The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes provide educational services to tribal members under the authority of Sec 11, 48 Stat. 986, 25 U.S.C. 471 and the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, P.L. 93-638, as amended.

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribe’s Higher Education Program Guidelines is the sole document of regulation and is consistent with the applicable Federal Regulations and the tribal contract under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, as amended.

All parties referring to educational assistance form funds provided through the Bureau of Indian Affairs and through the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Department of Education will abide by these guidelines adopted as tribal policies. These policies will not be amended or implemented without the approval of the Tribal Business Committee.

Adopted and approved by the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes 29th Business Committee by a vote of « 5 » to « 0 », on this date of December 15, 1995.

ELIGIBILITY

Any person enrolled in the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, regardless of residence, attending an accredited institution of higher learning who has applied for assistance through the Federal Student Aid and who plans to obtain their first bachelor’s degree or master’s degree may apply to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Higher Education Program for financial assistance.
Program eligibility is determined by analyzing and calculating the data submitted on the student’s completed Financial Needs Analysis (FNA) form. All applicants who are determined eligible will be placed under one of the four areas listed below to determine the level of assistance they may be eligible for.

First Priority Funding Category

First priority is available to:

• Upper Classmen
• Undergraduate students 
• Full-time students pursuing a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.

First priority applicants must:

• Have applied for federal financial aid and have an unmet need according to the Financial Needs Analysis
• Be in good academic standing with the program (see academic requirements)
• Be a tribal member residing within the original tribal boundaries 

Second Priority Funding Category

Second priority is available to:

• Graduate and undergraduate students (graduate students are required to apply for other sources of funding and show verification of award or denial letter)
• Full-time and part-time students pursuing a degree from an accredited institution

Second priority applicants must:

• Have applied for federal financial aid and have an unmet need according to the Financial Needs Analysis
• Be in good standing with the program (see academic requirements)
• Be a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes

Third Priority Funding Category

Third priority is available to:

• Graduate or undergraduate students
• Full or part-time students attending an accredited institution

Third priority applicants must:

• Have applied for financial aid and are ineligible for the Pell due to being over income but who, according to the Higher Education Program, still have an “unmet need.” Student is still required to apply for federal aid and should submit the document stating their ineligibility.
• Be in good standing with the program (see academic requirements)
• Be a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes

Fourth Priority Funding Category

Providing the funds exist, fourth priority students will be funded after assisting those who are eligible and identified in the First, Second, and Third Priority Categories. The amount of funding for fourth priority students will be at the discretion of the Executive Director of Education and will not exceed the average grant awarded to first, second, and third priority students.

Fourth priority is available to:

• Undergraduate students who are ineligible for the Pell due to:
  • Defaulted loans – students are required to apply for federal aid and submit documents stating their ineligibility
  • Exceeded maximum numbers of semesters from federal aid – students are required to apply for federal aid and submit documents stating their ineligibility
• Students who are required to take additional college or university courses for professional certification or licensing. Grant will be for tuition, fees, and books only.
• Applicants who are academically ineligible according to institutional guidelines for federal financial aid and submit documents stating their ineligibility. Student will be admitted on a probationary status.
• Students of mid-year institutes/sessions, intersession courses, etc., which are requirements for graduation. The assistance provided will be limited to the cost of tuition, books and related fees for the midterm course.
• Incarcerated students sentenced to a penal institution may be eligible for financial assistance for the cost of books, fees, and tuition only.

Fourth priority applicants must:

• Be in good standing with the program (see academic requirements)
• Be a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes

FUNDING PROCEDURES

The amount of the grant will be the student’s unmet need or the maximum established for the category, whichever is less. This applies to the regular school term and summer school. The amount of the award will be determined by the Executive Director of Education based on funds available and number of applicants and will also be based on number of applicants and will also be based on number of class hours student is enrolled in.
In some cases awards will be issued in partial payments to the school. Pro-rated awards will be used in cases where the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Department of Education considers the student high-risk.

GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING

Guidance and counseling services are needed at all levels to assist individual students in preparing for higher education, to assist with the application and processing of requests for financial aid, and to assist with a follow-up program. The Higher Education Program staff/personal will provide student advisement in the form of guidance and counseling services to all students requesting assistance and will talk with advisors, school counselors, college/university staff, etc., in an attempt to provide assistance to insure that the student meets all requirements and remains in school and completes the session.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

All grantees must maintain acceptable academic standing and social conduct within the policies and rules of the institution attended and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Higher Education Program.
Required Grade Point Average: Students are required to maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA. If a student fails to maintain the required GPA he/she will be placed on academic probation for the next funding period.
Required Class Hours: Students are required to enroll in and maintain full-time status which is a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours. If a student fails to maintain the required class hours he/she will be replaced on academic probation for the next funding period. Students who choose to take less than twelve (12) hours will be funded accordingly.
All full-time students must enroll in a minimum of 12 semester hours during their freshman year. The rationale behind this is that the grantee will complete the degree requirements within five years or ten semesters. Additionally, students are advised to see a counselor or follow the program of study outlined in college catalogs for their degree program; this is done so that there will be no classes taken needlessly. Once on the program, students must maintain a 2.0 GPA for the term funded for continued eligibility.

PROBATION STATUS:

Grantees are placed on probationary status when they do not meet minimum requirements for the term funded. Being placed on probationary status means that the student will be assisted financially for the semester/term in question with the requirement that the grantee must meet all minimum requirements for reinstatement. Students who fail to meet the academic requirements for two successive semesters will be suspended from the program. Students who apply to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Higher Education program and have a cumulative grade point average of less than 2.0 can only be funded if the GPA can be raised to a 2.0 or better in a semester's time. The student will be funded on a probationary status. If the student’s GPA is a 2.0 or better, the student will be in good standing with the program and be taken off of probationary status. If the student does not raise his or her GPA, they will be suspended from the program. The student and financial aid office will be notified by letter. When a student is placed on academic probation or suspension within ten (10) days after receipt of transcripts or grade reports.

SUSPENSION

STATUS: If a student fails to meet the minimum requirements while on academic probation, they will be suspended from the Higher Education Program. If a student withdraws or drops from classes and does not return the award/funds to the Cheyenne-Arapaho Higher Education program, the student will be suspended from the program without a probationary period.

REINSTATEMENT FROM SUSPENSION:

Students who have been suspended from the. Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Higher Education program due to a low GPA, early withdrawal or dropping out may be reinstated

Comment [DS1]: Students are allowed to be part-time students but this says they are required to be full-time.
after the student has satisfactorily completed one semester at his or her own expense and, (1) has earned the minimum required amount of semester/quarter hours, depending on part-time or full-time status, from an accredited college/university in courses that are directly related to the degree pursued, and (2) that the GPA for the classes taken while under suspension is at least a 2.0 GPA, regardless of the time period it took for the student to take the courses and earn the GPA.
Students who are reinstated after being suspended from the Tribal Higher Education Program shall be admitted under probation for their first term back; at the conclusion of the return term, the provided that said student has first met the two minimum academic criteria.
Students who fail to meet the minimum academic criteria during their own return term shall be suspended. Students who enroll, attend classes, were funded by the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Education Program, and had to withdraw from classes may be considered again but on a case-by-case basis, provided the student appeals, in writing, their suspension and provides convincing documentation explaining their withdraw. If the appeal documentation supports reinstatement, funding may be provided for another term in a probationary status.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

Higher Education applications should be turned into the Department of Education by the following dates: Fall Semester-June 1 Spring Semester-November 1 Summer Session-April 1 Accompanying each signed and dated application must be the following documents: Letter of Admission: The program office must have on file a copy of the student’s official notification of acceptance. The acceptance letter must be on letterhead and be from a regionally accredited post secondary school.
Letter of Intent: A personal letter, written in ink wherein the students states exactly why they want to go to college, why they need a grant, how they plan to use the grant funds, what major they plan to pursue and their plans after graduation.
High School Transcripts, GED and College Transcripts: High school transcript must show at least first semester grades of senior year; a completed transcript showing graduation date, rank, etc. will be required prior to release of any grant funds. A copy of the student’s GED certificate may supplement a high school transcript. A college transcript indicating a cumulative hour total of 30 or more semester hours at a 2.0 or higher GPA may supplement the high school transcript and GED certificate requirement. Those who attended college before enter the Tribal Higher Education Program must submit transcript copies of all work attempted and/or completed.
Tribal Membership: Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB): Applicant files must include a copy of their CDIB’S which can be obtained from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Enrollment Office: or a Bureau of Indian Affairs CDIB card.
Financial Needs Analysis (FNA): Each applicant is responsible for having their FNA submitted by the college financial aid office (FAO). The FNA form is found in the application packet provided by the Tribal HEP. The student must complete the appropriate part of the FNA and submit it to the college financial aid office for them to complete. The college can process the FNA only after the student has applied to the Federal Student Aid

Program (FSAP), which is a Federal Program that determines eligibility for the Pell Grant, the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), the Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG), and other financial aid sources. The college will return the completed FNA to the Tribal Higher Education Program office. Applications without a completed FNA form will be considered incomplete. Incomplete applications will not be considered for funding.
Proof of Application to the Federal student Financial Aid Program: Proof of application to the FSAP will be the completed FNA. Any federal assistance emanating from the tribal HEP office is totally dependent on the student applying to the FSAP. FSAP applications are available in the program office, the college financial aid office or most any high school counselor’s office. Due to the FSAP processing time requirements, students should apply well before they plan to attend school.
Degree Plan: Each college provides degree plans that indicate appropriate classes and number of hours that need to be obtained for a particular degree. This Degree Plan is a part of the application process and must be submitted before the file is complete.
Class Schedule: After the first semester/quarter, the class schedule must support the degree plan. Students, with the assistance of an academic advisor, should not enroll in classes that are not applicable to the degree being pursued.
Student responsibility: Since the Higher Education Program is a post-high school program, which means most applicants are of legal age and considered as “adults”, the following is expected of all applicants.
Expense Incurred Prior to Eligibility: The student is responsible for any pre-enrollment fees and any other college related fees such as tuition from previous terms, library cost, dormitory charges and other forms of indebtedness. This includes defaulted loans that were accrued at any time.
Degree Evaluations: Students who have completed 60 semester hours or who will earn 60 semester hours in the upcoming semester are required to submit a completed degree evaluation sheet that is prepared by college or university staff or officials. The completed forms are to be returned to the program office and should include: (1) list of completed courses and credits that apply to a degree, (b) courses that need to be taken to complete graduation requirements, and (c) a dated signature of institutional official completing the degree evaluation check list.
Applications: The student is responsible for submitting an annual application to the tribal higher education program office. Additionally, students are responsible for completing their application to the Federal Student Aid Program. The Student Aid Report is a form that requires precise reporting of family or personal income taken directly from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax return forms. Inaccurate reporting will delay the processing, which can take from 6 to 8 weeks to complete. Due to the length