Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Requirements

For Financial Aid Recipients

Introduction

Federal law requires students receiving federal student aid to maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the institution. The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements are separate from the regulations governing academic probation and suspension.

Southern Polytechnic State University's SAP requirements include a (1) maximum time frame requirement, a (2) completion rate requirement, and a (3) cumulative grade point average requirement. Aid recipients must meet each of the three in order to be considered to be making SAP and to continue to receive financial aid.

Maximum Time Frame Requirement

Financial aid recipients must complete their program within 150% of the published length of the program. To figure the maximum time frame, first check the college catalog to determine the number of credit hours required for graduation in a particular major. Second, multiply the required number of credit hours by 150%. Third, subtract the number of credits transferred in toward the major. (Example: A student majoring in construction transfers in 50 semester credit hours. It takes 128 semester hours to earn a degree; therefore, the student's maximum time frame is (128X150%)-50 = 142. This student's financial aid eligibility is exhausted once he/she has attempted 142 semester hours at SPSU).
Students who have completed 100% of the maximum time frame will be warned by e-mail and reminded that they can receive financial aid for no more than 150% of the credit hours required for graduation.

Completion Rate Requirement

In order to complete a program of study within the required time frame, the aid recipient must complete 66.7% of the hours attempted to date at SPSU. Credit hours attempted will be cumulative and will include all hours for which the student was enrolled in at the end of the official drop/add period each academic term and received a grade of A, B, C, D, F, W, WF, I, IP, S, and U. Grades excluded from GPA due to multiple attempts are also included in the completion rate. Excluded hours will count against the students completion rate.

Cumulative Grade Point Average Requirement

Undergraduate students receiving financial aid must maintain a cumulative grade point average(GPA) at or above the 2.00 minimum required for graduation. Graduate students receiving financial aid must maintain a cumulative grade point average at or above the 3.00 minimum required for graduation. The cumulative grade point average will be computed by dividing the number of quality points earned by the total credit hours attempted for which the student received grades of A, B, C, D, F, WF, or I. No quality points are earned for an F, WF, or I.

How Often Will SAP Be Checked?

Percentage completion rates and cumulative GPA requirements will be monitored at the end of each Spring semester. If a student is not making SAP at the end of Spring term they will be placed in one of two categories:

Financial Aid Probation
Students with a GPA of less than the required 2.00 but greater than or equal to 1.00 (between 2.00 and 2.99 for graduate students)
and/or
Students with a completion rate less than the required 66.7% but greater than or equal to 25%.

Financial Aid Suspension
Any student earning less than a 1.00 GPA (2.00 for graduate students) and/or earning a completion rate under 25%. 
Any student on financial aid probation and still not  making SAP

Students on Financial Aid Probation may receive financial aid. If the student does not achieve the required completion rate and cumulative GPA requirement by the end of the probationary year, he/she will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension until the requirements are met. Students on Financial Aid Suspension may not receive finanical aid.

What are the Procedures to Appeal

A student who has been placed on financial aid suspension may APPEAL the decision. Federal law requires that the student demonstrate mitigating circumstances. Examples of mitigating circumstances are illness of the student; serious injury of the student; death of a student's relative; or other unusual situation, which is explained fully. The student will indicate his/her desire to appeal the suspension by completing and returning a financial aid appeal form to the Financial Aid Office. Documentation of the mitigating circumstances must also be submitted with the appeal form. The Director of Financial Aid  will rule on the appeal and inform the student by email regarding whether or not the appeal has been approved.

If the initial appeal is denied, the student may file an "Alternate Financial Aid Appeal Form" and return it to the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Committee will rule on all alternate appeals. Students will be informed of the committee's decision by email. The committee's decision is final and may not be appealed.

What Are My Payment Obligations While The Appeal Is In Process

A student who has been placed on financial aid suspension must pay his tuition and fee charges in order to secure his schedule and continue attending class. If the appeal is ruled on favorably, the student will be reimbursed for the amount of financial aid for which he/she qualifies.

How Is Prior Academic History Treated?

Generally, the law states that the SAP standards used to judge academic progress must be cumulative and include all periods of the student's SPSU enrollment. Even periods in which the student did not receive federal student aid must be counted.