Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy

In order to receive financial aid, you must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid purposes as defined by the Financial Aid Office. 

Federal regulations require all institutions which administer Title IV student assistance programs to monitor the academic progress towards a degree or certificate of students applying for funds.  All Shawnee State University students who have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and wish to be considered for Title IV federal and selected other types of assistance must meet the criteria stated in the policy regardless of whether or not they previously received aid. Programs governed by these regulations are:

• Federal Pell Grant

• Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

• National Science and Mathematics to Retain Talent Grant (SMART Grant)

• Federal Work Study (FWS)

• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

• Federal Family Education Loan Program Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loan

• Federal Family Education Loan Program Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)

• Ohio Instructional Grant/Ohio Instructional Part-time Grant

• TEACH Grant

• Some private education loans

Our definition of SAP has three components.

1. Accumulative grade point average (GPA). Students must meet the grade point average requirements listed below.  The student's cumulative grade point average will be reviewed each semester to ensure the following.

   Credit Hours Attempted	Grade Point Average (GPA)
   Up to 27	1.00
   28-36	1.30
   27-43	1.55
   44-50	1.80
   51-57	1.90
   58 and above	2.00

2. Minimum Number of Credit Hours. Satisfactory progress will be evaluated each semester.  Following the first semester for which the student fails to meet minimum credit hour requirements, the student will receive a financial aid probation letter.  Following the second consecutive semester, financial aid will be terminated.  Students who receive the following grades are considered to have attempted those credit hours: withdrawals (WD), incomplete (I), no credit (NC), failure (F), not reported (NR), and all passing grades (A,B,C,D,P).  Course repetitions (R) count as hours attempted.

3. Maximum Time Frame. The financial aid regulations permit a student to use financial aid until the student has attempted 150 percent of graduation requirements.  Bachelor degree students are eligible to receive federal aid through the semester in which they attempt to earn their 186th credit hour.  Associate degree students are eligible to receive federal aid through the semester in which they attempt to earn their 90th credit hour.

Failure to Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress

Students who fail the grade (qualitative) portion of the requirement are notified of their probation or dismissal status by the Office of the Registrar.

The first time a student does not complete successfully the hours passed (quantitative measure) he or she is placed on financial aid probation.  The deficiency must be satisfied in the next semester of attendance.  The probationary status, for students who continue to have a marginal deficiency at the end of the initial probationary period, may be extended.  If the student does not achieve the required number of credit hours at the end of the probationary, or extended probationary period, he or she is suspended from financial aid.

Suspension Due to Non-Attendance

Federal regulations require adjustment of financial aid awards for students who do not begin attendance in all classes upon which the awards were based.  Adjustments are based on registrar records, including add/drop and withdrawal forms.  Students are required to repay adjustment amounts.  Students who do not meet repayment terms are suspended from financial aid.

Reinstatement of Financial Aid

Unless eligibility is reinstated through appeal, students remain ineligible until that time when they are again in compliance with the standards.  It is the responsibility of students seeking reinstatement to request the Financial Aid Office to review their records when they believe they are again in compliance with the requirement.

Appeals

Students may appeal to the Director of Financial Aid.  Students must submit a letter explaining the reason(s) for the failure and may be required to submit a degree audit from the student's advisor or other supporting documentation.

Extenuating Circumstances Regarding Appeals

The major acceptable circumstances for making an appeal are the documented personal illness of the student, serious illness or death of an immediate family member (mother, father, sister, brother, husband, wife, child, legal guardian), or enrollment in a bachelor's program requiring more than 124 semester hours or an associate's degree requiring more than 60 credit hours.

The maximum number of credit hours attempted is considered to be adequate and fair under the progress policy.  Change of major field of study, completion of developmental courses, or transfer of credits normally are not considered satisfactory grounds for appeal for additional time, but such appeals may be submitted using the process indicated above.

Unacceptable circumstances for appeals are: continued enrollment while seeking admission to an academic program (i.e. health science) or the prior nonreceipt of Title IV aid since this is irrelevant to maintaining satisfactory progress in the course of study.

Comments about the Progress Requirement

Students are encouraged to work with their academic advisors, the Student Success Center, Career Services, and the counseling center staff to receive study skills, career exploration, and tutoring assistance.

Students who withdraw from courses after the official add/drop period and students who receive grades of F, W, NC, R, and I greatly increase their potential for failing to meet the progress requirement.