Federal policy requires students who have been awarded any type of Federal Student Aid (FSA) to fulfill their academic requirements. If a student fails to earn a passing grade in at least one course he or she enrolled in for a semester, the UGA Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) must assume for FSA purposes that the student has unofficially withdrawn, unless it can be documented that the student did complete the term. For example, a student receives all “F” and/or “U” and/or “W” grades for a term. OSFA is required to determine if the student “unofficially withdrew” from the University. An “unofficial withdrawal” occurs when a student stops attending all classes and stops participating in any academic activities beyond the date he/she last attended classes.
Depending on the date of the student’s “unofficial withdrawal”, it may be necessary for the University and/or the student to return some or all of the financial aid the student received during the term.
At the end of each semester, OSFA will contact the instructors of such students to find out if the student began attendance in the class and had any academic participation, so OSFA can determine if their failure to earn a passing grade during the term constitutes an “unofficial withdrawal” from the University. Unofficially withdrawing from the University can result in the student being required to repay all or a portion of the financial aid received for the term.
Also review the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy for information regarding the potential adverse impact of these grades on continued financial aid eligibility.