Graduate Financial Aid Standards for SUNY Plattsburgh Students

Graduate Aid Standards

Graduate Federal Aid Programs include Work-Study, TEACH Grants, Direct PLUS Loans, Direct Student Loans, and Perkins Loans. Graduate students must maintain satisfactory academic progress in order to remain eligible for these aid programs. At the end of each semester, the Financial Aid Office (FAO) evaluates whether graduate students satisfy federal and state academic standards (see below). If a student fails any of these standards, FAO forwards the student a courtesy letter and may be required to cancel all financial aid for which the student is ineligible.

Federal Standards

1. Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 at SUNY Plattsburgh
2. Graduate within ten years

The first time a student fails a federal standard, the student is automatically assigned a warning semester and continues to receive federal aid during this warning semester. Students may only receive aid one time on warning.

If students on warning do not satisfy all standards by the end of the semester, the student becomes ineligible for federal aid the following semester.  Note that failure (E) and pass (P) grades are considered completed credits, although the following are not: incomplete (I), withdrawal (W), withdrawal failing (WE), unknown (UK), non-credit (NC), non-available (N), proficiency (PR), and audit (U).  Repeat coursework may be allowed for financial aid eligibility, under certain Federal and State regulations.  Students should contact the Financial Aid office for advisement of aid eligibility if planning to repeat a course.  

If ineligible for federal aid, students may continue to attend without federal aid or appeal for a probation term.

Appeal for a Probation Term

If students have not exceeded the maximum timeframe for federal aid, students can regain eligibility through two options.

First, students can attend without federal aid while addressing all of the failed standards. Students will become eligible again once all the minimum standards are satisfied again. In this situation, students could consider using an alternative loan to help fund educational expenses.

Second, students may appeal for a probation term. Appeals are warranted under extraordinary and unusual circumstances beyond the control of the student that had an inevitable impact on academic performance. Examples may involve an unexpected acute physical illness, unforeseen acute psychological condition, or unanticipated catastrophic event experienced by the student, parent, spouse or partner.

The student must thoroughly and comprehensively document the circumstances in writing from credible sources. There must also be a reasonable expectation that the student will meet all future requirements. In general, students may only receive one appeal in their academic career. An appeal is only valid for one semester of probation. By the end of this semester, students must satisfy all of the academic standards in order to regain eligibility.

The form is available in the directory of forms.  Students may not appeal the maximum timeframe for federal aid.

These options must be completed in addition to the requirements of any other university department. If you have any questions or need additional assistance, please telephone our office at (518) 564-2072 or toll-free at (877) 768-5976.

Contact Information

For more information about Financial Aid at SUNY Plattsburgh, please contact:

Financial Aid Office
Location: Kehoe Administration Building, Suite 401-410
Phone: (518) 564-2072
Toll-Free Phone: (877) 768-5976
Fax: (518)564-4079
Email: finaid@plattsburgh.edu

Our mailing address:

Financial Aid Office
SUNY Plattsburgh
101 Broad Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901-12681