Competency Based Education—Healthcare Leadership Flex Option Program
For students who did not process federal aid while enrolled in the Flex Option prior to July 1, 2020
How Financial Aid will be Administered
An academic year for the Healthcare Leadership Flex Option program consists of 32 weeks and 24 credit hours. An academic year is divided into two payment periods.
If you are awarded federal financial aid and will be attending full-time (minimally 24 hours in your first 32-week period), your first disbursement for an academic year will occur at the beginning of your first
32-week period (first payment period), which starts the first day (called pre-test) you start your first course. Your second disbursement will occur once you have successfully completed 12 credit hours and 16 weeks of instructional time. Once 32 weeks have elapsed and you have successfully completed 24 credit hours, your fist academic year will end, and your new federal award year begins. For the remainder of the program that is less than half of an academic year, the payment period is the remainder of the program.
If you are awarded federal financial aid and will be attend half-time (minimally 12 hours in your first 32-week period), your first disbursement for an academic year will occur at the beginning of your first 32-week period (first payment period), which starts the first day (called pre-test) you start your first course. Your second disbursement will occur after you complete half of the credit-hours and half of the weeks of instructional time in the academic year. Therefore, you second disbursement would occur once 32 weeks have elapsed, and you complete 12 credit hours. Once 64 weeks have elapsed and you have successfully completed 24 credit hours, your fist academic year will end, and your new federal award year begins.
For each 32-week period of enrollment, students must self-certify at the beginning of the period the courses for which they intend to enroll. If interested in being evaluated for federal Direct Loans, you must minimally be enrolled at lest half-time, which is 12 credit hours per 32-week period.
For federal grants, a disbursement may only occur after it is determined you have successfully completed the credit hours and weeks of instructional time in the prior payment period. For federal Direct Loans, your second loan disbursement will not occur until you have successfully completed the weeks of instruction time and credit hours in the payment period. You will not be evaluated for state aid funds; students in the Flex Option are not eligible to be awarded aid for state programs.
Please note you will be billed for a course once you start (pre-test) the course.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy exists as a method to ensure students are able to complete their academic program in a timely manner while achieving minimum academic standards. In an age of increasing accountability of the use of federal student aid funds (and other federal, state, and institutional funds), institutions and students must demonstrate financial aid funds are being used to assist students in completing their academic goals in the most efficient way. Your SAP status will be evaluated after your first 32-week period, and if attending part-time, after your second 32-week period. The three components of SAP you must meet to maintain your federal aid eligibility are as follows:
Maximum Time Frame:
You are expected to finish your program within a maximum timeframe. Once starting the Flex Option, you must complete the program within 72 weeks.
Pace:
You must be on target to complete your academic program within a set time frame. To determine if you are meeting this standard, total cumulative earned hours are compared to total cumulative attempted hours. Pace is calculated by dividing the total cumulative earned hours by the total cumulative attempted hours. The result must be 66.66% or greater, which means you must complete and pass at least two-thirds of your cumulative attempted hours.
GPA and Academic Standing:
You must maintain at least a cumulative 2.0 official GPA and not be dismissed nor suspended from your academic program, as determined by the academic units' policies.
When You will be Considered Withdrawn from the Healthcare Leadership Flex Option Program
When you complete a competency or otherwise ceases enrollment (cease academic engagement) in all competencies without beginning another competency during a payment period, your account will be reviewed to determine if you have withdrawn, either officially or unofficially. If it is determined you have withdrawn from the program, your federal financial aid awarded will be evaluated to determine if any funds need to be returned.