Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements (to be eligible for federal and state financial aid)

In accordance with federal regulations, all financial aid recipients are required to make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) towards their degree and be in good academic standing in order to remain eligible to receive federal and state financial aid each year. Good academic standing means that you must not be on academic probation with the university. The requirements for good academic standing are described in the “Academic Regulations” section of the undergraduate catalog.

There are 2 main components of SAP (see below for details):

  • GPA
  • Percentage of successfully completed credits vs attempted credits (called Pace)

SAP Component 1:

Students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) to be considered in good academic standing.  Please refer to the Academic Regulations for additional information on this requirement or CLICK HERE.  Remedial courses are calculated in the number of credit hours for a student and in the student’s cumulative grade point average.

SAP Component 2:

At all times throughout the students’ enrollment, federal regulations require schools to ensure that students are successfully completing 67% of the credits they are attempting in order to stay on track for graduating on time. This is called "pace".

To determine if you are meeting “pace”, divide the total number of credits you have successfully earned by the total number of credits you have attempted. Successful completion is defined as the receipt of a passing letter grade (A+ to D-) and does not include the receipt of an F (Failure), INC (Incomplete), DNA (Did Not Attend), W (Withdrawal), or U (Unsatisfactory).

Additional Component:

In addition to the 2 main components of SAP, financial aid eligibility is limited to accumulated attempted credit hours totaling no more than 150% of the published credit hours required to receive an undergraduate degree.  This is your maximum timeframe for receiving financial aid.  For example, a program that requires 120 credit hours x 1.5 = 180 maximum allowable credit hours attempted for financial aid eligibility.

Every term that you are enrolled in school will be counted, even the terms when you do not receive financial aid.  Transfer credits accepted by the university from other institutions will count as both hours attempted and hours completed towards the maximum credit hour limit.

  • At the end of each spring term the Financial Aid Office will check your academic transcript to make sure you have achieved the required cumulative GPA, earned the required number of credits, maintained the appropriate pace, and are not on academic probation.

  • If you do not meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements, you will not be eligible to receive federal or state financial aid for the next school year. Federal financial aid includes, but not limited to, federal Direct student loans, federal Direct parent loans, federal Pell and SEOG grants, and federal work study.

  • The Financial Aid Office will mail a letter to each student who fails to maintain the minimum satisfactory academic progress requirements. The letter will detail the deficiencies and the steps for reinstating your financial aid eligibility.

  • Students who have lost their financial aid due to academic deficiencies have the opportunity to appeal for reinstatement. The student must write a detailed letter explaining the extenuating circumstances (death, divorce, illness, etc) that hindered them from making satisfactory progress. It is suggested that the letter come complete with documentation of the extenuating circumstances (death certificates, doctor’s note, etc.), and explain why they failed SAP and what has changed that will allow the student to make satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation period. A financial aid appeals committee made up of various members of the University community, including academic and administrative personnel, will meet to review the appeal letters. Decisions to reinstate eligibility or to deny and appeal are made in a fair and equitable manner based on the information the student provided in the letter, the supporting documentation, and a review of the academic record. If the student provides documentation falling under TITLE IX of the Higher Education Act of 1972 we may be required to disclose it to other university officials.

  • A financial aid appeals committee made up of various members of the university community, including academic and administrative personnel, will meet to review the appeal letters.  Decisions to reinstate eligibility or deny an appeal are made in a fair and equitable manner based on the information the student provides in the letter, the supporting documentation and a review of the academic record.

  • If the financial aid Satisfactory Academic Probation (SAP) appeals committee approves the SAP appeal, then the student will be awarded their federal and/or state financial aid on a probationary period for one semester. Following that subsequent semester, the student must meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements to be eligible for federal and/or state financial aid for future terms.

  • If the appeals committee upholds the loss of financial aid, then the student can look to apply for a private alternative loan that allows borrowing when students are not making good SAP. Or they will need to make payment arrangements with the Bursar's Office.