Completion Targets Policy for Low-Income Students

Policy Statement

An-Najah National University is committed not only to admitting students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, but to ensuring that they graduate. The University sets clear completion targets, provides comprehensive financial, material, academic, and social support, and works systematically to remove the barriers that lead low-income students to delay or abandon their studies.

Scope

This policy applies to all undergraduate and graduate students admitted from the lowest 20% of household income, across all governorates of Palestine and in all programs and disciplines of the University.

Purpose

• Achieve and maintain a completion rate of at least 85% among low-income students.

• Reduce dropout caused by financial hardship, academic difficulty, or social pressure.

• Provide tailored financial, material, academic, social, and professional support so that students can complete their studies successfully.

• Close the gap in retention and graduation rates between low-income students and the wider student body.

Definitions

• Economically Disadvantaged (Low-Income) Students: students from the lowest 20% of household income, as identified by national statistics and verified by the Deanship of Student Affairs.

• Standard Timeframe: the nominal duration of the student's program as set in its study plan, plus one additional academic year (e.g., five years for a four-year bachelor's program).

• Completion Rate: the percentage of low-income students in an admission cohort who graduate within the standard timeframe.

• Retention Rate: the percentage of low-income students who remain enrolled from one academic year to the next.

Completion Targets

• At least 95% of admitted low-income students complete their programs within the standard timeframe.

• At least 90% first-year to second-year retention rate for low-income students.

• A gap of no more than 5 percentage points between the completion rate of low-income students and that of the overall student body.

• Academic departments monitor and report student progress toward these targets every semester.

Tracking and Early Intervention

• An early warning system flags students at risk, based on low GPA, course failures, repeated absences, academic probation, unpaid fees, or failure to register for the next semester.

• Flagged students are contacted by their academic advisor within two weeks and given a personalized success plan that may include tutoring, mentoring, counseling, or financial support.

• No eligible student is prevented from registering or sitting examinations solely because of unpaid fees before their case has been reviewed for financial support.

Supportive Measures

The University provides eligible low-income students with the following support:

1. Fees and Tuition: exemption from registration fees, need-based scholarships, tuition installment discounts, and interest-free student loans repayable after graduation.

2. Emergency and Work Support: emergency grants for sudden financial crises, and paid on-campus work-study jobs.

3. Living Support: free or discounted transportation and meal vouchers, and affordable or subsidized housing.

4. Study Materials: free used textbooks, laptops (free or on long-term loan), and essential study supplies each semester.

5. Academic Support: a dedicated academic advisor, tutoring centers, study groups, remedial courses, and peer mentoring.

6. Wellbeing and Career Support: counseling and mental health services, life skills workshops, career guidance and internships, and help with administrative procedures.

Eligibility is determined by the Deanship of Student Affairs in coordination with the Financial Department, based on verified socioeconomic status. Support is renewed each semester while the student remains in good academic standing, and is delivered confidentially.

Faculty Development

The University trains faculty and staff to support students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, promotes inclusive teaching practices, and equips academic advisors to use the early warning system effectively.

Principles

• Student-Centered Approach: decisions focus on students' success and wellbeing.

• Equity in Outcomes: comparable graduation rates across income groups.

• Dignity and Confidentiality: support is provided discreetly, protecting students' privacy.

• Accountability: clear responsibilities and reporting lines.

• Continuous Improvement: data, student feedback, and evaluations are used to refine support.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Implementation of this policy is monitored jointly by the following units, each within its area of responsibility:

• Deanship of Student Affairs: monitors the number of beneficiaries of each supportive measure, tracks students flagged by the early warning system and the outcome of interventions, and measures student satisfaction through surveys and focus groups.

• Deanship of Admission and Registration: tracks retention, academic standing, dropout, and completion rates of low-income students by cohort, income group, and program.

• Financial Department: monitors the budget allocated to supportive measures, the disbursement of scholarships, discounts, loans, and grants, and loan repayment.

• Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs: oversees the overall implementation of the policy, reviews the academic performance of beneficiary students and the work of academic departments, and consolidates the monitoring reports.

A consolidated annual report on progress toward the completion targets is submitted to the University Council, and key results are published to the public. The policy and its programs are reviewed every three years, or earlier if annual results fall short of the targets.

Accountability

• Deanship of Student Affairs: overall responsibility for determining eligibility, delivering supportive measures, and following up on student outcomes.

• Financial Department: manages the funding, fee exemptions, tuition discounts, scholarships, loans, and emergency grants, and ensures proper financial control.

• Deanship of Admission and Registration: maintains accurate enrollment and completion data and operates the early warning system jointly with academic departments.

• Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs: ensures that academic departments meet their retention and completion responsibilities.

• Academic Departments: implement retention, advising, and academic support strategies.

• University Administration: provides resources and ensures coordination and alignment with the University's mission.

 

Effective Date: December 17, 2022

Previous Review Date: June 26, 2024

Last Update: Apr 13, 2026