At the end of each payment period (i.e. semester), a student’s academic progress will be evaluated to ensure the student meets SAP, defined in this policy. If a student is not achieving SAP at the time of evaluation at the end of a payment period, the student may no longer be eligible to receive Federal Pell Grant (See Failure to Meet SAP).
Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0.
Students' pace of completion is determined by dividing earned credits by attempted credits. Students must complete at least 67% of all attempted credits to maintain SAP. The pace of completion takes into consideration incompletes, withdrawals, and repetition of courses. Repeated courses will count towards attempted credits and earned credits if the student completes the course. Credits transferred from other institutions will also be counted as attempted and completed credit hours.
Students have a maximum timeframe to complete their degrees. A student must complete his/her degree within 150% of the time frame allotted for that degree. For example, bachelor’s degrees at Leavell College are expected to be completed in four years. Based on the maximum timeframe requirement, students are expected to complete their degree in six years or less. At each SAP evaluation, an assessment will be made to determine whether it is possible for the student to complete their degree within the maximum timeframe. Once a determination is made that it is not possible to complete a degree within the Maximum Time Frame, the student’s aid will be terminated. An appeal request may be submitted in these circumstances (See Appeals Process).
If a student fails to meet SAP, the student will be placed on financial aid warning. Students placed on financial aid warning will be eligible to continue receiving Pell Grant for one payment period despite the determination that they have not met SAP. A student must regain SAP after one payment period under financial aid warning or they will forfeit eligibility to receive Federal Student Aid. Students whose evaluation results in a change in eligibility for Federal Student Aid will be notified via email.
If a student wishes to appeal the determination by the institution that he/she is not making SAP, they may submit their request to the Financial Aid Office. A student may appeal the SAP determination if he/she believes that extenuating circumstances prevented normal academic success. Extenuating circumstances beyond a student's control include but are not limited to:
The appeal application must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office. The appeal application can be obtained on the Financial Aid webpage or by contacting the Financial Aid Office. In addition to the SAP appeal application, the student must submit the following supplemental items:
A student whose SAP appeal is approved will be placed on financial aid probation with an academic plan. An academic plan may last more than one payment period. Students must accept the terms of their appeal. Students will be evaluated each payment period to determine whether their eligibility will be extended. If a student's appeal is approved they must meet with an academic advisor each semester to evaluate their progress and ensure that they are meeting the academic plan established as one of the conditions of their appeal. A student whose SAP appeal is denied will not be eligible to receive federal financial aid unless they regain eligibility by meeting the SAP requirements.
Financial aid probation may be assigned to a student who fails to meet the SAP standards and has successfully appealed his or her loss of FSA eligibility. This status is for only one payment period or term, during which the student may receive FSA disbursements. The student's progress will be reviewed at the end of the probationary period. At that time, it is expected that the student will have improved sufficiently to be in compliance with the SAP policy. A student who fails to meet SAP following the probationary status is ineligible for FSA funds and must follow the established policy for regaining eligibility.
If you have lost eligibility due to not meeting SAP standards, you may be able to regain it by attempting credits on your own (without federal aid) until you meet all SAP standards. At that time, please contact the Financial Aid Office.
For both the qualitative (GPA) and quantitative (pace) components, the percentages will be calculated to two decimal places, then rounded to one. The first decimal is rounded up if it is five or above but rounded down if it is four or below.
Withdrawals and incomplete courses will count as credits that have been attempted but not completed. Transfer credits will be counted as attempted and completed credits for the SAP evaluation. Repeated courses will count toward the pace requirement of SAP. They will also count towards the maximum time frame for eligibility. The last grade received is used in calculating GPA. Per federal guidelines, federal student aid will only pay for a repeated course once, if the student previously received a passing grade in the course.
Appeal. Appeal means a process by which a student who is not meeting the institution's satisfactory academic progress standards petitions the institution for reconsideration of the student's eligibility for Title IV, HEA program assistance.
Financial aid probation. Financial aid probation means a status assigned by an institution to a student who fails to meet satisfactory academic progress and who has appealed and has had eligibility for aid reinstated.
Financial aid warning. Financial aid warning means a status assigned to a student who fails to meet satisfactory academic progress at an institution that evaluates academic progress at the end of each payment period.
Maximum timeframe. A period that is no longer than 150 percent of the published length of the educational program, as measured in credit hours, or expressed in calendar time.
