To qualify for financial assistance, a student must be admitted into a degree-granting course of study (some graduate certificate programs are eligible for aid), be meeting TAMIU's Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAPP), and must not be in default or delinquent on any student loan with the University, State or Federal government. The student must not owe a balance for Federal Title IV Funds returned due to complete withdrawal from TAMIU or any other state or private institution (see Return of Funds Due to Complete Withdrawal). Students must be enrolled at least six (6) hours to be eligble for any loan under the Federal Direct Loan Program.

Need

     Financial need is the difference between your cost of attendance at TAMIU (this includes tuition, fees, books, supplies, room and board, transportation, and personal expenses) and the amount the family is able to contribute (EFC) toward those educational costs. Your Estimated Family Contribution is calculated by the Department of Education using your financial aid application. Some factors taken into consideration when calculating your EFC are parental income and assets and student's income and assets.

Cost of Attendance - Expected Family Contribution = Need

Some financial aid is need-based, meaning you must demonstrate need in order to qualify for this type of aid (such as Pell Grant). Other aid, such as scholarships are merit-based (not need-based), meaning that you do not have to demonstrate need in order to be eligible. The total amount of aid a student receives, whether it is need-based or non-need based, cannot exceed a student's cost of attendance.

Citizenship

     In order to be eligible for federal aid, a student must be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or an eligible Non-Citizen who holds an Alien Receipt Card (Form I-151 or Form I-551).

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

     Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid to monitor student progression towards the completion of a degree and/or certificate program at the undergraduate and graduate levels.  The Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAPP) includes quantitative and qualitative measures of progress.  The quantitative measure requires that a specific number of credits be completed each academic year to remain eligible for financial aid.  The qualitative measure requires maintaining a minimum institutional Grade Point Average (GPA).

Compliance with the SAP Policy will be verified at the end of each semester. SAPP rules apply to all semesters of enrollment whether financial aid was received or not.

The SAPP requirements are:

Minimum Cumulative TAMIU GPA Requirments

• Undergraduate Students - 2.0
• Graduate and Doctorate Students - 3.0
• First-time Undergraduate Students (Transfer and First-time Freshmen) are eligible for financial aid the first semester of enrollment regardless of GPA.

Note: Hours transferred from another institution will only serve to satisfy graduation requirements and will NOT be calculated into the TAMIU GPA.

Deficit Hours

• Complete at least 75% of all credit hours attempted at the end of each semester.
• Grades of W, G, I, AU, Q, NC are not considered for completion

Excessive (maxed out) Hours

• Undergraduate students cannot exceed 180 attempted hours.
• Only transfer credits that apply to current degree will be used in calculation (this includes all letter grades).
• Graduate students cannot exceed 60 attempted hours.

Financial Aid Warning:

Students who have not met the SAPP requirements at the end of the semester are placed on warning and are still eligible to receive aid during their warning period. Students must meet the SAPP requirements at the end of their warning period to be placed back in good standing. Students who fail to meet the SAPP requirements at the end of their warning period will be placed on suspension.

Financial Aid Suspension:

Failure to meet requirements by the end of the warning period will result in financial aid suspension.  To redeem eligibility: a student may enroll in subsequent semesters at his/her own expense, until SAPP requirements are met.  This must be done at TAMIU only.  A student can appeal loss of eligibility if they have experienced extenuating circumstances; however, this does not imply that eligibility will be reinstated or that approval is guaranteed.  Appeals will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee which does not contain members of the TAMIU Financial Aid Office.

For the detailed SAPP form in PDF format, visit our Financial Aid Forms Page

Non Degree/Non Certification Or Transient Students

     Federal regulations state that only individuals enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program can receive federal or state aid. A regular student is one who is enrolled for the purpose of obtaining a degree or certificate offered by the institution. Students enrolling at TAMIU for the summer or for one semester and/or not following a TAMIU degree or certification plan are not eligible for federal or state financial aid.

Dual Enrollment

     If a student is dually enrolled at TAMIU and another institution, Pell-eligible, Undergraduate students can request reimbursement of Pell Grant for the additional hours taken at another institution. Students requesting dual enrollment reimbursement must be enrolled for more hours at TAMIU. In order to request Pell Grant reimbursement through dual enrollment, students must submit the Financial Aid Consortium Agreement and a copy of the receipt from the other institution indicating a zero balance. Deadline to submit the Consortium Agreement is the 12th class day of the semester (4ht class day for summer) for which you are applying.

At the end of the semester, students must submit an official transcript from the other institution to the University Registrar. Failure to do so will result in a hold being placed on your account. All hours taken at another institution that are reimbursed through dual enrollment are subject to TAMIU's Satisfactory Academic Progress