Federal rules require students to make academic progress toward finishing their program in order to receive financial aid. This is called Satisfactory Academic Progress, or SAP. It applies to all federal aid (Pell, FSEOG, Direct Loans, PLUS, IASG) and to the state need-based aid SF administers (FSAG, FGMG). Bright Futures has its own progress measures and is not affected by SAP.
SAP looks at a student's entire academic history at SF, whether or not aid was received in a given semester. Every course counts from the first semester forward, and accepted transfer hours that apply to the program count too.
SF checks SAP at the end of each fall, spring, and summer semester, after final grades post. Results appear in the Financial Aid Portal [WEB LINK: eSantaFe login]. A student should check their SAP status before registering for the next semester.
The Three SAP Requirements
A student has to meet all three standards to keep financial aid eligibility.
Grade point average. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher across all courses taken at SF.
Completion rate (pace). Completing at least 67% of attempted credit hours. Grades of F, W, I, or PR count as attempted but not completed.
Maximum timeframe. Finishing the program within 150% of the credit hours it requires. An A.A. that takes 60 credits has a maximum of 90 attempted credits. All accepted transfer hours that apply to the program count toward this limit, along with attempted hours at SF regardless of grade or petition outcome.
Not meeting any one of the three places a student on Warning or Suspension, explained under What happens if I don't meet SAP below.
What Counts in the SAP Evaluation
All courses attempted at SF count toward completion rate and maximum timeframe, regardless of grade forgiveness or petition outcomes. Cases that still count as attempted:
- A W, whether it came from a standard withdrawal or an approved Late Withdrawal Petition.
- A course removed through an approved Drop with Refund Petition, even though the tuition is refunded and the Registrar does not count it as an attempt.
- An F replaced through grade forgiveness, even though it no longer affects the GPA.
Incomplete grades. An I does not count as an attempt when it is recorded. The course enters the SAP calculation once the I resolves to a letter grade, and the resolved grade applies at the next SAP evaluation. An I does not cause aid suspension during a Probationary Term.
Some coursework is excluded from SAP:
- Audited courses
- Continuing education courses
- Credit by examination (AP, IB, CLEP, AICE, DSST)
- Courses dropped within the drop/add period
- Credit for prior learning as outlined in the catalog
Remedial coursework is included in SAP and funded up to a cap of 30 credit hours. Enrolling beyond 30 remedial credits reduces aid for the hours above the cap. ESL coursework is included with no cap on funded hours.
Fresh Start does not affect SAP. SAP is evaluated on the full academic record even when Fresh Start has removed courses from the GPA.
Clock Hour Programs
SAP for clock hour programs is checked at each payment period instead of at the end of each semester. A student who completes zero credits or hours in a funded period loses eligibility for the next aid, regardless of overall GPA and completion rate.
SAP and Academic Standing
SAP and Academic Standing are separate systems with different criteria and different consequences.
Academic standing uses program GPA (the courses required for the student's program) and drives institutional consequences like registration holds and Counseling Center success plans. SAP uses cumulative GPA (all courses taken at SF) and drives federal and state need-based aid eligibility.
A student can be in good academic standing but fail SAP, or be on Academic Warning but still meet SAP. When both apply, each is handled separately. A petition granted by the Registrar does not resolve SAP, and an approved SAP appeal does not resolve academic standing.
Checking SAP Status
A student's current SAP status is in the Financial Aid Portal. The portal shows the status and, where it applies, the reason for Warning or Suspension and the next steps.
What happens if I don't meet SAP?
The first semester a student does not meet one or more requirements, they are placed on Warning. A second semester in a row places them on Suspension. Going over the maximum timeframe places a student directly on Suspension, with no Warning semester first. A student on Suspension can appeal if extenuating circumstances explain the shortfall.
The statuses:
Good Standing. No action needed. The student stays eligible for federal aid and state need-based aid.
Warning. Aid continues during the Warning semester. The student has that semester to get back to Good Standing by meeting all three requirements at the next evaluation. Meeting all three at the end of the Warning semester returns the student to Good Standing, otherwise they move to Suspension.
Suspension. Not eligible for federal financial aid or state need-based aid. Suspension stays in effect until the student meets all three requirements on their own or has an approved Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal. A student on Suspension can still attend SF if allowed to enroll, paying tuition and fees without aid. Options include private loans, a payment plan, or paying out of pocket while working back to eligibility.
Probationary Term. A student with an approved SAP appeal enters a Probationary Term with full aid eligibility for that one semester. The conditions:
- Every attempted course completed with a C or better.
- No drops or withdrawals during the semester.
- An I grade does not cause aid suspension.
At the end, SAP is re-evaluated. Meeting all three requirements returns the student to Good Standing. Not meeting them places the student on a Financial Aid Academic Progress Plan (FAAPP). Breaking the conditions by dropping, withdrawing, or earning below a C returns the student to Suspension immediately, and they must appeal again.
Financial Aid Academic Progress Plan (FAAPP). A structured continuation plan that lets a student keep receiving aid while working back to full compliance. The path depends on what caused the shortfall:
- From a GPA shortfall, earn a C or better in every course until the 2.0 cumulative GPA is restored.
- From maximum timeframe, complete 100% of attempted coursework while on the plan.
- From a combination, both apply until each is met.
The conditions are the same for every student on the plan, not set case by case, and the Financial Aid Office reviews progress each semester. Meeting the conditions keeps the student on the plan and receiving aid, otherwise they return to Suspension.
A student on FAAPP cannot change their program of study without an approved Program Change Appeal. A program change made without that approval suspends aid. The Program Change Appeal is separate and does not count against the three lifetime SAP appeal limit.
A student returns to Good Standing by meeting all three requirements on their own, or, for a student over maximum timeframe, by completing the program. The student should let the Financial Aid Office know when conditions are met so eligibility can be reinstated.