Financial Aid

Requirements for students placed on FA Termination due to not meeting GPA or PACE standards vary depending on how many appeals a student has previously submitted. 

FOR FIRST APPEAL

1. Access the digital SAP Appeal form and insert all information requested, including the semester you wish to appeal.

2. When prompted, write a personal statement that addresses previous semesters and lists any extenuating circumstances that may have affected your academic standing.

3. When prompted, explain what has changed in your situation and the steps you have taken and will continue to take to ensure that you will successfully complete all current and future classes.

4. Submit the appeal for review and monitor your account for updates.

FOR SUBSEQUENT APPEALS:

1. Access the digital SAP Appeal form and insert all information requested, including the semester you wish to appeal.

2. When prompted, write a personal statement that specifically addresses your previous semester and any extenuating circumstances that may have contributed to your renewed FA Termination status. Listing circumstances from previous appeals may not be considered.

3. When prompted, explain what has changed in your situation and the steps you have taken and will continue to take to ensure that you will successfully complete all current and future classes.

4. Attach official supporting documentation (doctor's notes, police/medical reports, bills, obituaries/death certificates, etc.) that corroborates the information provided in your personal statement. In lieu of official documentation, letters of support from advisors, professors, or employers are accepted.

5. Attach an advisor approved and signed Academic Plan that includes the following:

   • a list of planned courses for the next two semesters minimum

   • a list of steps student plans to implement moving forward for success, as discussed with advisor

6. Submit the appeal for review and monitor your account for updates

As stated previously, students who reach 150 attempted hours are placed on FA Termination and must prove that they can complete their degree/degrees within their allotted time frame. Allotted time frame is determined by required credit hours for degree x 150%. For example, 120 required hours x 150% = 180, which is the student's allotted time frame. If if is determined that you cannot complete your degree within your allotted time frame, you will lose access to your federal and state aid. 

Requirements for students placed on FA Termination due to MAX Time Frame vary depending on how many appeals a student has previously submitted. 

FOR FIRST MAX TIME FRAME APPEAL:

1. Access the digital SAP Appeal form and insert all information requested, including the semester you wish to appeal and expected graduation date.

2. When prompted, write a personal statement that addresses previous semesters and lists any extenuating circumstances that may have contributed to your MAX status.

3. When prompted, explain what has changed in your situation and the steps you have taken and will continue to take to ensure that you will successfully complete all current and future classes.

4. Attach an advisor approved and signed Graduation Plan that includes the following:

   • expected graduation date

   • a list of remaining courses/credit hours needed to complete degree

   • a list of previously completed courses/credit hours that do not count towards degree and may therefore be excluded from attempted hour total for appeal purposes

5. Submit the appeal for review and monitor your account for updates.

FOR SUBSEQUENT MAX TIME FRAME APPEALS:

1. Access the digital SAP Appeal form and insert all information requested, including the semester you wish to appeal and expected graduation date.

2. When prompted, write a personal statement that specifically addresses your previous semester and any extenuating circumstances that may have contributed to your renewed FA Termination status. 

3. When prompted, explain what has changed in your situation and the steps you have taken and will continue to take to ensure that you will successfully complete all current and future classes.

4. Attach official supporting documentation (doctor's notes, police/medical reports, bills, obituaries/death certificates, etc.) that corroborates the information provided in your personal statement. In lieu of official documentation, letters of support from advisors, professors, or employers are accepted.

5. Attach an updated advisor approved and signed Graduation Plan that includes the following:

   • expected graduation date

   • a list of remaining courses/credit hours needed to complete degree

   • a list of previously completed courses/credit hours that do not count towards degree and may therefore be excluded from attempted hour total for appeal purposes

6. Submit the appeal for review and monitor your account for updates.

Please note that an updated Graduation Plan is required in subsequent MAX Time Frame appeals. Outdated or previously submitted plans are not acceptable and will lead to your appeal being returned to you for revision.

Students seeking an additional bachelors that are placed on FA Termination for MAX Timeframe must also submit a SAP Appeal with the appropriate documentation for review. When submitting an appeal, please follow these steps:

1. Access the digital SAP Appeal form and insert all information requested, including the semester you wish to appeal, expected graduation date, and additional bachelor's status.

2. When prompted, write a personal statement that specifically addresses your status as a 2nd degree seeking student and planned graduation date. 

3. When prompted, list the steps you have taken and will continue to take to ensure that you will successfully complete all current and future classes.

4. Attach an advisor approved Graduation Plan that contains the following:

   • expected graduation date

   • the hours required to complete your 2nd degree

   • a list of remaining hours needed to complete your 2nd degree

5. Submit the appeal for review and monitor your account for updates.

Once your appeal is received, the committee will create a new allowable time frame for you based on the following calculation: required hours for 2nd degree x 150% + previously attempted hours for 1st degree = NEW MAX TIME FRAME. The committee will then add your attempted hour total for your first degree and the required hours for your 2nd degree to determine if you can complete your 2nd degree within the newly calculated time frame. 

If you are placed on FA Termination again after your initial appeal that determines your new time frame, you will be required to submit a new appeal according to the instructions found under the FA Termination for MAX Time Frame banner, in addition to an updated Graduation Plan.

If you are submitting an appeal that requires additional documentation (Academic Plan, Graduation Plan, official documents pertaining to extenuating circumstances), make sure you attached the correct documents before submitting your appeal. Appeals that do not include the requested documentation or contain documentation that is not relevant to status will be returned to students for revision. Continued resubmission of an appeal that does not fulfill requirements may lead to denial. For students submitting documentation who need to attach multiple supporting documents, you must first combine the files into one document before attaching to your appeal. To learn what documentation you should submit with your appeal, consult the appropriate dropdown related to your SAP status above.

Students who submit appeals for GPA, PACE, MAX, or any combination thereof are required to list any extenuating circumstances that may have affected their academic performance or led to a protracted length for degree completion. Students who have previously submitted appeals must submit supporting documentation (doctor's notes, police reports, bills, obituaries, etc.) that relate to their extenuating circumstance. Additionally, students cannot use the same extenuating circumstance for subsequent appeals unless that student submits sufficient documentation that provides a new or updated perspective pertaining to the extenuating circumstance. Students whose appeals continue to rely on similar extenuating circumstances and do not relay an improvement of or change to that circumstance in their appeal may receive a denial.

In general, students can only submit one appeal for the semester they are appealing, although the appeal may be revised as needed, based on feedback from the review committee. Additionally, students can request appeals be returned to them if they'd like to make amendments or attach additional supporting documentation by emailing financialaid@tntech.edu.

In certain cases, students may also have the option to appeal a denial decision. Please consult the SAP Policy for more information.

Students that have been placed on Financial Aid Termination and have received an Incomplete Grade (I) for a previous semester cannot submit a SAP appeal for review until the Incomplete is updated to an official letter grade (A-F) or retroactively withdraw from the course. The review committee cannot review an appeal from a student with an Incomplete. Student's on FA Termination who have received an 'I' should reach out to that course's professor for further action. Students who wish to retroactively withdraw from the incomplete course can submit a Request for Exception to University Requirement form to the Registrar's Office.

Students who have withdrawn from or plan to withdraw from a course or courses with a 'W' should note that withdrawals do affect PACE status and are still counted towards a student's attempted hour total. Additionally, a student who withdraws from a course or courses after their SAP Appeal is approved for a semester may be placed back on the FA Termination for the subsequent semester.