Failing or taking an incomplete grade in courses can impact your financial aid in multiple ways. The 3 main impacts may be owing money back for the current term, losing federal aid eligibilityfor future terms, and not meeting the renewal criteria for scholarships and institutional aid.
Q1. Why would I owe aid money back if I don’t complete my courses?
A1. Federal financial aid is earned through participation and course completion. The Department of Education requires the OSU Office of Financial Aid to reverse and payback federal funds in cases where a student has been paid more aid than was considered earned for the term. If a student fails a course but participated through attendance/submitted work until the last day of the term, no return of federal aid is required. If a student fails to attended/submit work until the last day of the term, they may considered unofficially withdrawn and a return of aid may be required. Find more on our Withdrawal page and Course Participation page. *
Q2. How might I lose future federal aid eligibility if I don’t successfully complete my courses?
A2. To maintain federal aid eligibilitya student must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. This means meeting certain criteria for OSU GPA, Pace of completion, and consistency of completion. The Pace of completion percentage is calculated by dividing the number of credits successfully completed by the number attempted. For example, if you complete 5 out of 10 credits your Pace of completion is 50%. If you do not maintain an overall Pace of at least 67%, federal aid eligibilitycan be lost. Find out more on our Satisfactory Academic Progress page.
Q3. How will not completing courses impact my non-federal aid?
A3. The renewal criteria for non-federal aid will vary depending by award type. Find more on our Renewing your Aid page.
*Degree Partnership Program (DPP) Partner Schools and Participation Verification: The OSU Office of Financial Aid and is not able to directly contact partner school instructors to obtain participation information. In cases where participation information is required from a partner school instructor, the student is notified through their OSU student email. This email will be sent after the term has ended and will contain instructions to contact the partner school instructor to request the participation information be sent directly to The Office of Financial Aid. Due to the time sensitive nature of this process, it is very important for DPP students to check their OSU student (ONID) email regularly after the term has ended. Failure to verify participation may result in the reduction or full loss of financial aid eligibility for the term.
