LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO
STRITCH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
POLICY ON SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS FOR FINANCIAL AID
ELIGIBILITY
Introduction:
Federal law and regulations require that all students receiving financial aid
assistance from federal Title IV funds maintain satisfactory academic progress.
This document has been prepared to ensure that the financial aid program meets
or exceeds the requirements stipulated by federal regulations governing
satisfactory academic progress for financial aid eligibility.
This policy document applies to all students receiving Title IV financial aid.
General Standards for all Students:
The academic requirements for the M.D. degree include the satisfactory
completion of the published curriculum, a passing score on USMLE Step 1 and a
passing score on USMLE Step 2 CK and CS. The progress of each student
working toward the M.D. degree is monitored by the school Registrar and at least
once each academic year is reviewed by the Registrar and Associate Dean of
Student Affairs or his/her delegate to ensure satisfactory completion of academic
requirements.
Grade Requirements (Qualitative Measure)
Satisfactory progress is a course or component final grade of Pass or Pass* or
higher in all attempted courses, an indication that a graduation requirement has
been met, or other evaluation, as assigned by the faculty.
Academic progress is not measured by cumulative grade point average. The
grading system for most courses is Honors, High Pass, Pass, Pass*,
Unsatisfactory, Incomplete, or Fail. An In Progress grade also is available for
courses which span more than one semester. A grade is not considered final until
remediation attempts as permitted by school academic policy to remove
Unsatisfactory, Incomplete, or Fail grades have been allowed.
A student must receive a final grade of Pass or Pass* or higher in all first year
courses to be promoted to the second year level. The student must receive a final
grade of Pass or Pass* or higher in all second year courses to be promoted to the
third year level. A grade of Pass or Pass* or higher must be received in all
registered third and fourth year level courses to be eligible to graduate.
Additionally, a student must have recorded a passing grade on the United States
Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 by the end of the third year and must have
recorded a passing grade on USMLE Step 2 CK and CS before graduation.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
For Financial Aid Eligibility
Page 2 of 4
A student who does not satisfactorily complete all course requirements may be
permitted to remediate in accord with school academic policies. In this case, a
student assigned a schedule that deviates from the norm and who earns a
satisfactory assessment for those courses will be deemed to be making
satisfactory academic progress.
Completion of Requirements
Normal Progress:
A student is expected to complete four semesters plus eight quarters of course
work and graduate in four consecutive years unless an alternate schedule is
approved in advance by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or his/her
designate in accord with school academic policy.
For normal academic progress, the student is expected to complete satisfactorily:
At the completion of:
Clock Hours:
Two Semesters **
824 clock hours*
Four Semesters ***
1632 clock hours*
Four Semesters and Four
Quarters ***
Four Semesters and Eight
Quarters ***
3354 clock hours*
4544 clock hours*
* The hours cited are for current curricular requirements and these are
subject to revision and change.
** Plus up to one remedial summer period, if necessary.
***Plus up to two remedial summer periods, if necessary.
To be eligible for financial aid, a student must complete with a final grade of Pass
or Pass* or higher at least 75% of the clock hours for which the student registered
and paid fees each academic year. Summer remedial periods are considered part
of the academic year for purposes of this measure.
Extended time to earn degree:
A student, due to academic or personal difficulties, may require additional time
beyond four consecutive academic years. Students approved for additional time
normally will be enrolled no more than six academic years, excluding time spent
on approved leaves of absence.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
For Financial Aid Eligibility
Page 3 of 4
In case of an approved leave, the Associate Dean for Students Affairs may
establish a schedule for that student which departs from the norm. The altered
schedule may be to permit a student the time to remediate a course or course
components or USMLE Step 1.
Remediation of course(s) not requiring repetition of the entire course will usually
occur no later than the summer period following the end of that academic year.
Remediation of the entire course or of USMLE Step 1 will usually occur no later
than the next consecutive academic year. However, the Associate Dean may
require or approve a request by the student for a leave of absence to address the
impediments to satisfactory progress or to engage in preparatory academic work
prior to attempting to repeat a failed course or component of a course. Usually,
this leave will not exceed one academic year.
Transfer Students
Students who are accepted for transfer with advanced standing into the M.D.
program will be evaluated with respect to levels of academic progress attained
and a determination will be made as to remaining years of financial aid eligibility.
The determination will be coordination among the Assistant Dean for Admissions,
the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the Associate Director of Financial Aid
of SSOM.
Dual Degree Program Students
Students enrolled in the MD–PhD or MD–MA combined degree programs normally
are expected to complete the MD portion of the program in four years, excluding
the time spent on leave from the medical school to pursue the graduate degree
and any other approved leave of absence. While enrolled in the graduate degree
program, the student will be governed by the policies of the Loyola University
Graduate School.
Financial Aid Probation and Suspension
A student who does not meet one or more of the standards of academic progress
outlined in this document shall be placed on financial aid probation. The student
while on probation may receive student financial aid for one additional semester
(or two quarters). At the conclusion of this period, the student must have
achieved compliance with the standard to avoid suspension from financial aid
eligibility.
A student who fails to meet satisfactory academic progress standards and whose
financial aid eligibility is suspended shall be reinstated for financial aid eligibility
at such time as evidence of satisfactory completion of sufficient course work to
meet the standard is presented. The financial aid office must notify a student of
implementation of probationary status and suspension.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
For Financial Aid Eligibility
Page 4 of 4
Appeal of Probation
A student may appeal the decision to suspend his/her financial aid eligibility. The
student must submit to the Associate Director of Financial Aid a written statement
outlining the facts and circumstances that warrant reinstatement of financial aid.
The Associate Director may request the Associate Dean for Student Affairs to
provide information relevant to the student’s academic progress and status to be
considered with the student’s statement. The Director will bring the petition and
supporting financial and academic information to the Student Financial Aid
Committee for review. The Student Financial Aid Committee will make the final
decision as to whether the circumstances detailed in the petition and supporting
information warrant waiver of the usual financial eligibility policy and justify
reinstatement. The documentation of the petition and decision will be placed in
the student’s financial aid file.
In certain rare circumstances, when extreme hardship (family death, illness or
injury of student, or other special circumstances) has been identified, the
Associate Director of Financial Aid and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs may
ask the Student Financial Aid Committee to review the student’s situation and
determine if waiver of the requirement for Satisfactory Academic Progress may be
granted.
Administrative accountability
The Associate Director of Financial Aid shall have the primary responsibility for
dissemination of this policy to students at the time of their enrollment and for
enforcement and compliance with its content.
ADOPTED
REVISED
REVISED
REVISED
10/20/98
09/08
1/26/09
3/17/14