SAP Satisfactory Academic Progress Schools must have a published policy for monitoring a student’s progress Standards include  Qualitative  Quantitative

Quantitative Standards Time-related Determines a percentage of courses completed Set max time frame to complete program  Undergraduate-150% of length of program Apply policy consistently Be as strict as those non-Title IV enrolled students

Qualitative Standards Grade based Programs less than 2 years  At least a C average Programs greater than 2 years  Standards equal to a “C” by the beginning of the Junior Year Apply policy consistently Be as strict as those non-Title IV enrolled students

Standardized Terms Pace= Measures the pace at each SAP evaluation Pace= Total cumulative hours completed Total cumulative hours attempted FA Warning -Fails to meet SAP at a school who evaluates after each payment period. FA Probation—Fails to meet SAP at a school, approved appeal and aid reinstated.

Change of Major & Transfer Credits All periods of enrollment count towards SAP You may exclude courses not part of new major You may limit # of times student changes major Must count transfer credits for new program You may count transfer grades Establish rules for those who want new degrees

Repeats, Drops, Incompletes, Remedial, ESL Courses Repeated classes count towards SAP calculations Policy must explain remedial, incomplete grades, and ESL course work Cannot exclude course work from the Summer term

Regaining SAP Eligibility Policy must explain how to regain eligibility when student meets SAP standards  i.e.:  Place them on probation  Submit an appeal, part of policy Sitting out a term doesn’t regain eligibility Paying for one term doesn’t regain eligibility

Probation/Warning Status Policy explains circumstance and procedures Continue to receive Title IV funding Must regain eligibility Cannot allow the same status over two such periods

Appeal Policy May have an appeal policy for extenuating circumstances Petition must include why the student failed to meet SAP, what has changed that will allow the student to meet SAP at the next review Explain circumstance and procedures Approved appeals receive Title IV funding Must regain eligibility by your policy standards

Schools That Evaluate SAP Each Payment Period Option 1  Place on FA warning  Receives Title IV funding for one payment period  Not meeting SAP after that, loses Title IV eligibility  No appeal policy, regain eligibility when meets SAP  Approved appeal, FA Probation, receives Title IV funds Student must meet SAP end of next payment period or Comply with academic plan designed to ensure student will meet SAP standards

School Evaluates Each Payment Period Option 2  SAP not met  Student loses Title IV eligibility immediately  No appeal policy, regain eligibility when meets SAP  Approved appeal, FA Probation, receives Title IV funds Student must meet SAP end of next payment period or Comply with academic plan designed to ensure student will meet SAP standards

Evaluates SAP Annually or Less Than Each Payment Period Student not making SAP, loses Title IV funding Approved appeal, receive Title IV funding  Part of your policy Student placed on FA Probation Student must meet SAP end of next payment period or Comply with academic plan designed to ensure student will meet SAP standards No appeal policy-student regain eligibility when they meet school’s SAP standards

FINANCIAL AID PROBATION School determines that student should be able to meet SAP standards by the end of the next payment period. OR An academic plan is developed and student can meet school’ SAP standards by a specific point in time.

Academic Plan An academic plan should include:  Steps needed to meet SAP standards  A review of progress at each SAP evaluation  Specified time frame by which SAP standards must be met

SAP Notification Must notify students of the SAP evaluations at the end of each review If an school has an appeal process, describe how to appeal If the student is not meeting SAP, describe how to regain eligibility

Resources:  Federal Register (c); (d); (a) (3-7), (b)  Program Integrity Final Rules  Federal Student Aid Handbook- Volume 1- Student Eligibility (

Discussion Questions Is the school required to have an appeal process? Can the school limit the number of appeals? What is included in the academic Plan?

QUESTIONS?