• Students suspended due to their failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress standards will not receive financial aid for the next semester. Students must attend at their own expense and submit an appeal for financial aid for the following semester. Example: Student is suspended after completing the fall semester; the student will not receive aid in spring and must submit an appeal during the spring semester to receive aid for the summer semester. Exceptions to this policy are limited to documented medical circumstances or personal hardship beyond a student's control that prohibited the student from attending classes.
• Students must submit an appeal and provide appropriate supporting documentation, including an educational plan signed by an advisor. Students must provide documentation of extenuating circumstances beyond their control that significantly contributed to their academic performance. Examples would include death of an immediate family member, an extended medical illness and/or a disability. All documentation is subject to verification by a college official.
• A student whose financial aid is reinstated as the result of an appeal must meet all conditions established in order to continue financial aid eligibility. Students failing to meet the conditions of an appeal do not qualify to submit a second appeal. Exceptions to this policy are limited to documented medical circumstances or personal hardship beyond a student's control that prohibited the student from attending classes.
• Chattanooga State reserves the right to deny or cancel a student's financial aid in the event of extraordinary circumstances that may not be covered in the current policy.
• Appeals are not allowed for vocational students. If a student has failed to meet SAP standards, eligibility can be re-established by paying out of pocket for one payment period and making satisfactory academic progress at the next SAP evaluation.

Appeal Committee

The SAP Appeal Committee reviews appeal requests and is the final approving authority on all decisions as it relates to SAP appeals. The committee includes members from the academic staff, student service staff, and financial aid office. Students may request to speak to the committee concerning their particular situation; however, the committee is not required to meet with students to make their final decision.

Appeal Timeline

Appeals must be submitted by the priority dates listed below. Students must anticipate a minimum of 5 to 6 weeks for the appeals committee to review the appeal and make a decision on their request. Failure to provide required supporting documentation will delay the appeal process. Students will not be granted more than three appeals during their matriculation at Chattanooga State.

• Requesting aid for fall: July 15 (Priority)
• Requesting aid for spring: December 1
• Requesting aid for summer: April 1
• All Appeals:  August 1

Students pending an appeal decision at the beginning of a semester are responsible for securing their classes via payment to the bursar office. No student class schedule will be held due to pending appeal decision.