Academic Standards for Financial Aid

Academic Standards for Financial Aid

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal regulations require students receiving Title IV Financial Aid to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward completion of their academic program.

To meet SAP requirements, students must:

• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
• Successfully complete at least 67% of all attempted credits
   

Failure to meet SAP standards will result in the suspension of financial aid eligibility. SAP requirements apply to all students, regardless of enrollment status (full time or part time) or academic program.

Full details regarding SAP evaluation are available in the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (including methods of assessment, maximum time frame limitations, SAP statuses, consequences, grade considerations, program requirements, and appeal procedures).

SAP Appeals

Students with suspended financial aid due to failure to meet SAP standards may submit an appeal by completing the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form and submitting it to the Financial Aid Office.

Complete Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form

Appeal Submission Deadlines

Program of Study

According to the US Department of Education, if a student is enrolled in courses that do not count toward his/her degree they cannot be used to determine enrollment status unless they are courses that a student is required to take based on placement testing. This means that courses taken that do not fulfill a requirement on the program evaluation will not be covered by Title IV funds. They will, however, be counted as attempted credit hours.

English as a Foreign Language (EFL)

Students may receive FSA program funds for EFL courses. These courses are not considered developmental as well. EFL credit hours will be included in all SAP calculations and will also be counted toward Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU).

Developmental Studies Standards of Progress

Financial aid recipients may take a maximum of 30 credit hours in developmental coursework. Developmental courses (designated by course numbers below 100, DMA 060) are included in the calculation of satisfactory academic progress, but they will not count toward the time frame.

Return of Title IV Funds

The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 changed the formula for calculating the amount of aid a student and a school can retain when the student withdraws from all classes. Students who withdraw from all classes prior to completing 60 percent of the semester will have their eligibility for aid recalculated based on the percent of the semester completed. Once the aid calculation is complete, the student must pay back the unearned portion of their award to the College or to the Department of Education if any of the overpayment has been turned over to them for collection. If you are thinking about withdrawing from all classes PRIOR to completing 60 percent of the semester, you should contact the Financial Aid Office to see how your withdrawal will affect your financial aid.