Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal regulations require that students maintain satisfactory academic progress in their course of study to continue receiving Federal Title IV financial aid. Federal Title IV financial aid includes the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Work Study (FWS), Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loan (Subsidized and Unsubsidized), Federal PLUS Loan, Federal Grad Plus Loan, Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant.

Any state administered financial aid programs (i.e. HOPE Scholarship, HERO, Public Safety Memorial Grant, Law Enforcement Personnel and institutional funded programs (i.e. KSU Scholarships) follow the same requirements. Alternative loans, available from private lenders, will also follow these requirements.

Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) includes two standards; qualitative and quantitative. Students must meet both standards to continue receiving financial aid.

No Progress (receiving all Fs or all Ws)

In addition, any student that fails to make progress by receiving all Fs or WFs (or combination of both) in any given semester, will be placed on SAP Failure and will immediately lose eligibility for financial aid beginning the next semester regardless of the students’ AGPA.

Students receiving all Ws will be placed on SAP Warning beginning the following semester regardless of the students' AGPA.

Quantitative

Regulations allow a student to maintain eligibility for attempting credit hours that are 150% of the credit hours required to receive a degree. In order to meet this quantitative standard, students must complete and pass (earn) 67% of courses attempted each academic year. Courses earned include grades of A, B, C, D or S. Courses attempted include any course in which grades of A, B, C, D, F, W, WF, I, S, U or IP are given. Students who are seeking a second undergraduate degree different from their first degree may be granted additional hours to complete the second degree requirements. The 67% criteria will be checked at the end of the spring semester. If a student has not completed 67% of the cumulative attempted hours at the end of the spring semester, the student is placed on Satisfactory Academic Progress Warning for one year. During the SAP warning period, the student may continue to receive financial aid. If the student has not completed 67% of the cumulative attempted hours after one year on SAP warning, the student will be placed on Satisfactory Academic Progress Failure. While on SAP failure, the student will not be eligible to receive financial aid.

Financial aid eligibility may be regained when 67% of the cumulative attempted hours have been completed.

The policy regarding probation, loss of eligibility, and academic dismissal is the same as the academic policies with the following exceptions: Academic Fresh Start eligibility will calculate the quantitative standard (67% completion) on the total cumulative attempted and completed hours.

When courses with grades of D, F, or WF are repeated with a C or higher grade, the unsatisfactory grades and course attempts will not be included in the calculation of the AGPA (qualitative standard).  However, courses with grades of D, F, or WF that are later repeated are counted in total number of hours attempted (quantitative standard).

Learning Support Programs, Regents’ Remediation & College Preparatory Curriculum
If accepted for enrollment in a program leading to a degree or certificate, students may receive financial aid for learning support programs, Regents’ remediation and College Preparatory Curriculum. 

Audit Courses

Students are not eligible to receive financial aid for audit courses.  Audited courses are not included in the number of hours attempted or earned for SAP determination.

Summer Term Courses

All hours attempted and completed in the summer terms are treated as any other semester hours in determining SAP.

Incomplete Courses

Withdrawals

Any course with a “W” or “WF” is considered as hours attempted. Students should be aware that excessive withdrawals from classes could result in the loss of financial aid at some point in future semesters due to the 67% quantitative standard for SAP.

Repeating Courses

When courses with grades of D, F, or WF are repeated with a C or higher grade, the unsatisfactory grades and course attempts will not be included in the calculation of the AGPA (qualitative).  However, courses with grades of D, F, or WF that are later repeated are counted in total number of hours attempted (quantitative).

Second Degrees

Students who have earned a baccalaureate degree from an institution regionally accredited by the Commission on Colleges are eligible to apply for financial assistance.  The maximum eligibility will be 245 attempted credit hours (150% of the minimum degree requirement plus an additional 60 hours).

Academic Fresh Start

For students who are approved for the Academic Fresh Start Program, the quantitative standard of SAP will be determined on total attempted hours which will include the “fresh start” hours.

Students who are dismissed academically for one or two semesters will not be automatically eligible for financial aid upon their return.  Students must meet both qualitative and quantitative standards of SAP.  If below standards, such students must appeal or use means other than financial aid for educational expenses.

Satisfactory academic progress will be evaluated each year at the end of the Springsemester.  However, students with all Ws, Fs or WFs will be evaluated at the end of any semester in which that occurs.

Any student on SAP failure may appeal to the SAP Appeals Committee.  An appeal must be based on specific extenuating circumstances.  Examples may include but are not limited to health reasons, family reasons, or personal reasons.  The appeal statement of the student should explain the extenuating circumstances.  Documentation supporting the extenuating circumstances must be submitted.  In addition, letters of support from an academic advisor/faculty member and a relative, clergy, supervisor, or other associate must be submitted.  The appeal form and procedures may be obtained at: (SAP Appeals Form - 0708) or (SAP Appeals Form - 0809)

The Undergraduate and Graduate catalogs are presented in PDF format. If you do not have a free copy of Adobe Reader you may download it.