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Union County College

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal regulations require all financial aid recipients to maintain satisfactory academic progress in a course of study leading toward a degree or certificate. Failure to meet one or more of the established standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will make a student ineligible for financial aid. Financial Aid SAP status includes all previous academic history, even if the student did not receive financial aid. Statuses are updated at the end of each semester, including summer. It is the student’s responsibility to monitor academic progress. Although the Financial Aid Office notifies students of their status, students who do not meet the standards will be ineligible for financial aid even if they do not receive correspondence.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards

Grade Point Average (GPA): Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA on all hours attempted at Union County College.

Completion Rate: Students must complete 67% of all hours attempted at Union County College.

Maximum Time Frame: Students receiving financial aid must complete their program of study within a reasonable time frame. The maximum time frame to complete a program is 150% of the published length of the academic program or certificate (including all transfer credit hours).

Example: Associate of Science Degree in Liberal Studies = 60 hours x 150%= 90 hours.  This means that a student may receive financial aid for a maximum of 90 attempted hours.

Consequences of not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Financial Aid Warning: The first time that a student fails to meet the SAP standards of a cumulative 2.0 GPA and 67% completion rate, he or she will be placed on financial aid warning status and be notified of their status. The student will remain eligible for financial aid for one semester while on warning. If a student fails to meet the SAP standards of a cumulative 2.0 GPA and 67% completion rate after being placed on financial aid warning status, then he or she will no longer be eligible for financial aid.

Exceeds Maximum Time Frame:  If a student fails to meet the Maximum Time Frame standard, the he or she will no longer be eligible for financial aid.

Failure to meet one or more of the established financial aid standards of satisfactory academic progress will make a student ineligible for financial aid. Those students will be responsible for payment of their own tuition and fees.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal

When a student loses financial aid eligibility because he or she failed to make satisfactory progress, the student may appeal that determination on the basis of: injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other extenuating circumstances.  Any appeal submitted by a student must explain why he/she failed to make satisfactory progress and what has changed that will allow the student to make satisfactory progress at the next evaluation. The appeal will be evaluated on an individual basis to determine if the student has demonstrated why they were unable to meet the standards and the student must develop an academic plan or educational plan that will allow them to meet the standards in the future and ultimately program completion.

Financial Aid Probation – When a student submits an appeal and their appeal is approved based on the described extenuating circumstances, then the student is placed on probation for one term and can receive financial aid for that term.  It is possible that a student could be placed on probation more than once in his or her academic career, if there are successful appeals submitted and evaluated by the Financial Aid Office.At the end of the term on probation, the student must meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements or must be meeting the requirements of the academic plan.  Students who are placed on probation must:
• Achieve at least a 2.0 Grade Point Average for the term of probation; and
• Successfully complete ALL courses attempted.

A student who meets the above requirements of the educational plan can have the probation status continued for another term.  A student who does not meet these requirements would have to successfully appeal to be placed on probation.  This appeal must explain why he or she failed to make satisfactory progress and what has changed in their situation that will allow them to make satisfactory progress at the next evaluation as well as detailed information about why the student failed to meet the requirements of the probation period, including what had changed and why the student will be able to meet the terms of the educational plan.
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