Reasonable Academic Progress Appeal

General Information

Should a student fail to meet Reasonable Academic Progress standards, and feel he/she has extenuating circumstances that should be considered, the student can submit a RAP appeal. Appeals must be submitted in writing no later than 30 days after the start of the term for which the student is requesting aid in order to regain full financial aid eligibility.

An Appeal Committee meets weekly to consider RAP appeals, and once the committee has come to a decision, the student will be notified via email. This process takes a minimum of 3 weeks.

Students who appeal after the 30 day deadline may not be eligible for aid. Applicants, who would like to appeal the decision of the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid Appeals Committee, may appeal to the University Appeals Committee.

Requirements for a Reasonable Academic Progress (RAP) Appeal

Before submitting a RAP appeal, the student must read the RAP Policy.

The following are the documents are to be submitted with a RAP appeal:

1. The RAP Appeal form
2. A signed letter from the student to the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid RAP Committee stating:
   • Why you have failed RAP standards
   • What you are currently doing to regain RAP standards
   • What you will do in the future to ensure you will meet RAP standard

According to the individual circumstances surrounding the appeal, additional documentation may be required. Examples of this are:

• If the student exceeds 150% of the credits it takes to complete the degree, the appeal must contain a letter or email from the student's academic advisor, department chair, or other college official indicating:
  • The remaining number of credits needed to meet the program requirements
  • The length of time it should take the student to complete requirements (noting course sequencing and availability)
• If the student's cumulative GPA is below 1.5 OR if this is the student's 2nd or subsequent RAP notification , the appeal must contain a letter or email from the student's academic advisor outlining the student's ability to remain in the program.

Emails should be sent to finaid@vt.edu with RAP Appeal in the subject line.

Note: The Appeals Committee welcomes supporting documentation for verification. Examples include, written certification from a health care professional attesting to illness/injury, letter from an advisor outlining how the student has worked with the advisor to improve academic standing, or letter from an instructor indicating the student's efforts to improve.

After Receiving an Appeal

Students who have regained financial aid eligibility due to an approved appeal must continue to make academic progress to remain eligible for financial aid. Student(s) who choose not to appeal or whose appeal is denied will be required to raise their GPA to RAP standards and/or satisfy credit deficiencies by taking additional course work without receiving financial aid. Once the student has met RAP standards, they are eligible to reapply for financial aid. The student can not automatically regain eligibility simply by paying for his or her own classes for a semester or by sitting out a semester. The student must meet the policy standards to regain eligibility for financial aid.