Satisfactory Academic Progress

Rush is able to best help you get the financial aid you need when you maintain good academic standing and a steady academic progression. Following are some of the key points you need to know to help you stay on track and eligible for assistance.

What is satisfactory progress?

The Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended by Congress mandates higher education institutions establish minimum standards of satisfactory progress for students receiving federal financial aid. These standards apply to all Federal Title IV aid programs, including the following:

Federal Pell Grant
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loan
Federal PLUS Loan
Federal College Work-Study programs

Accordingly, the Department of Education requires that Rush University’s Office of Student Financial Aid monitor the academic progress of all financial aid recipients toward the completion of their degree. This process is called satisfactory academic progress.

This policy is enforced in conjunction with all other institutional policies and procedures, including the academic progressions policies of Rush University’s colleges and academic programs. For undergraduate and graduate students, the below criteria are checked at the end of each term. For medical students, the below criteria are checked annually at the end of spring term.

Who enforces my progress?

The Office of Student Financial Aid has primary responsibility in enforcing the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. The Office of the Registrar and other Rush University offices that maintain student information relevant to the policy will provide such information, as requested, by the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Your progress will be measured at the end of each academic term once final grades are in.

What are the requirements?

The requirements vary by academic level (undergraduate, graduate and medical students). Please refer to the appropriate section below to find the requirements that fit your academic program.

If you are an undergraduate student:

Satisfactory academic progress for undergraduate students is monitored using the following three factors:

1. Maximum time frame measurement: You may attempt up to 150 percent of the credits it normally takes to complete the program. The total allowable attempted hours are calculated by multiplying the hours required to complete the degree at Rush (excluding the general education courses required prior to entry in the program) by 1.5 and rounding down to the nearest whole number.

For example, for a program that requires 107 credit hours to receive a degree at Rush (not including the general education courses required prior to entry in the program), you may attempt up to 160 hours.

2. Pace of completion: You must successfully complete at least 67 percent of the courses you attempt. This will be measured cumulatively over the course of your program. For the purpose of this measurement, all of the following are applicable:

Successful completion is defined as a grade of A, B or C for a letter grade course, or a grade of P for a course that is pass-fail or pass-no pass. These courses are counted in both the attempted and completed hours totals.
Proficiency credit (“K” grades) is counted in both the attempted and completed hours totals.
All other grades (including incomplete grades) are counted in the attempted hours total, but not in the completed hours total. If an incomplete grade is later converted to a grade that is considered to be a successfully-completed grade, the pace of completion percentage can be recalculated. It is your responsibility to notify the Office of Student Financial Aid when an incomplete grade has been converted.
If you drop courses but remain enrolled at the university, you will not have those dropped courses counted in the attempted hours total if they are dropped prior to the census date. Dropped courses after the census date will be counted in your attempted hours total.
Repeated courses are counted as attempted hours during all attempts.
Transfer credits that count toward your current academic program count as both attempted and completed hours.
If you change majors, you will only have hours that were previously attempted counted in your cumulative totals if they are applicable to the new academic program.

3. Cumulative grade point average (GPA): You must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. You will immediately be placed on financial aid suspension if you have a term GPA of less than 1.0 after your first term at Rush.

If you are a graduate student:

Satisfactory academic progress for graduate students is monitored using the following three factors:

1. Maximum time frame measurement: You may attempt up to 150 percent of the credits it normally takes to complete the program. The total allowable attempted hours are calculated by multiplying the hours required to complete the degree at Rush by 1.5 and rounding down to the nearest whole number.

For example, for a program that requires 113 credit hours to receive a degree at Rush, you may attempt up to 169 hours.

Please note: Non-degree certificate programs are approved by the U.S. Department of Education for financial assistance at a specific number of credit hours. Regardless of your actual plan of study, the maximum time frame is calculated using the number of hours for which the program was approved with the U.S. Department of Education.

Successful completion is defined as a grade of A or B for a letter grade course, or a grade of P for a course that is pass-fail or pass-no pass. These courses are counted in both the attempted and completed hours totals.
Proficiency credit (“K” grades) is counted in both the attempted and completed hours totals.
All other grades (including incomplete grades) are counted in the attempted hours total, but not in the completed hours total. If an incomplete grade is later converted to a grade that is considered to be a successfully completed grade, the pace of completion percentage can be recalculated. It is your responsibility to notify the Office of Student Financial Aid when an incomplete grade has been converted.
If you drop courses but remain enrolled at the university, you will not have those dropped courses counted in the attempted hours total if they are dropped prior to the census date. Dropped courses after the census date will be counted in your attempted hours total.
Repeated courses are counted as attempted hours during all attempts.
Transfer credits that count toward your current academic program count as both attempted and completed hours.
If you change majors, you will only have hours that were previously attempted counted in your cumulative totals if they are applicable to the new academic program.

3. Cumulative grade point average (GPA): You must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. You will immediately be placed on financial aid suspension if you have a GPA of less than 2.0 after your first term at Rush.

If you are a Rush Medical College student:

Satisfactory academic progress for Rush Medical College students is monitored using the following three factors:

1. Time limits on financial aid eligibility: The normal time frame for completion of required coursework for the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree is four academic years. Due to academic or personal difficulties, you may require additional time. In such situations, the medical college Committee on Student Evaluation and Promotion may establish a schedule for you that departs from the norm and that may require repeating a year of study.

For the purposes of this financial aid policy, no more than three years may be devoted to the first- and second-year curriculum. No more than three years may be devoted to the third- and fourth-year curriculum. Summer enrollment, if required, is considered part of the academic year for the purposes of this measure. Approved leaves of absence do not count in this measure.

2. Completion of requirements/pace of completion:

As a first-year student, you must complete at least 66 percent of your first-year curriculum with a grade of pass or better between the start of the year and the last day of spring quarter exams. This includes repeated courses.
To advance to the second year, you must complete all first-year courses with a grade of pass or better by the start of the second year.
As a second-year student, you must complete at least 66 percent of your second-year curriculum with a grade of pass or better between the start of fall quarter and the last day of spring exams. This includes repeated courses.
To advance to your third year, you must complete all second-year courses with a grade of pass or better by the start of the Clinical Resources and Skills for the Hospital course (commonly called CRASH).
If you are repeating or splitting the first or second year according to a Committee on Student Evaluation and Promotion schedule, you will be considered to be making satisfactory academic progress.
As a third-year student, you must complete at least 66 percent of the clerkships you attempt with a grade of pass or better.
To advance to your fourth year, you must complete all core clerkships with a grade of pass or better.
If you are repeating the third or fourth year according to a Committee on Student Evaluation and Promotion schedule, you will be considered to be making satisfactory academic progress.

3. Grade requirements

Academic progress in the medical college is measured in terms of honors, high pass, pass and fail grades. You must complete each required course/clerkship with a grade of pass or better in order to graduate.

If you fail a course, you must retake it and earn a grade of at least pass. If you receive an Incomplete in a course, you must complete the course and earn at least a pass.

Financial aid warning period

Undergraduate and graduate students are allowed a financial aid warning period. Professional students (in Rush Medical College) are not allowed a financial aid warning period.

If you fail to meet the requirements of this satisfactory academic progress policy you will be placed on financial aid warning for one additional term. The exception to this are undergraduate students who have a first-term GPA of less than 1.0 and graduate students who have a first-term GPA of less than 2.0. In these cases, students are immediately placed on financial aid suspension.

What to expect during this period

You will be allowed to continue on financial assistance during the warning period.
You will receive notification of warning status by hard copy letter (through the U.S. Postal Service) and through your Rush email account.
The notification will include satisfactory academic progress requirements, steps necessary to meet the requirements in the upcoming term and the consequences for failing to meet the requirements at the end of the warning period.
You will be placed on financial aid suspension if you fail to meet the standards of this the satisfactory academic progress policy after the one-term financial aid warning period.

Suspension of financial aid eligibility

If you are suspended from financial aid eligibility, you will be notified by hard copy letter (through the U.S. Postal Service) and through your Rush email account.

Professional students at Rush Medical College who fail to meet the requirements of the satisfactory academic progress policy will be placed on financial aid suspension.
Undergraduate students who have a first-term GPA of less than 1.0 will be placed on financial aid suspension.
Graduate students who have a first-term GPA of less than 2.0 will be placed on financial aid suspension.

Appealing suspension of financial aid eligibility

You may appeal the suspension of your financial aid eligibility for extenuating circumstances. Appeals from other parties on your behalf will not be accepted.

All appeals should be submitted to the director of Student Financial Aid in writing. Each appeal must include the following:

The reasons why the standards of this policy were not met.
What has changed in your situation that will allow you to make satisfactory progress during the next evaluation.
An academic plan for the remainder of your studies.
Documentation of any statements made in the appeal, as appropriate.

Your appeal must be submitted within 10 business days of receiving your suspension notice.

The director of Student Financial Aid will review your appeal and will respond to you within 10 business days from the receipt of the appeal.

Here is what to expect if your appeal is approved:

You will be placed on a financial aid probationary period for one term or for the duration of an academic plan developed by your adviser, as appropriate
The probationary period will be defined to include checkpoints that must be achieved in order for you to remain eligible for financial assistance.
If you fail to abide by the terms of your probationary period, you will be suspended from financial aid after your probationary period.

The decision of the director of Student Financial Aid is final, binding and not subject to further appeal.

Reinstatement of financial aid eligibility

Your eligibility for financial aid will be reinstated at such time as you successfully meet the standards of the satisfactory academic progress policy.

It is your responsibility to present evidence to the Student Financial Aid Office at the time you meet the requirements for reinstatement.