Financial Information

Tuition

• For all graduate courses: $580 per semester hour
• All graduate students will be charged a $25 per credit hour Resource & Technology fee
• The audit fee is also $580 per semester hour. Students who audit a class receive no credit for the class, but they do receive a grade of NC (no credit).

All tuition is due 10 days before the class start-date.

Tuition Refund

Refund of any portion of tuition will be made only in the case of official withdrawal from the College.

Scholarship and grant aid from state or institutional sources are subject to the same withdrawal calculations.

Note that in accordance with federal regulations, students receiving federal financial aid funds are subject to Return of Title IV Policy depending on the date of their official withdrawal petition. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Fees are nonrefundable after the end of the drop/add period.

Financial Assistance

The Office of Financial Aid is dedicated to helping students and their families make attendance at Columbia College an academic and financial reality through financial aid planning. There are many different sources of financial aid available to qualified students. It is best to submit all required forms as soon as possible, since most aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis for qualified applicants. The Office of Financial Aid awards aid to qualified applicants regardless of race, religious creed, place of national origin, ethnic group, or physical disability.

The Columbia College Office of Financial Aid administers the Federal Stafford Loan Program, Subsidized and Unsubsidized, for graduate students. These loans are available to students who are enrolled at least half-time in an eligible program. Repayment begins six months after a student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time. Students should begin the financial assistance process as early as possible following the initial application to the Graduate Program. The procedures are as follows:

1. The student applies for admission to Columbia College and is accepted.
2. The student files the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov. 
3. In the event additional documentation is required, or errors were made on the FAFSA, students will receive notification of additional requirements.
4. The student applying for assistance will receive an official award notification from the Office of Financial Aid via email.
5. Students are not required to return a copy of the award letter. All aid will be processed as offered unless the student returns a signed copy of the award with notations indicating a desire to decline or reduce a specific award.
6. VA students should notify the Columbia College certifying official in the Office of Financial Aid.

Students can view their financial aid information in Koala Connection under Financial Services.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Pursuant to Federal Regulations, the Columbia College Office of Financial Aid  is required to monitor the academic progress of all students who apply for federal financial aid. Financial aid funds can only be awarded to students who are completing a minimum percentage of hours attempted, maintain a specific GPA, and who meet the college’s standards for continued enrollment as defined in the “Academic Standing ” section of the Columbia College Bulletin. If a student fails to meet SAP standards, they will become ineligible for federal financial aid. A student is considered making Satisfactory Academic Progress and eligible for financial aid if he/she:

1. Are admitted and enrolled as a degree-seeking student.
2. Meets Columbia College’s standards for continued enrollment (See the “Academic Standing ” section of Columbia College’s Bulletin.)
3. Maintains the minimum Columbia College GPA requirement as follows below.
4. Passes 67%  (0.6665) of all attempted hours (includes all transferred credits).
5. Has not attempted more than 150% of their program of study.

To maintain good standing in graduate programs, students must consistently do “B” quality work or above in coursework and maintain a cumulative 3.00 GPA. A student whose cumulative GPA falls below a 3.00 in any given semester is placed on academic probation. A student will be dismissed for academic reasons if her/his cumulative GPA is less than 3.00 at the end of the following consecutive semester. Consecutive semesters are fall/spring/summer. The College requires a final cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 (“B”) for receiving the master’s degree.

Full-time/Part-time

For the purposes of Satisfactory Academic Progress, Columbia College does not distinguish between full-time and part-time enrollment. Students’ progress is accessed on both a quantitative (GPA) and qualitative scale (percentage of hours completed). Basing the qualitative measure on percentage of hours completed negates any differences in enrollment status.

Student Eligibility

Graduate students must meet the Graduate Program’s standards for continued enrollment. They must also complete at least 67% of the credits for which they were registered during the past academic year and must complete 67% of all hours attempted in graduate school. No graduate student exceeding maximum timeframe is eligible for Title IV Federal aid, state aid, or institutional aid.

Treatment of Courses and Grades in determining Satisfactory Academic Progress

Withdrawals (WD) count toward total hours attempted for the Cumulative Completion Rate and are included in the GPA calculation. Only administrative withdrawals do not count against the GPA. 

Incompletes (I) or No Grade (NG) count toward total hours attempted for the Cumulative Completion Rate, but are not included in the GPA calculation.

No Credit (NC) is assigned to audited courses.  The hours are not included in the attempted hours or the GPA calculation.

Transfer credits accepted by the College count toward the Cumulative Completion Rate and will not count in the GPA calculation.

Repeated courses count toward total hours attempted for the Cumulative Completion Rate. The highest grade is included in the GPA calculation. Federal student aid is available for only one retake of a passed course.

Change in Majors. Only courses counting toward a student’s program of study (major) count toward maximum timeframe. Students are allowed a maximum of three times to change major.

Failing (F) grades count toward total hours attempted for the Cumulative Completion Rate and are included in the GPA calculation.

Satisfactory (S)/Unsatisfactory (U) are Pass/Fail credit hours that count toward total hours attempted for the Cumulative Completion Rate. Successfully completed courses are included in the total hours earned. The grades are not included in the GPA calculation.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Cycle

Graduate students will be evaluated at the end of each term of enrollment. Students who have not met Satisfactory Academic Progress after the designated checkpoint are placed in a Financial Aid suspension status. Students on suspension are classified as ineligible for aid and are not eligible for Title IV federal aid programs. There is no warning period in which a student can receive aid for an additional semester if SAP requirements are not met.

Students who are determined to be ineligible for federal financial aid under the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy may appeal this determination if the student feels extenuating circumstances are major factors in his/her inability to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards. Extenuating circumstances are documented conditions beyond the student’s control (i.e., injury, illness, or family crisis). Appeals governing that circumstance will only be granted once. All appeals must be in writing and mailed to the Financial Aid Office.

Financial Aid Appeals

Students who do not meet these guidelines will be sent a letter and/or e-mail explaining that they are on financial aid suspension. Students who feel there are extenuating circumstances which may affect the denial of financial aid have the right to appeal in accordance with the Financial Aid Appeal Process.

Students who have been on financial aid suspension cannot merely skip a semester to regain eligibility. To regain eligibility for financial aid, the student may submit a written appeal (see Appeals Process below) in accordance with the appeals process and the Office of Financial Aid must approve the appeal. The student is then placed on probation with an academic plan.

To appeal, the student must follow the process below:

1. Complete the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Application in which the student clearly explains extenuating circumstances which prevented them from meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.  The application must explain:
   1. What occurred; why did you fail to meet the SAP requirements?
   2. How have you resolved these circumstances so that they will not continue to affect your academic performance in the future? What is your plan of action to ensure your academic success?
2. For maximum timeframe, the student must explain the number of hours accumulated and submit a degree audit.
3. Submit your completed appeal application and all supporting documents. Submit the appeal during the following times:
   1. Second week of August
   2. Last week of December
   3. Second week of May
   4. Third week of July

4. Students will be notified of the decision by mail or email within 48 hours of the decision.  The decision of the Financial Aid Office is final.

Submit Appeals Form and Supporting Documents to:

Columbia College

Office of Financial Aid

Attn: Satisfactory Academic Progress

1301 Columbia College Drive Columbia, SC 29203

Email To: fa@columbiacollegesc.edu

If a student’s appeal is denied, then the student will be required to successfully attain minimum SAP requirements using their own financial resources to continue enrollment. Once minimum SAP requirements have been met, aid eligibility is reinstated.

Students who have exceeded the maximum timeframe may appeal. Appeals for the extension of aid beyond the 150 percent maximum timeframe are available only to those students for whom one additional semester of aid will result in graduation. No appeal will be granted for students that require more than one term beyond the maximum timeframe to attain a degree. Appeals for the upcoming fall semester will be reviewed after spring grades are available (if necessary) and prior to the last day of the add/drop period for the fall semester. Appeals for the upcoming spring semester will be reviewed after fall grades are available (if necessary) and prior to the last day of the add/drop period for the spring semester. Appeals for the upcoming summer sessions will be reviewed during the spring semester and prior to the last day of the add/drop period for the summer session.

Academic Plan

Students appealing their ineligibility for aid that cannot achieve minimum SAP requirements within one semester may be considered for an Academic Plan. If a student can achieve SAP minimum requirements in a reasonable amount of time, one academic year or less (3 semesters: Fall, Spring, and Summer), exhibits character consistent with the mission of Columbia College, has a balance less than $1000 owed to the college, and can satisfactorily demonstrate a willingness to do the work necessary to attain minimum SAP requirements, then an Academic Plan will be offered.

An Academic Plan will detail the specific expectations and requirements that must be met for each semester the student receives aid until SAP requirements are met. The Academic Plan will be created by the Provost’s Office and forwarded to the Office of Financial Aid. Requirements may include, but are not limited to: regular meetings with faculty, advisors, and the Academic Skills Center, presentation of progress reports to the Director of Financial Aid or other representatives, and optional sessions with the campus Counselor. A specific GPA and percentage of hours completed will be assigned for each semester to ensure that SAP requirements are met within the required time-frame. Failure to comply with any part of the Academic Plan requirements or to achieve the expected GPA and percentage will terminate the Academic Plan provision and the student will become ineligible for aid. No additional appeals will be considered.

Columbia College reserves the right to terminate an Academic Plan at any time. Any decision to terminate a plan early will be deliberated by the Financial Aid Committee.