-mesters") to determine if the student completed 50 percent of the term.

If you withdraw from all coursework on or before the 60% of the period, Wake Tech is required to return a portion of your financial aid that is unearned. The amount of aid that the college will return to the federal aid programs is the lesser of the following:

• The total amount of unearned Title IV assistance to be returned
• An amount equal to the total institutional charges incurred by the student for the payment period or period of enrollment multiplied by the percentage of the Title IV grant or loan assistance that has not been earned by the student

As a result of this calculation, federal funds may not cover all unpaid school charges due to Wake Tech upon your withdrawal. Any debt created by Wake Tech returning a portion of your aid to the federal programs is due and payable by you. Unpaid debts to Wake Tech will prevent you from receiving an official academic transcript and prevent you from registering for more coursework at Wake Tech until the debt is paid in full.

If you did not receive all the funds that you earned, you may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement. Wake Tech will automatically use all or a portion of your post-withdrawal disbursement of grant funds for tuition, fees and other institutional charges. We need your permission to use the post-withdrawal grant disbursement for all other school charges. If you do not give your permission, you will be offered the funds. However, it may be in your best interest to allow Wake Tech to keep the funds to reduce your debt at the school.

NOTE: A post-withdrawal second or third scheduled loan disbursement in an academic term cannot be made unless the student has successfully completed the loan period (34 CFR 668.164(j)(4)(ii)).

There may be some Title IV funds that you were scheduled to receive that cannot be disbursed to you once you withdraw because of other eligibility requirements. For example, if you are a first-time, first-year undergraduate student and you have not completed the first 30 days of your program before you withdraw, you will not receive any Direct Loan funds that you would have received had you remained enrolled past the 30th day.

Unearned Title IV aid must be returned to the following programs in the following order:

• Federal unsubsidized loan
• Federal subsidized loan
• Federal PLUS loan
• Federal Pell Grant
• Iraq/Afghanistan Grant
• Federal SEOG
• Other Title IV grant aid

Any loan funds that you must return, you (or your parent for a PLUS Loan) repay in accordance with the terms of the promissory note. That is, you make scheduled payments to the holder of your loan. Any amount of unearned grant funds that you must return is called an overpayment. The maximum amount of a grant overpayment that you must repay is half of the grant funds you received or were scheduled to receive. You do not have to repay a grant overpayment if the original amount of the overpayment is $50 or less. You must make arrangements with your school or the Department of Education to return the unearned grant funds.

At the end of the semester the Financial Aid Office randomly selects a sample of students earning all F’s to determine if the F’s are earned or unearned.  If the F’s are determined to be unearned a calculation will be performed using the midpoint of the semester as the withdrawal date. Students may be billed for resulting institutional charges and repayments of federal student aid.

The following example illustrates how the federal Return of Title IV Funds policy would affect a student who withdraws from classes at Wake Tech:

A student is attending Fall semester full-time, which is 116 calendar days in length. Classes are scheduled for the entire semester. The student withdraws from classes on the 28th day of the semester.

The student was awarded a total of $5,525 in financial aid, and after $1,144 in tuition and fees was paid to Wake Tech, received $4,381.

Because the student earned only 24% of the award (28 days/116-day semester), he or she earned only $1,326 of the total. Although the remaining $4,199 was unearned, Wake Tech must return only $869 to the federal government ($1,144 in institutional charges multiplied by the 76% that was unearned). The remaining $3,330 is the student’s portion, which must be paid in accordance with the terms of the promissory note.

Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Recipients
Effective July 1, 2019

Federal regulations require schools to monitor the academic progress of each student who applies for financial aid and to certify that each student applicant is making Satisfactory Academic Progress toward a degree, diploma or certificate. Federal regulations require schools to establish Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) that include qualitative and quantitative measures of progress and a time frame for completion of a program of study.

These standards are applied to students who receive financial aid from any of the following programs: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, The Next NC Scholarship, Federal Work-Study, Direct subsidized or unsubsidized loans, Direct PLUS loans and institutional grants, scholarships and loans.

Students’ academic performance is evaluated at the end of each semester of enrollment. Any student not meeting the minimum standards outlined below will be given financial aid warning status and notified by email from the Financial Aid Office. The student must meet the minimum requirements by the end of the financial aid warning semester; if not, financial aid will be suspended until the standards are met.

Transitional coursework
Although transitional courses do not count toward completion of a degree, federal regulations require that they be included when calculating cumulative completion rate for the purpose of determining Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid recipients. Wake Tech will also count grades earned in transitional courses in the student's cumulative GPA. Therefore, a student's financial aid GPA may differ from the college GPA that shows on the transcript. Most transitional courses are graded as pass (P) or fail (R). For financial aid purposes, a "P" will be treated as an "A" grade, and an "R" will be treated as an "F" grade.  

Federal regulations also state that students may not receive financial aid (including grants and loans) for more than 30 credit hours of transitional coursework. Students who exceed this limit will be denied financial aid for additional transitional courses, and denial cannot be appealed. Students are limited to one Direct Loan for completion of transitional coursework.

Qualitative: Cumulative grade point average (GPA) requirement
In accordance with federal regulations, a student’s cumulative GPA must be reviewed at the end of each semester of attendance, including summer.

• Students must have earned a cumulative 2.0 GPA or higher when grades are reviewed at the end of the semester.
• Students who do not earn the required cumulative 2.0 GPA will be placed on financial aid warning for their next semester of attendance.
• While on financial aid warning, the student remains eligible for financial aid:
  • If the student earns a cumulative 2.0 GPA or higher by the end of the financial aid warning semester, the warning will be lifted (provided the student meets all other SAP guidelines).
  • If the student does not earn a cumulative 2.0 GPA by the end of the financial aid warning semester, financial aid will be suspended. The student will not qualify for financial aid effective the next semester of attendance and until such time as the student again meets all SAP guidelines.

Quantitative: Completion rate requirement
In accordance with federal regulations, students must successfully complete at least 67% of cumulative credits attempted in order to meet the requirements for financial aid. For example, if a student has attempted 60 credit hours during enrollment, he or she must successfully complete 40 or more of those hours. Student completion rates are reviewed at the end of each semester of attendance, including summer.

• Students must earn a cumulative 67% completion rate. Grades are reviewed at the end of each semester.
• Students who do not earn a cumulative 67% completion rate will be placed on financial aid warning for their next semester of attendance.
• While on financial aid warning, the student remains eligible for financial aid:
  • If the student completes sufficient credits to earn a 67% completion rate by the end of the financial aid warning semester, the warning will be lifted (provided the student meets all other SAP guidelines).
  • If the student does not complete sufficient credits to earn a 67% completion rate by the end of the financial aid warning semester, financial aid will be suspended. The student will not qualify for financial aid effective the next semester of attendance and until such time as the student again meets all SAP guidelines.

Maximum time frame
The maximum time frame within which to complete a degree (or another program of study) is 150% of the published length of the program. For example, if the published length of a program of study is 64 semester hours, a student may attempt up to 96 semester hours (64 x 150%). To determine the published length of a program, please refer to the Wake Technical Community College Catalog. A student becomes ineligible for aid when it becomes mathematically impossible for him or her to complete the program within 150% of its length.

Students who exceed the maximum allowable time frame for completing a program of study may appeal if they experience documented extenuating circumstances. The student must provide a Maximum Time Frame Appeal form; if the plan is deemed reasonable and the circumstances are valid, the student will receive financial aid on a probationary basis for one or more semesters until the degree is completed. Failure to comply with the plan will result the suspension of financial aid.

A student may request a "recalculation" of the maximum time frame component in the following scenarios:

• A change in the program of study
• Attempting multiple programs
• Has successfully completed a program and is returning to pursue another program.

If deemed appropriate, the recalculation would include only the credit hours that are applicable to the current program(s) of study. In the case of multiple degrees, each program would be calculated separately to include only the credit hours that are applicable to each program. A student may request the recalculation only twice in his or her academic career at Wake Tech. A review of the student's remaining aid eligibility and the ability to complete will be taken into consideration for students completing multiple programs. The student must be meeting the GPA and completion rate requirements for a recalculation to be approved.

Appeals
Students may appeal the suspension of their financial aid eligibility in the event of documented extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances are those that are unexpected, could not be planned for and are outside of the student's control. Extenuating circumstances may include illness or injury of the student or an immediate family member or the death of a family member. Documentation from a third-party verifying the circumstances is required. Circumstances such as lack of maturity, lack of effort and typical work and family life balance will not be considered. The appeal must address why the student failed to make satisfactory progress and what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow the student to demonstrate satisfactory progress in the future. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Financial Aid Office. The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Committee will review the appeal and notify the student in writing regarding the status of the appeal. If it is mathematically impossible for a student to meet the cumulative 2.0 GPA requirement and/or the cumulative 67% completion rate requirement, the appeal will not be approved. Appeals are not retroactive; they are approved for the student's current (if enrolled) or next semester of enrollment. Students are generally limited to two suspension appeal requests while attending Wake Tech. Please refer to the Satisfactory Academic Appeal website for information regarding submission deadlines.

Students whose appeals have been approved will be placed on financial aid probation for their current or next semester of attendance. The student will be placed on an academic plan that must be followed in order to continue enrollment. The plan may include requirements for academic performance and/or for meetings with an academic advisor or Wake Tech counselor. Students who meet these requirements will continue to be on probation for the next semester. Continued eligibility for financial aid is contingent on meeting the requirements of each semester’s academic plan. Failure to meet the requirements of the academic plan will result in termination of financial aid the next semester of attendance. A student's academic progress status does not return to satisfactory until he or she earns a cumulative 2.0 GPA and a cumulative 67% progress rate and does not exceed the maximum time frame for program completion.

Treatment of selected grades

Withdrawals: Credit hours in which a student receives a grade of "W," "WP," "WF," "R" and "F" are included in the number of hours attempted but do not count toward successfully completed hours. Consequently, students who withdraw may have difficulty meeting the completion rate component of satisfactory academic progress requirements.

Incompletes: Incomplete grades are treated as an "F" in the SAP calculation. Upon notification by the student that the final grade has been submitted, the actual grade, credit hours attempted and credits earned will be used to determine if the student is maintaining satisfactory academic progress.

Grades earned thru Career and College Promise: All grades earned as a Wake Tech CCP student are included in the calculation to determine a student's satisfactory progress standing for GPA and completion rate. A cumulative 2.0 GPA and a 67% completion rate are required to be eligible to receive financial aid.

Transfer credit: Students transferring from another institution will be considered making satisfactory progress at the time of enrollment. A student’s maximum time frame for receiving financial aid will be reduced by the number of transferred credit hours applied towards his or her program of study at Wake Tech. Transfer hours applicable to the student's program of study count favorably towards the student's rate of progression.

Audits: An "AU" audit grade is not considered attempted coursework. It is not included in the determination of grade point average or completion rate. A student cannot receive financial aid for an audited course.

Credit by examination: Credit hours earned by examination are considered attempted and completed coursework and, therefore, will be considered in calculating a student's completion rate. Financial aid does not pay for credit hours earned by examination.

Repeated course: Per federal regulations, financial aid can pay for one repeat of a course in which a grade of "B," "C," "D" or "P" was earned. All repeated courses are included as attempted credits. A student may not receive financial aid for repeating a course in which he or she previously earned a grade of "A," because that grade cannot be improved upon.

Failed course: Per federal regulations, financial aid can pay for a failed course until the course is successfully passed; however, each attempt is included in both attempted and earned credits. As a result, a student's rate of progression may be negatively affected. Students must adhere to the Wake Tech policy regarding limitations on repeat courses.

Summer terms: Credit hours attempted and earned during the Summer term will be included in the calculation of satisfactory academic progress, just as those earned during any other enrollment period.

Successful completion: A grade of "A," "B," "C," "D," "X" or "P" is considered successful course completion. A grade of "F" or "R" is not considered successful completion.

Key terms related to Satisfactory Academic Progress standards

Satisfactory Academic Progress policy: An institution's policy for determining whether an otherwise eligible student is making satisfactory academic progress in his or her educational program in order to receive financial aid assistance.

Satisfactory: Student has met the minimum SAP standards and is eligible to continue to receive federal financial aid for the next semester.

Financial aid warning: Students who have not earned the required GPA or completion rate will be placed on financial aid warning for the following semester. Academic progress will be monitored at the end of each semester to determine if the student meets the standards and is eligible to continue to receive financial aid. The student may receive financial aid during the warning period.

Financial aid probation: Students whose appeals have been approved by the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Committee are placed on financial aid probation.

Financial aid suspension: Students on financial aid warning status who have not successfully earned a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a cumulative completion rate of 67% at the conclusion of the warning period will have their financial aid suspended. Financial aid will also be suspended for students who have attempted the maximum allowable credit hours for their program of study.

Notification of financial aid suspension or warning: The Financial Aid Office will send an email to any student who is placed on financial aid warning or suspension; however, failure to receive correspondence does not negate a suspension or warning status.

Academic plan: A plan developed by the institution and the student to ensure that the student is able to meet the institution's satisfactory academic progress standards by a specific point in time.

Continued probation 1 is assigned to a student who satisfies the conditions of his or her academic plan. The student is eligible to receive financial aid for an additional semester and is expected to complete all courses with a "C" or better, with no withdrawals or failing grades.

Continued probation 2 is assigned to a student who satisfies the conditions of continued probation 1. The student must complete all courses with a "C" or better, with no withdrawals or failing grades.

Continued Probation 3 is assigned to a student who satisfies the conditions of continued probation 2. 

Continued Probation 4 is assigned to a student who satisfies the conditions of continued probation 3.

Appeal: Students who have been disqualified from receiving financial aid may submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form if extenuating circumstances have affected academic performance. The circumstances must be explained and documented in writing and submitted to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Committee.

Extenuating circumstances: Circumstances that are unexpected, could not be planned for and are outside of the student's control and can be documented by a third party. Extenuating circumstances may include illness or injury of the student or an immediate family member or the death of a family member. Circumstances such as lack of maturity, lack of effort and typical work and family life balance will not be considered.

Qualitative component: The specified standard, typically grade point average (GPA), that a student must have at each evaluation period.

Quantitative component: The pace at which students must progress through their programs to ensure that they will graduate within the maximum time frame.

Transfer credit: Credit hours from another institution that are accepted toward the student's education program at the current institution and which count as both attempted and completed hours.

Regaining eligibility: Students who continue to attend school without federal financial aid may regain eligibility for financial aid by earning a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a cumulative completion rate of 67%. A student may request reconsideration of eligibility for financial aid by submitting a written request to the Financial Aid Office once all requirements are met; however, satisfactory academic progress is automatically reviewed at the end of each semester for students with an ISIR on file within the past three years.

Returning students are evaluated on a continuing basis from the last enrollment unless an extenuating circumstance is considered. Returning students who enrolled under an earlier academic progress policy will be required to meet the standards of the current policy upon their return.

Complete academic record: To measure a student’s satisfactory progress toward a degree, diploma or certificate requirements, the student’s complete academic record at Wake Tech must be evaluated, whether or not the student received aid for the entire time of enrollment. Any course grades of "W" or "WF" that were forgiven by Wake Tech must be included in a student’s cumulative record when determining satisfactory academic progress standards. When students complete coursework for more than one major, academic progress standards for each major must be met for that student to receive student aid.

NOTE: Warning status or suspension status due to failure to make satisfactory academic progress can be changed only by successfully completing classes. A student may not improve his or her status by simply "sitting out" a semester. Once the student meets both SAP requirements – a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a cumulative completion rate of 67% – the student's status will change, and he or she will be considered in good standing for financial aid.

The dean of Financial Aid (or designee) is the person authorized by Wake Tech to provide financial aid information to students. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.