Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Students are expected to maintain a record of academic achievement that will enable them to graduate in a reasonable time period. Graduate students receiving financial aid of any type (federal, state, institutional and outside scholarships and grants) must demonstrate both qualitatively and quantitatively the ability to do satisfactory academic work and to progress measurably toward a degree. This is in addition to any renewal criteria required for specific state, institutional or other outside awards.

Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid to monitor students’ academic progress at the end of each academic year. This is to ensure that students receiving funds are successfully progressing through their program of study. At the end of the spring semester of each academic year, the Office of Financial Aid evaluates the academic progress of each student receiving financial aid according to the standards set forth below by the College. This evaluation determines a student’s eligibility to receive financial assistance in the next academic year.

Graduate programs range from 30 to 60 credits with most programs at the 36-credit level, and a 3.00 cumulative average is required to complete the degree. Students are considered to be making satisfactory progress toward degree completion for financial aid purposes by adhering to the schedule outlined below.

The Office of Financial Aid determines the year of standing according to the number of credits earned. (Note: this is separate from the time-to-completion Graduate School policy which allows up to seven years to complete a degree program.) The Office of Financial Aid uses the above schedule for its financial aid purposes.

The maximum time frame in which a graduate student is expected to complete their degree is 150 percent of the published length of the program measured in academic credits. Students will become ineligible for any type of financial aid if the maximum timeframe for completion is not met. For example, if a published length of a graduate academic program is 36 credit hours; the maximum period must not exceed 54 (36 × 150%) attempted credit hours.