Federal financial aid regulations limit how long any student can continue to receive financial aid. In order to maintain your eligibility for financial aid, you must be making progress toward earning your degree. You can lose eligibility for aid if you are not doing well in your classes and/or if it is taking a longer than average time to earn your degree. If you are not meeting the minimum standards, even if you are allowed to continue your enrollment, you will have to do so without benefit of federal, state, or institutional aid.
Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is determined by a review of your academic record at the end of each term and consists of both qualitative (GPA) and quantitative (progress through the program toward completion) measures as well as establishing a maximum time frame for completion. (These may differ from your academic program standards.) You must meet each standard in order to retain eligibility for most types of aid.
Qualitative Standard: you must maintain grades consistent with the graduation requirements for your academic program: a minimum of 2.0 for undergraduate degree candidates, and 3.0 for graduate degree and premedical program candidates.
Quantitative Standard and Maximum Timeframe: you must successfully complete at least two-thirds (67%) of the courses you attempt. This is calculated by dividing the total credits earned by the total credits attempted. The courses must also fulfill specific requirements toward your program.
- Transfer credits (undergraduate degree candidates only) are considered to be credits attempted and completed toward the completion of the student’s program and counted toward the maximum time frame.
- Repeat courses count as part of both the qualitative and quantitative measures.
- Change of Program – When a student changes programs, SAP is based on the credits attempted to date, excluding those that are not applicable to the new program.
The following lists program specific considerations:
- Undergraduate students: Courses which count as attempted but which do not count toward your degree requirements include courses in which you receive WD, INC, RQ, or E, and courses which fall outside the curriculum of your specific degree program. You are limited to a maximum of 96 attempted credits for the Associate’s degree and 192 attempted credits for the Bachelor’s degree.
- Graduate Students: Courses which count as attempted but which do not count toward your degree requirements include courses in which you receive WD, INC, RQ, or C+ or lower, and courses which fall outside the requirements of your specific program. Graduate degree candidates are limited to a maximum of 15 attempted courses (for candidates in the 10 course track), or 18 attempted courses (for candidates in the 12 course track).
- Premedical Program Students: Courses which count as attempted but which do not count toward your program requirements include courses in which you receive WD, INC, RQ, or grade of B- or lower, and courses which fall outside the Premedical Program curriculum.
Review of Progress
Your progress is measured at the completion of each term. Upon review one of the following statuses will apply:
- Satisfactory: Students are placed in this status upon review that determines the student is achieving the qualitative and quantitative standards required for satisfactory academic progress and can continue receiving aid.
- Financial Aid Warning: You may continue to receive financial aid for one semester of enrollment, after which your academic record will be reviewed once more to determine if you are meeting the above standards. If not, you will be placed on financial aid suspension.
- Financial Aid Suspension: At the end of the warning semester your academic standing will be reviewed again. Failure to meet the minimum requirements means you will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. A student in this status is not eligible for financial aid. Aid eligibility will be regained once the standards have been met. Note: Students on Financial Aid Suspension may appeal provided there are mitigating circumstances that inhibited their academic progress. Students can appeal on the basis of illness, death of a relative, or other extenuating circumstance. The student must also explain why they failed to meet the SAP requirement and what has changed to allow them to be successful in the future terms. Official documentation should be provided when available. If mitigating circumstances do not exist, students may take classes at their own expense to demonstrate improvement to achieve the SAP standards.
- Financial Aid Probation: A student granted an appeal will be placed on financial aid probation.The student’s record will be reviewed again at the end of the subsequent semester to determine if the student is now in compliance with the requirements and, if applicable, has met the requirements of the Academic Plan as discussed with an academic advisor. In the case where it may take a student several semesters to come into compliance, as long as the student continues to meet the requirements of the Academic Plan, the student will be eligible to receive aid.
