All financial aid advanced by Creighton University must be used to pay tuition, fees, and University food and housing charges before any other direct or indirect educational costs. The stated limits refer to the maximum amount of loan eligibility; the specific amount awarded will be governed by the need of the student and by the funds available at the time of application. Ordinarily, one half of the total annual award will be available for each fall and spring terms.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Federal Regulations require Creighton University, as an institution of higher learning, to define and monitor standards of satisfactory academic progress for students receiving Federal financial aid. These standards are established for students who are receiving Federal Title IV financial aid.
Standards of satisfactory academic progress are established for two reasons:
- To encourage students to meet and maintain the University's minimum academic standard or GPA and
- to insure that students’ progress toward a degree by completing a minimum number of credit hours each academic year.
Qualitative Measurement
A student enrolled in a program of study offered by the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions must maintain a cumulative 2.00 GPA which is evaluated at the end of each semester.
Quantitative Measurement
Students enrolled in the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions may receive financial aid up to the following credits or until obtaining the intended degree, whichever comes first. A student must receive credit for a minimum of 75 percent of the total number of credits attempted. This will be monitored on a cumulative basis each semester. Grades of “AF”, “F”, “NP”, “UN”, “WF”, “X”, incompletes, and withdrawals will not count as credits earned.
Students enrolled in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program receive financial aid up to 124.5 credits or until the Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree is received, whichever comes first. Students enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy program receive financial aid up to 144.5 credits or until the Doctor of Pharmacy degree is received, whichever comes first. Students enrolled in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program receive financial aid up to 135.5 credits or until the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree is received, whichever comes first.
Financial Aid Termination/Reinstatement of Aid
Following the student's failure to meet the above criteria, the student's financial aid will be terminated until such time as the minimum cumulative standards have been met. Students may also use summer courses (at their expense) to reinstate eligibility for financial aid.
Appeal
If extenuating circumstances have affected a student's progress, a written appeal outlining the reason(s) for failure as well as appropriate third-party documentation will be required. The following circumstances may qualify for a legitimate appeal:
- Student illness—requiring physician's care (in excess of two weeks).
- Major illness or death in the student's immediate family (spouse, mother, father, brother, sister, child, grandparents).
Academic Program/Degree Change
If a student changes his/her academic program or degree, the maximum course credits of eligibility will be re-evaluated.
Incompletes
It is the student's responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office when Incompletes have been completed satisfactorily. Credit may then be given toward a student's total completed hours.
Transfer Students
Credit hours transferred to Creighton University will be monitored from the point of enrollment at Creighton. The number of credits accepted by Creighton from another institution(s) will be added to the credits attempted at Creighton.
Repeating Courses
Should a student repeat a course in which a grade of “AF”, “F”, “NP”, “UN” or “W” was received and earn credit for it (thereby eliminating the previous grade), the newly earned credit hours will be applied in calculating the student's academic progress.