Satisfactory Academic Progress and Appeal Policy
Process Overview & Responsibilities
A student must meet the standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to receive Title IV funds. The concept of Satisfactory Progress goes beyond good standing to mean evidence of positive movement toward the student's degree.
Alabama A&M University is required by federal regulation, 34 CFR 668.16(e), to establish standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for students receiving assistance through the programs listed below:
- Federal Direct Loan Program
- Federal Work Study (FWS)
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
- Federal Pell Grant
- Alabama Student Assistance Grant
Each of the following components must be met by the aid recipient:
- Qualitative Component (the grade point average a student must maintain)
- Quantitative Component (the percentage of attempted hours a student must successfully complete)
- Maximum Timeframe Component (the maximum period in which a student may remain eligible to receive aid)
Alabama A&M University conducts its regular SAP evaluation annually after the end of the spring semester. Students who are placed on financial aid probation or an approved academic plan are reviewed at the end of each subsequent semester until they re-establish SAP or otherwise cease to qualify under the approved plan.
Alabama A&M University does not use Financial Aid Warning. A student who fails to meet the applicable SAP standards at an official evaluation becomes ineligible for Title IV aid unless eligibility is restored through an approved SAP appeal, an approved academic plan when applicable, or by re-establishing SAP standards without Title IV assistance.
Qualitative Measure
The Satisfactory Academic Progress policy contains a qualitative measure (grade point average, GPA) that is measurable against a standard as defined in the SAP policy. The qualitative standard is a graduated standard. Qualitative progress is measured by Banner in the annual review process after the end of the spring semester for all students. Students on financial aid probation or an approved academic plan are reviewed after each semester.
The qualitative standard that undergraduate students are expected to meet at the end of each increment is:
| Number of Attempted Hours | Required of Cumulative GPA |
| 24-30 | 1.50 |
| 31-63 | 1.75 |
| More than 63 | 2.00 |
Graduate Students
Graduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 at all times to remain eligible to receive Title IV funds.
Transfer grades are not included in the Alabama A&M University cumulative GPA used for the qualitative SAP calculation. Transfer credit hours accepted toward the student's current program are treated as described in the quantitative section of this policy.
Quatititative Measure
The Satisfactory Academic Progress policy contains a quantitative measure. Students must successfully complete at least 67% of all credit hours attempted. The policy also specifies a maximum timeframe not to exceed the applicable federal requirements for completion of the student's program. The timeframe is measured by total credit hours attempted.
Undergraduate Measure
| Maximum Credit Hours | Description |
| 192 | Maximum allowable hours that an undergraduate student can attempt and remain eligible to receive Title IV funds. |
| 222 | Maximum credit hours allowed for a second bachelor's degree (includes hours taken for the first bachelor's degree). |
Graduate Students
| Maximum Credit Hours | Description |
| 70 | Maximum allowed for a graduate degree. |
| 80 | Maximum credit hours allowed for those seeking a graduate business degree. |
| 100 | Maximum credit hours allowed for a specialist's degree or a second master's degree (both include hours taken for a master's degree). |
| 120 | Maximum credit hours allowed for a doctoral degree program (includes master's degree hours). |
Graduate students whose curriculum requires more than 54 hours to receive their master's degree will have an increase in the number of hours that must be completed within the allowed three-year timeframe.
Grades of "I" received during the first two semesters by graduate students enrolled in Thesis or Dissertation courses are exempt from being included in the total hours attempted.
Title IV funds will not be granted to graduate students who have attempted more than 120 credit hours.
Treatment of Non-punitive Grades, Repeated Courses, Audited Courses, Pass/Fail Courses, Withdrawals, Absences, Incompletes, Transfer Credits, Change of Major, and Academic Forgiveness
Students who withdraw from school and/or from classes will have withdrawals counted in determining their eligibility for aid. Withdrawals affect the student's completion rate. Financial aid will not be awarded if the GPA falls below the required level. Hours enrolled but not completed affect the student's completion rate.
In determining whether the student meets the qualitative and quantitative components, the following are not considered credits successfully completed: grades of "F", "I" (Incomplete), "W" (Withdrawal), "WP" (Withdrawal while Passing), or "FA" (Failure to Appear). These grades are counted as hours attempted.
Transfer credit hours accepted toward completion of the student's current program are counted as both attempted and completed hours for the quantitative SAP calculation. Grades earned at other institutions do not affect the Alabama A&M University cumulative GPA used for the qualitative SAP calculation.
Repeated courses are included in the total hours attempted. Successfully completed repeated coursework is included in completed hours in accordance with the University's academic and federal student aid rules.
All coursework attempted at Alabama A&M University is included in the SAP calculation regardless of a student's change of major. A change of major may be considered as part of a student's SAP appeal when the change contributes to maximum timeframe or other SAP concerns; however, the change of major does not remove previously attempted coursework from the SAP calculation.
Academic forgiveness, academic renewal, or similar institutional academic policies do not remove attempted coursework from the SAP calculation. Coursework subject to academic forgiveness remains included in the quantitative SAP calculation, and SAP is determined using the applicable financial aid SAP standards.
Appeals
Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress may appeal to have their Title IV aid reinstated when extenuating circumstances affected their academic progress. Examples may include, but are not limited to, severe illness or injury to the student or an immediate family member, death of a relative, activation into military service, or other documented circumstances beyond the student's control.
Students will be notified of their SAP status when financial aid has been suspended. Notifications are sent to the student's Bulldog email account and the status may also be viewed through Self-Service Banner. Students who do not have a FAFSA on file will have their SAP status determined when the University receives the FAFSA and evaluates eligibility.
Students on financial aid suspension may submit a SAP appeal through the University's Laserfiche SAP Appeal form. Appeals are reviewed by the SAP Committee, and decisions are generally communicated to the student's Bulldog email account through Laserfiche within approximately two weeks.
A SAP appeal may be submitted through the end of the semester for which the student is requesting reinstatement, subject to applicable federal disbursement requirements and the University's academic calendar.
Students on Academic Suspension are not eligible to receive financial aid during the period of academic suspension. A student who has been academically suspended must separately appeal that decision through the Office of Academic Affairs. Approval of an academic suspension appeal does not automatically constitute approval of a financial aid SAP appeal.
Maximum Timeframe Appeals
A student who has reached or is determined to be unable to complete the program within the applicable maximum timeframe may submit a SAP appeal. The appeal must include a current graduation evaluation or degree audit identifying the remaining coursework required for degree completion. If the appeal is approved, Title IV eligibility will be limited to coursework required for completion of the student's degree. The student must follow the approved course requirements and will be reviewed at the end of each semester while receiving aid under the maximum timeframe appeal.
Financial Aid Probation
Upon approval of a SAP appeal, the student is placed on Financial Aid Probation for one payment period. The probation standards are specified in the approval notification:
- The student may not register for more than 13 credit hours in the Fall or Spring semester and no more than 6 credit hours in the Summer.
- The student must successfully complete at least 67% of the hours attempted during the probationary payment period.
- The student must earn at least a 2.0 semester GPA if undergraduate or a 3.0 semester GPA if graduate.
Academic Plans
If, at the time an appeal is approved, it is determined that the student cannot re-establish the University's cumulative SAP standards by the end of one payment period, the student may be placed on an academic plan after the probationary payment period, provided the student successfully satisfies the conditions of probation.
Degree Works, the University's degree audit system, will serve as the academic roadmap for determining the coursework that applies toward the student's degree requirements. The student's SAP approval notification, Degree Works audit, and any additional conditions established by the Office of Student Financial Aid collectively constitute the student's academic plan.
Students on an academic plan will be reviewed at the end of each semester. To remain eligible for Title IV aid under the plan, the student must:
- Enroll in coursework applicable to the student's degree requirements as reflected in Degree Works, unless otherwise approved;
- Successfully complete at least 67% of the hours attempted during each semester covered by the plan;
- Earn at least a 2.0 semester GPA if undergraduate or a 3.0 semester GPA if graduate; and
- Satisfy any additional conditions stated in the SAP appeal approval or academic plan.
A student who meets the requirements of the academic plan may continue to receive Title IV aid even if the student has not yet re-established the University's cumulative SAP standards. The academic plan remains in effect until the student re-establishes SAP, completes the degree program, or fails to satisfy the conditions of the plan.
A student who fails to meet the requirements of the academic plan will be returned to Financial Aid Suspension. The student may submit a subsequent appeal when new or additional extenuating circumstances affected the student's ability to meet the approved plan.
Denied Appeals
If a student's appeal is denied, the student will remain on Financial Aid Suspension and will not be eligible to receive Title IV financial aid.
Students may use non-Title IV resources, including a payment plan, personal funds, or other eligible funding sources, to continue enrollment while working to re-establish SAP.
Regaining Eligibility
A student not making SAP, either because an appeal was denied or because the student did not submit an appeal, may re-establish eligibility by bringing the student's cumulative academic record into compliance with the applicable SAP standards. Paying for classes without Title IV aid or sitting out a semester does not, by itself, restore eligibility.
A student may enroll without Title IV assistance and complete coursework necessary to meet the University's cumulative GPA and completion-rate requirements. After the student believes the applicable cumulative SAP standards have been met, the student should contact the Office of Student Financial Aid for a review. Eligibility may be restored beginning with the appropriate payment period once the student satisfies all applicable SAP requirements.
Completion of Degree Requirements
Any student who has completed all coursework required for a degree but has not yet received the degree cannot receive further financial aid for that program. A student who changes majors remains responsible for completing the degree within the applicable maximum timeframe. All attempted coursework remains part of the SAP calculation as described in this policy.
