Satisfactory Academic Progress

​​​​​Information on this page is also available in a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) format.  Visit our Publication Section to view or print the Satisfactory Academic Progress FAQ in PDF format.

A student is required to meet minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards as defined by the U.S. Department of Education to remain eligible for financial aid each semester.  Each semester (or upon re-enrollment to the college), academic performance is reviewed to determine if a student is making SAP. The review is based on qualitative (grade point average) and quantitative measures (credits completed vs. credits attempted).

Quantitative measure

You must complete at least two-thirds (67%) of the total number of credits you attempt each semester.  For example, if you attempt 15 credits, but only earn passing grades in 12 credits, then you are progressing at an acceptable academic pace in 80% of your coursework.

Qualitative measure

​In addition to a student receiving passing grades in at least two-thirds (67%) of the total number of credits attempted an undergraduate student must also meet the minimum qualitative standards below.

Graduate Progress

Students accepted and enrolled in a Graduate program are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 regardless of number of credits completed to remain in good standing

PHPC Progress

Students accepted or taking coursework in the PHPC program are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, be enrolled at least half-time each semester continuously for a 12 month period and not take any courses deemed a repeat.  Failure to meet one or more of these conditions will result in an unappeasable termination of federal need-based aid.

Merit-Based Funding

If you have a merit-based scholarship please review your individual contract for terms and conditions related to academic progress.  Each semester all merit-based recipients are reviewed by the Student Success Center who will notify you under separate cover if your merit scholarship is in jeopardy.

Not Meeting Standards

The Office of Financial Aid will send a warning or termination letters stating that eligibility has been impacted if a student fails to meet any of the quantitative and/or qualitative standards of SAP as specified in the above below.

If you receive a Warning Letter it means your GPA and/or the number of credits* you have earned are currently below the required minimums as stated earlier. Therefore, for the upcoming academic semester you would be placed on Financial Aid Warning. It would be necessary for you to use the next academic semester to attain the appropriate minimum standard(s). If you are unable to meet the prescribed standard during the warning term, it will be necessary to terminate your financial aid for the next academic term.

*All undergraduate students have until the mid-point of the following semester to remedy grades of incomplete. Graduate students have one year to make up an incomplete.  If you are placed on warning and it is due to grades of incomplete, the Office of Financial Aid will automatically recheck at the semester mid-point and modify your status if you are back in good standing. 

If you receive a Termination Letter it means you were unable to attain over your warning period the appropriate minimum standard(s) by the end of the semester. Your aid would be cancelled until you are back in good standing.

Appealing

If you feel there are extenuating circumstances you could appeal this decision. You have 14 days from the date you are notified to submit in writing a letter of appeal and all supporting documentation to the Office of Financial Aid. All appeals are reviewed by a Financial Aid Committee and decisions will be made within two weeks from the date a completed appeal was submitted.  If the Financial Aid Committee decides to deny the student’s appeal, the student may submit an additional appeal to the Executive Director of Financial Aid.  The decision made by the Executive Director is final. 

Students who successfully appeal their termination of aid due to academic progress will be placed on Financial Aid Probation.  This status will allow a student to continue to receive financial aid while working to improve their academic standing.  Students who appeal the termination may be placed on an academic plan that they will need to follow in order to continue to receive financial assistance.  Students who do not adhere to the conditions of Probation will be terminated and will not be permitted to appeal the decision unless there is mitigating circumstances.

A student who has been terminated and had their appeals denied may request reinstatement of eligibility after completing the equivalent of two semesters of at least half-time enrollment. The student is required to complete the courses during this time at his/her own expense and meet the satisfactory progress requirements.

Maximum Timeframe

Students will not be eligible to receive financial aid once they have attempted more than 150 % of the normal credits required for the degree or certificate program.  For example, students in programs requiring 120 credit hours for graduation will be eligible for financial aid during the first 180 attempted credits.  If that student fails 61 credits, it is no longer mathematically possible for the student to complete a 120 credit hour program within 180 attempted hours (61+120=181).  A student’s financial aid eligibility will be suspended at the 61 attempted/unearned hour mark