Meet
A Student is in good standing and meets FedSAP requirements. Students will need to have a valid FAFSA on file and meet all other eligibility criteria in order to receive federal aid
Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress is the process the university uses to determine if a student is meeting all of their educational requirements and is on target to graduate on time with a degree or certificate.
If a student is failing to meet the FedSAP pace or GPA requirements, the student will first receive a Warning. A Warning status allows students to receive federal aid for the semester that they received this status, and should use this semester to return their academic record to within compliance.
**For example, a student who receives a Warning status for fall 2024 will receive federal aid during this semester, but must meet all FedSAP requirements in order to receive a Meet status and continue to receive aid the following semester.**
Students who are still not meeting SAP requirements after their Warning semester, or those who have exceeded the maximum time frame, will be notified that they are ineligible to receive federal financial aid.
Students will have their financial aid eligibility automatically restored in a future term once they meet all of the FedSAP guidelines.
Federal SAP Status
Federal SAP Status
Warning
A student with a warning status has failed to maintain one (1) or more of the Federal SAP requirements and is at risk of losing their federal aid. A student will have one (1) semester to restore their SAP status.
Failed (Not Meet)
Currently not meeting one (1) or more of the FedSAP requirements. The student has failed to maintain for two (2) consecutive terms and has lost their eligibility for federal aid. An appeal process may be available to the student.
Probation
Probation is granted after a successful appeal to students who will meet FedSAP requirements after 1 additional term.
Academic Plan
Academic Plan is granted after a successful appeal to students who will meet FedSAP requirements after more than 1 term. Monitored on a term by term basis to ensure students are meeting the specific terms outlined in their Academic Plan.
In order to remain eligible to receive federal financial aid, students must continue to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) guidelines:
| SEMESTER | DEADLINE DATE (must be submitted by) |
| Summer 2025 | July 11, 2025 |
| Fall 2025 | October 3, 2025 |
| Spring 2026 | March 6, 2026 |
Cumulative Grade Point Average
Cumulative GPA is the average of all the grades you've received while at the university. Federal regulation requires the university to have a qualitative component as part of the universities SAP policy. At the end of each academic semester, your cumulative GPA will be reviewed.
Students who are failing SAP due to their GPA must complete the FedSAP GPA Calculator. Please ensure this calculator is used.
Undergraduate Policy
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Graduate Policy
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Pace Requirement
Pace is measured by comparing the cumulative number of credit hours completed to the number of credit hours attempted
Students who are failing SAP due to their Pace must complete the Pace Calculator.
Undergraduate Policy
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Graduate Policy
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Example 1:
Student A has attempted 45 credits over the course of their first 3 semesters of attendance. The student received a failing grade in 3 classes totaling 9 credits. They earned 36 credits.
36 Total Credits Earned ÷ 45 Total Credits Attempted = .80 or 80% Completion Rate
Student A is meeting the Pace Requirement.
Example 2:
Student B has attempted 45 credits over the course of their first 3 semesters of attendance. The student received failing grades from classes totaling 24 credits. They earned 21 credits.
21 Total Credits Earned ÷ 45 Total Credits Attempted = .47 or 47% Completion Rate
Student B is NOT meeting the Pace Requirement.
Example 3:
Student C has attempted 45 credits and earned 40 credits over the course of their first 3 semesters of attendance.
Entering the fourth semester their pace is 88% (40/45).
In the fourth semester the student received a grade of F in each of the 4 classes (12 credits) for which they were enrolled. Their calculated pace would be 70%
40 Total Credits Earned ÷ 57 Total Credits Attempted = .70 or 70% Completion Rate.
However, because the student enrolled in 12 credits in term four and earned zero credits, they are considered to be failing pace. * Similarly, a term withdrawal will also result in a failure to meet guidelines because the student will have attempted 12 credits and earned none of them.*
*Students receive a SAP status of Warning if they fail to meet the SAP guidelines for a semester but were not on Warning in the previous semester.
Maximum Time Frame
Students are no longer eligible to receive federal financial aid once they have attempted 150% of the credits required to complete their degree. A 120 credit program must be completed by the time a student has attempted 180 credits.
**Graduate Students** should refer to the Graduate School Bulletin for their specific degree requirements. Can be located under the Academics section of the Graduate School webpage.
Students who are failing SAP due to their Maximum Time Frame must complete the Maximum Time Frame Worksheet.
Maximum Time Frame Limits (150% of Credits)
To maintain financial aid eligibility, students must complete their degree within a maximum number of attempted credits. This limit is generally calculated as 150% of the credits required for the program.
West Campus Programs
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Bachelor of Arts: 180 Maximum Attempted Credits
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Bachelor of Science: 180 Maximum Attempted Credits
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Bachelor of Engineering: 192 Maximum Attempted Credits
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Second Baccalaureate Program: 240 Maximum Attempted Credits
Health Science Center Programs
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Athletic Training: 195 Maximum Attempted Credits
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BS/MS Adult Health Nursing: 192 Maximum Attempted Credits
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BS/MS Child Health: 192 Maximum Attempted Credits
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BS/MS Midwifery: 192 Maximum Attempted Credits
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BS/MS Neonatal Health: 192 Maximum Attempted Credits
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BS/MS Perinatal Women Health: 192 Maximum Attempted Credits
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BS/MS Psychiatric/Mental Health: 192 Maximum Attempted Credits
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BSHS/MSOT Health Science: 184.5 Maximum Attempted Credits
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Clinical Laboratory Sciences: 228 Maximum Attempted Credits
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Health Science: 189 Maximum Attempted Credits
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Nursing Accelerated One Year: 189 Maximum Attempted Credits
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Nursing Basic Two Year: 192 Maximum Attempted Credits
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Registered Nurse PT: 192 Maximum Attempted Credits
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Respiratory Care: 219 Maximum Attempted Credits
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Social Work: 186 Maximum Attempted Credits
Sample Maximum Time Frame Scenario:
Student D has attempted a total of 190 credits while working towards their undergraduate degree. Their degree requires them to pass a total of 120 credits.
190 Total Credits Attempted ÷ 120 Total Credits Required for Academic Program = 1.58 or 158%
Student D is NOT meeting the Maximum Time Frame Requirement because they have attempted 158% of the credits required for degree completion.
Impact of Withdrawal on SAP
If a student withdraws from all courses during a semester, they will be placed on a SAP Warning status, regardless of whether they meet other SAP requirements such as pace and GPA.
Additionally students who enroll in a semester and fail to earn any credits in that semester will be found to be failing pace requirements, even if they are meeting the percent (%) requirement for their grade level.
This policy reflects the need to ensure consistent progress towards degree completion, as withdrawing from all courses disrupts academic continuity.
Federal Aid Affected
If you do not meet the minimum guidelines, you will lose your federal aid eligibility. Federal Financial Aid programs that require students to meet SAP include:
- Federal Pell Grants
- Federal SEOG Grants
- Federal Direct Stafford Loan
- Federal Work Study
- Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
- Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan (Graduate Students)
Federal SAP & Summer Enrollment Impact
When is summer federal financial aid eligibility determined?
Academic Standing and FedSAP are run after spring grades have been recorded in the system. Because the grades are generally not recorded prior to the start of the summer session one, some "at risk" students may have to wait for these processes to run in order to find out if they will receive financial aid for the summer.
What defines an "at risk" student?
A student whose most current FedSAP status prior to the summer term is either:
- Warning,
- Probation,
- Not Meet,
- or if you previously received a notification from the financial aid office that you were approaching the maximum time frame limit.
Will I be awarded financial aid for the summer?
Students who are not "at risk" will be awarded summer financial aid soon after the May 1st summer award packaging date.
Students who were "at risk" will be awarded summer financial aid mid June if they are found to be eligible, based on their new FedSAP standing. Students found to be ineligible to receive federal financial aid will be notified by the financial aid office.
How do my summer grades impact my financial aid eligibility moving forward?
If you choose to enroll in summer courses, the term grades will be used in the calculation for the following term FedSAP status.
Federal SAP FAQ's
Academic progress is evaluated prior to the start of each semester.
If your current SAP Status is Warning or Not Meet and a grade change improves your GPA, please reach out to our office during the current
term. Our office will review your updated status and assess your eligibility for
financial aid. A formal appeal may or may not be necessary. If you do not contact
our office, your SAP status will automatically be reviewed and updated at the end
of the academic term as part of our normal review process.
- If you currently fail to meet the standards but you met the standards the last time your record was evaluated, you will be placed on a status of Warning. The goal is to use this Warning semester to bring your academic record to within compliance.
- If you are still not within compliance after the completion of your Warning semester, you will lose your eligibility to receive federal financial aid.
Yes; students who are determined to be ineligible for federal financial aid will be
notified. The notification will provide instructions for submitting an appeal.
Yes; they will impact your pace, because the credits can only be earned once, yet
each time you take the class it will count as attempted credits.
While the grade received in subsequent attempts will not replace the earlier grade, it will average in along with the earlier grade, thus impacting the cumulative GPA requirement.
They impact pace, as they count as attempted but not earned credits. Initially displaying
as an I grade on your transcript, this course will not impact your cumulative GPA. Once
the I grade is replaced with either an earned grade or an F, the grade will impact
the cumulative GPA requirement as well.
Withdrawals from either specific classes or entire terms negatively impact your pace
as they are calculated in the attempted credits, but not the earned credits.
Transfer credits that count towards your academic program impact your pace as they
count as both attempted and earned credits. Because the grades for the transfer credits
are not reflected in a student’s academic record, they do not impact the cumulative
GPA.
Pass No Credit courses that are earned ('P' grade) count as both attempted and earned
credits, resulting in an impact on a student’s pace. Pass No Credit courses that are
unearned (NC or N/C grades) negatively impact a student’s pace, as they count as attempted
but not earned credits.
No; audited classes have zero impact.
ESL classes are listed in the Undergraduate Bulletin and are counted in both the attempted
and earned units. The Bulletin defines which of the ESL classes earn a letter grade,
which would impact GPA, or a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grade, which would not. These
classes are included in the SAP review and will impact pace and GPA in instances where
a letter grade is received.
Enrichment classes are listed in the Undergraduate Bulletin and are counted in both
the attempted and earned units. These classes are included in the SAP review and will
impact pace and GPA in instances where a letter grade is received.
Remedial classes have zero impact on eligibility.
We run the SAP process before each term begins. If you studied abroad and your earned foreign credits have not been posted to your SBU transcript when we begin this process, you will not be meeting the term pace requirement.
If you received a warning notification, you are still eligible to receive aid during your warning semester. However, you can contact our office when your study abroad grades are posted to your account so we can re-calculate your SAP status.
If you received a notification indicating you are not meeting SAP standards, you may submit an appeal or wait for your grades to post so we can re-calculate your SAP status.