Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

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 completedTotal 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 668.34 (c); (d); (a) (3-7), (b)

Program Integrity Final Rules

2014-2015 Federal Student Aid Handbook-

Volume 1- Student Eligibility (http://

ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/attachments/1415Vol1Master.pdf

)

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?