Undergraduate Academic Eligibility for Financial Aid
The grade point average (GPA) requirements to meet satisfactory academic progress for federal and UT financial aid coincide with the University’s Undergraduate Retention Standards (see the Regulations on Academic Warning and Dismissal section in the Academic Policies and Procedures chapter of this catalog). To maintain eligibility, a student must earn a minimum GPA based on the number of credit hours attempted. In addition to GPA requirements, students must meet completion standards to remain eligible for federal and UT financial aid.
Federal financial aid recipients are reviewed for compliance with these standards at least once a year.
Grade Point Average Criteria
Up to 27 credit hours: no GPA requirement
28–59 credit hours attempted: 1.75 or higher
60–93 credit hours attempted: 1.95 or higher
94 or more credit hours attempted: 2.0 or higher
Successful Completion Percentage Criteria
Up to 27 credit hours attempted: 50%
28–59 credit hours attempted: 55%
60–93 credit hours attempted: 60%
94 or more credit hours attempted: 67%
Undergraduate students are ineligible for federal aid once they have attempted 186 credit hours (193 for the Bachelor of Music) or 12 semesters. Graduate students are ineligible after attempting 48 credit hours or 6 semesters. Federal regulations do not allow for the exclusion of grades or hours attempted through the University’s academic amnesty program.
For transfer students, the GPA calculation includes only the student’s grades earned at UT. Hours attempted at institutions other than UT are used to determine the successful completion percentage.
The following provisions apply to The University of Tampa’s standards of satisfactory academic progress for recipients of federal and UT student financial aid:
- Credit hours attempted are defined as those credits for which the student is enrolled at the expiration of the tuition refund period.
- Satisfactory academic progress in any or all of the optional summer sessions is determined after the last summer session in which the student takes courses.
- Courses may be repeated. GPA and credits are calculated in accordance with repeat course policies found under the Academic Policies and Procedures chapter in this catalog. Once a student has repeated three courses at UT, further course repetition is disregarded in enrollment-status determination and GPA calculations.
- A grade of “I” (incomplete) is considered unsuccessful, and the attempted credit hours are attributed to the successful completion percentage criterion.
- Credit hours for course withdrawal (“W”) are attributable to the successful percentage completion criterion, except for semesters in which the student successfully completes 12 credit hours.
Student eligibility for University merit-based aid follows more stringent eligibility criteria stipulated at the time of the award (3.0 GPA for renewal of President’s Scholarship and Departmental Scholarships, 2.8 for renewal of Dean’s Scholarship, 2.5 for Spartan and Minaret Scholarships, 2.3 for the Achievement Award, 2.8 for Transfer Scholarship and 3.0 for the International Grant).
The following rules govern academic progress as requirements for the receipt of most Florida state student aid. For rules governing all types of Florida student aid, please consult the Financial Aid Office.
- Undergraduate students must be enrolled full time (at least 12 credit hours).
- A student must have been a Florida resident for 12 months prior to the first day of class for the first academic term in which funds are received.
Eligibility for renewal of state, federal and UT awards will be evaluated at the end of the second semester of each academic year.
Conditions of renewal for the FRAG, Florida Student Assistance Grant and FWEP state awards:
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
- Minimum of 12 credit hours earned each term.
The Florida Bright Futures programs require students to earn credit for all hours for which they received funding through this program. Students who do not complete all coursework for which they have received funding will owe repayment to the University for the unearned hours. Students will not be eligible to receive additional funding through the Bright Futures programs unless repayment is received.
In addition, the following GPA requirements apply to renew Bright Futures programs:
- Academic Scholars: 3.0 cumulative GPA. Recipients of this program whose cumulative GPA falls below the 3.0 requirement and remains above a 2.75 is permitted a one-time restoration opportunity at the current level for the Medallion scholarship.
- Medallion and Vocational Gold Seal Scholars: 2.75 cumulative GPA.
Eligibility for nearly all financial aid programs requires students to be enrolled in degree programs and to have U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen status.
An undergraduate student is eligible to receive UT financial aid for a maximum of nine semesters. Undergraduate students who transfer to UT are eligible to receive UT aid up to the point of normal degree completion. Normal degree completion for most undergraduates is 124 credits.