The Commissioner of Education has issued and the Board of Regents has approved regulations that establish academic standards for receipt of State student financial assistance. These regulations were effective for all students who were receiving aid for the first time during school year 1981-82 and thereafter. The regulations have two components: Pursuit of Program and Academic Progress.
This provision of the regulations calls for the completion of a prescribed percentage of a full-time course load (12 hours at the University at Buffalo) each semester in order to be eligible to receive State financial assistance the following semester. During the first two semesters of State financial assistance, a minimum of six hours must be completed. During the third and fourth semesters of State financial assistance, a minimum of nine hours must be completed. In addition, a minimum of 12 hours must be completed during all subsequent semesters of State financial assistance.
Completion of a course means receiving a passing or failing grade in the course. “Withdrawals”, “Resigns”, and “Incompletes” do not qualify under this provision. An “Incomplete” grade that is changed to a passing or failing grade by the end of the following semester can be included once completed. Additionally, a graduate student repeating a course to improve a grade in which a grade of “C” or better had been originally earned cannot include the repeated course as part of the student’s minimum full-time or part-time course load for financial aid eligibility. Exceptions at the graduate level exist for dissertation, research, thesis project or portfolio courses since students are allowed to repeat these courses for credit until the dissertation, research thesis, project or portfolio is completed. Students receiving State financial assistance must be careful to complete the minimum prescribed number of hours each term. The consequence of not completing the prescribed number of hours each semester is loss of State financial assistance the following semester.
An academic progress standard has been established for each level of study (Undergraduate, Graduate, etc.) throughout the SUNY system. Academic progress guidelines require completion of a minimum number of hours at a minimum grade point average in order to be eligible to receive State financial assistance. The following chart lists these standards for graduate students. Please note that the standards reflected in the chart are for use in determining eligibility for financial assistance for graduate students only; standards for students in professional programs may vary. Professional students should check with their Dean’s office for further information.
Please note that the academic standards used by the University at Buffalo to determine good standing are significantly higher than NY State aid eligibility academic standards. It is unlikely, therefore, that State financial assistance will be lost under this provision while students attend the University at Buffalo.