Please review our entire SAP policy in the SAP Policy PDF. Federal regulations require students make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward a degree or certificate to be eligible for Federal Title IV Student Aid (668.34 of the Higher Education Act).
Federal Title IV Student aid includes the following:
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant
- Federal Work Study
- Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
The SAP policy is consistently applied to all enrolled students at the end of the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. The SAP status for incoming transfer students will be based on this current SAP policy. You should select courses that will fulfill your educational goals. These courses must follow published degree requirements. Students will be evaluated at the end of the fall, spring and summer semesters in order to determine eligibility of assistance for the next term. Please be aware that some programs may have a higher GPA requirement for renewal.
How is SAP Measured?
To maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), students must meet the minimum requirements noted below. SAP has a qualitative measure and a quantitative measure, which are measured at the end of each term. Based on these measurements, there are three components of SAP which must be met in order to remain eligible for Federal Title IV student aid and A+. Students must meet all of the following SAP components:
- Cumulative grade point average (GPA) requirement (Qualitative Measure)
- Cumulative completion percentage requirement (Quantitative Measure)
- 150% maximum allowable time frame (Quantitative Measure)
The chart below provides additional information and examples of the three components of SAP.
Classification/Level | Attempted Hour/GPA Scale | Completion Percentage | Maximum Time Frame |
---|---|---|---|
Undergraduate |
1-15 CR = 1.5 GPA 16-30 CR = 1.8 GPA 31 CR above = 2.0 GPA |
67% Cumulative Attempted Hours | 150% of published program length |
Result |
2.0 required 2.25 > 2.0 = good |
67% of 60 = 40 50 >40 = good |
60 X 150% = 90 75 < 90 = good |
Attempted and Earned Hours
- Attempted and earned credit hours are based on the official college calculation as presented on the student's academic records in the college database.
- Once a student has completed a degree, all subsequent coursework is considered in the attempted hours calculation until that subsequent degree is completed.
- Attempted hours include: repeat hours, incomplete hours, academic clemency/bankruptcy hours, transfer hours, concurrent (high school) enrollment, regardless of whether a student received financial aid.
- The Department of Education regulations do not exempt hours included in academic clemency/bankruptcy from the SAP policy. This means that terms excluded due to clemency/bankruptcy remain in the maximum allowable time frame and completion percentage calculation of your SAP status.
- All periods of enrollment at SCC will be counted in attempted hours.
- Courses where a student receives a final grade of A, B, C, D, F, I (In Progress), or W will be used to compute hours attempted. An “I” grade is considered an “F" grade for SAP calculation purposes.
- Courses with final grades of F, I (In Progress), or W will not be counted in earned hours.
- Remedial/Transitional courses will not be considered in the calculations, instead will be monitored based on established policies for that program.
- Courses deleted or canceled are not included in the calculation of GPA, completion rate, and/or maximum timeframe.
- If a student changes their major, degree or seeks to earn an additional degree they are eligible to receive federal aid for no more than 150% of the credit hours required for the chosen major. The 150% maximum timeframe limit is applied to all credit hours earned or attempted while enrolled at SCC, and includes transferred credit from previously attended institutions.
Recalculations
- Students may request a recalculation of their eligibility for the current term due to grade changes due to corrections. Please note that a grade change is not the same as grade forgiveness.
Financial Aid Warning and Suspension
Financial Aid Warning
A student who fails to meet the minimum SAP requirements (because of GPA and/or completion percentage as indicated above) at the end of a term will be placed on Financial Aid Warning. A student on Financial Aid Warning may continue to receive assistance under the Federal Title IV funds for the next term only. During the term of warning, the student is expected to come into compliance with the standard Federal Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy as stated above.
At the end of that term, if the student has met the minimum GPA and completion percentage, the student is considered to be meeting SAP (unless the student is not meeting the maximum time frame requirement).
If the student has not met the minimum completion percentage and GPA requirement, the student is not considered to be meeting SAP. At this time the student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and will not be eligible for Federal Title IV funding.
Note: Financial Aid Warning and Suspension are separate from Academic Probation and Suspension. Students should contact the SCC Registrar's office for information regarding Academic Probation and Suspension.
Financial Aid Suspension
There are two reasons a student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension:
- Failure to meet SAP Good Standing after the Financial Aid Warning period.
- Failure to complete the academic program within 150% of the published program length (a.k.a. Maximum Hours)
During this period of suspension, the student will not be eligible to receive Federal Title IV funds. The student may continue to be enrolled at SCC if they meet admission and enrollment requirements and meet published payment deadlines.
A student who loses their Federal Title IV financial aid eligibility due to SAP at the end of a financial aid warning or as a result of not completing their program within 150% of the published length of the program, has the right to file an appeal.
Repeated Course(s) Rule
- Repeated courses are not part of the SAP policy, but it is important students understand they may only receive federal financial aid for one repetition of a previously passed course(s).
- If a course is repeated and replacement is approved according to the SCC Academic Repeat policy, the grade given at the end of the repeated course becomes the official grade. The replacement grade is used to compute the cumulative GPA in the calculation of a student's SAP status.
- Each repeated course will count towards the attempted hours when determining completion rate and maximum timeframe. Note: this includes Transfer Credits accepted for meeting degree requirements.