Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Your Aid

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Basics

The Office of Student Aid is required by federal regulation to determine whether you are making Satisfactory Academic Progress in your educational program before you receive student financial aid.

To be making SAP, you must meet the following requirements:

• Completion Rate: Complete at least 67% of the credits that you attempt

• GPA: Maintain at least a 2.0 Cumulative GPA (CGPA) if you are an undergraduate or law student, or 3.0 CGPA if you are a graduate or teacher certificate program student

• Maximum Timeframe: Complete your degree program within 150% of the program length (i.e. if your program requires 120 credits, you must complete your degree within 180 credits)

View Penn State’s full Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

SAP Statuses

• Making SAP: Eligible for federal financial aid.

• Financial Aid Warning: If you become ineligible due to GPA or completion rate under the current policy, you are eligible for one semester of Financial Aid Warning. You may receive federal student aid that you are otherwise eligible for during your Financial Aid warning semester. Students becoming ineligible due to exceeding the maximum timeframe are not eligible for a Financial Aid Warning semester.

• Not making SAP: Not meeting at least one of the SAP requirements listed above and not eligible for/no longer eligible for a Financial Aid Warning semester.

These statuses are applicable to financial aid only and are separate from academic statuses such as Academic Warning and Academic Suspension. Please reach out to your academic advisor if you have questions about academic statuses.

Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements pertain only to federal and some institutional student aid eligibility. State grant eligibility, as well as degree or non-degree status, are determined separately.

You can restore financial aid eligibility for the GPA requirement by paying your own educational expenses until you are meeting SAP standards. You may also appeal to the Office of Student Aid for possible reinstatement of your aid. Appeals may be filed based on death of a relative, an injury or illness, or other special circumstances.

SAP Appeals

If you are still not meeting the completion rate and/or Cumulative GPA requirement after your Financial Aid Warning semester or if you are not meeting the maximum timeframe requirement and you feel that you have extenuating circumstances that caused you to not meet SAP requirements, you may submit an appeal. Monitor the 'Communication Center' in LionPATH for an email labeled 'Financial Aid Suspension'. This communication will contain the link to the SAP appeal form. You may also request a copy of the appeal form through the

Appeal forms may not be requested or submitted during your Financial Aid Warning semester. Appeals cannot be approved for the same reason twice.

The deadline for submission of appeals is the Friday prior to the last week of classes for the semester for which you are applying for aid. All required pieces of the appeal must be submitted by the deadline. Appeals may not be submitted for a prior semester.

Credit Evaluation Forms

If you are meeting the Cumulative GPA and completion rate requirements but are exceeding the maximum timeframe because of one of the academic actions listed below, you may submit a Credit Evaluation Form:

• Change of major

• Transfer credits

• Concurrent majors (more than one major at the same time)

• Second degree at Penn State

A link to the Credit Evaluation Form will be sent to you in the Max Timeframe Exceeded: SAP Ineligible communication in LionPATH. If you are exceeding the maximum timeframe and need a copy of the Credit Evaluation Form, you can request a copy through the

Credit Evaluation Forms cannot be approved for the following circumstances:

• Courses not required for graduation from your current degree program

• A program that you have not yet been admitted to and enrolled in

• Minors or non-aid eligible certificate programs

• Courses required for a future degree program (i.e. taking courses for graduate school as an undergraduate)

The deadline for submission of Credit Evaluation Forms is the Friday prior to the last week of classes for the semester for which you are applying for aid. Credit Evaluation Forms may not be submitted for a prior semester.