Maintaining your financial aid
How your aid may be impacted
The amount of aid you receive may go up or down depending on a variety of factors, including the number of hours you’re enrolled in, whether or not you participate in your courses, and whether you are making satisfactory progress toward your degree. For example, if you drop a class and your cost of attendance goes down, your aid may go down to match it. If you add a class, it may go up. Similarly, if you do not participate in classes you receive aid for, or you do not meet standards for making progress toward your degree, your aid may be reduced or canceled.
Watch video: Why did my financial aid change?
Earn your aid
It’s important that you participate in classes to earn your financial aid. If you do not participate in the classes you’re enrolled in, your aid can be reduced or canceled altogether. You will need to show participation in your courses by the 21st day after the course start date. If your participation is not confirmed by the 21st day of class, your aid may be reduced or canceled, and you may be required to pay for charges without aid. For more information on earning your aid, and to learn which activities count as participation, visit here.
Watch video: About confirmation of participation
Maintain enrollment
Your cost of attendance and your awards are based on a number of factors, including the number of credit hours you are enrolled in for the term as well as your session enrollment.
Watch video: How many credits do I need to be enrolled in to keep my financial aid?
*These are examples and may not reflect your actual costs and awards.
| A classes only | B classes only | A and B classes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| COA total | $11,016 | $11,016 | $14,593 |
| Award total | $11,016 | $11,016 | $11,423 |
| A classes only | B classes only | A and B classes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| COA total | $7,298 | $7,298 | $10,875 |
| Award total | $7,298 | $7,298 | $8,837 |
| A classes only | B classes only | A and B classes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| COA total | $10,261 | $10,261 | $15,126 |
| Award total | $10,261 | $10,261 | $15,126 |
| A classes only | B classes only | A and B classes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| COA total | $8,409 | $8,409 | $13,151 |
| Award total | $8,409 | $8,409 | $13,151 |
Withdrawing as a financial aid recipient
If you don’t finish your classes as scheduled, your financial aid could be recalculated or canceled. Learn about the various ways your aid can be affected by not completing a class.
Dropping classes as a financial aid recipient
Learn how dropping classes can affect your financial aid.
Incomplete grades as a financial aid recipient
Learn how receiving an incomplete grade can affect your financial aid.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
To remain eligible for federal financial aid, you must make satisfactory academic progress as a student, meaning you need to complete classes in a timely manner and earn grades high enough to demonstrate that you are successfully working toward your degree.
Watch video: What is SAP?
If you don’t meet SAP standards, your aid may be adjusted. Arizona State University measures satisfactory academic progress yearly after the spring semester using three metrics:
GPA standard
You must maintain a minimum ASU GPA according to the ASU Undergraduate Academic Standards, or the ASU Graduate Academic Standards. Students on academic disqualification are not eligible for financial aid.
Undergraduate student minimum cumulative GPA: 2.00
Graduate student minimum cumulative GPA: 3.00
Watch video: SAP GPA Standard
Pace rate standard
You must pass at least 67% of your total attempted ASU credit hours in your current degree program. You may need to consider reducing your course load in order to improve your cumulative pace rate. All courses must apply to your degree program.
Watch video: Pace rate standard
Maximum credit hour standard
You must not exceed the maximum attempted credit hour limit for your degree program. This standard applies to all programs, including minors, dual majors, concurrent degrees and prior degrees. All transfer credit hours accepted by ASU are included in this measurement. Audited courses are excluded from this measurement.
Watch video: Maximum credit hour standard
Your SAP status and how to appeal
Your SAP status is listed in the Finances tab of My ASU, in the Financial Aid and Scholarships box. Learn more about Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Over-awards
An over-award occurs when your need-based awards exceed your financial need, or the total of your awards exceeds your cost of attendance. If you have been over-awarded, federal regulations require ASU to adjust your awards, which may result in a bill to your account. Need-based aid includes grants, scholarships, Federal Work-Study, subsidized Federal Stafford Loans and outside resources (i.e., faculty and staff tuition benefits, scholarships, stipends, etc.).
Non-need-based aid includes unsubsidized Federal Loans, Federal Parent PLUS Loans, Federal Graduate PLUS Loans and Private Education Loans.
Possible reasons an over-award can occur are:
- You receive additional awards.
- Your residency status changes.
- Your housing status changes.
- The verification process results in changes made to your FAFSA data.
- You have made changes in your enrollment that affect your cost of attendance.
Frequently asked questions
Award adjustments are updated in My ASU every Monday through Friday, except for university-recognized holidays. Any changes you make to your enrollment that cause your aid to adjust will be resolved in 5-7 business days.
Because financial aid can be impacted when you add or drop a class, it is important to make minimal changes after you register for classes — especially after the start of the semester. It is also important that you participate in the classes for which you receive financial aid. Failure to participate in your classes can result in a reduction or cancellation of your financial aid.
This is especially important if you enrolled in session B. Any changes to session B classes after the start of session A or at any time during the semester could impact your financial aid. Changes may require money already disbursed to you to be billed back, resulting in a charge on your account.
Work with your academic advisor to make sure you have a good plan at the beginning of session A for your registered courses throughout the semester.