Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy for Financial Aid

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards

If you receive financial aid, then you must meet and maintain the minimum standard of "Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), as established by the Higher Education Act of 1965.  

TAMUSA makes its standard applicable to all federal, state, and institutional financial assistance programs for the purpose of maintaining a consistent policy for all students who receive these funds.  To maintain your eligibility to receive financial aid, you must meet the following requirements:

  • You must be a degree-seeking student
  • You must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
  • You must be enrolled in at least half-time

Financial Aid monitors your SAP at the end of every semester.  If you do not meet the requirements for SAP, you have the right to appeal and provide extenuating circumstances that may have hindered your progress.  

In addition to potentially affecting current semester financial aid, drops and withdrawals are considered unsuccessfully completed coursework when determining SAP and will impact completion rate.  If you drop below the necessary completion rate you may lose eligibility for financial aid in future terms. 

Qualitative Measures of Academic Progress

The qualitative measure of academic progress is a grading scale of 0.00 to 4.00, based on students' enrollment classification.  Incoming freshmen, graduate students, or transfer students will be eligible to apply for financial assistance upon admission to the university during their initial term.  Undergraduate students must achieve a minimum overall grade point average of 2.00 to maintain eligibility for financial assistance.  Graduate students must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 to maintain eligibility for financial assistance.

Quantitative Measures of Academic Progress

While students are expected to enroll in full-time to be eligible for the maximum financial aid, each student must successfully complete at least 67% of all credit hours attempted. This percentage includes all institutional and transfer credit hours, regardless of whether or not financial aid was received. Attempted hours also includes transfer hours and courses for which you received no financial aid.

In addition to maintaining a minimum grade point average, students must demonstrate acceptable progress toward a degree or certificate objective in order to remain eligible for financial assistance. Students cannot receive financial aid beyond a specified total of attempted credit hours; and they must pass a certain percentage of the credit hours for which they enroll. These requirements are summarized as total credit hours and ratio of earned hours to attempted hours in the example chart below.

Classification Grade Point Average Ratio of Passed Hours to Attempted Hours Total Attempted Hours (including transfer credits)
Undergraduate Minimum 2.0 67% 150% of published program length1,2
1

Includes remedial courses

2

Second Baccalaureate:  additional review required

Hours earned do not include grades of “F” (failed), “I” (incomplete), "NC" (no credit), "FN" (failed-never attended), “W” (withdrawal) or “WX” (withdrawal excluded from the sixth drop), “WI” (withdrawal identifier for Senate Bill 1231). Courses that have been repeated will be counted for each enrollment as hours attempted, and will be counted as hours passed if a grade other than F, FN, NC, I, W, WX, or WI is received. Remedial course credits also will be used to determine a student’s enrollment status for financial aid eligibility.

Maximum Hour Limit

Students are expected to complete their degree pursuits within a maximum timeframe. This is limited to 150% of the published degree program length in the catalog and includes all overall hours attempted (including repeats and withdrawals) at any university of higher education and any hours accepted in transfer, even if financial aid was not received.  Evaluated credit will also be included in the total attempted hours once articulated by the Registrar’s Office. Once a student maximizes the allotted credit hours, he/she is no longer eligible for financial aid.

Students seeking second degrees and students with double majors are monitored like any other students under this policy. If or when the student exceeds the maximum time frames allowed for his/her respective programs, the student may appeal for an extension.

A student’s SAP status (quantitative and qualitative) is calculated at the end of the spring semester for all students enrolled at A&M-San Antonio regardless of whether they are receiving financial aid.

Financial Aid Suspension

If a student does not meet the SAP requirements by the end of the spring semester, the student will be placed on financial aid suspension. Once the student is on financial aid suspension, the student is not eligible to receive financial aid for the next semester.  Students who fail to meet SAP will be notified of the reason(s) for the loss of eligibility through an email sent to the TAMUSA email address as well as the portal.  Students placed on SAP suspension will be given the opportunity to appeal.  

Appeal Process

Students may appeal their ineligibility by providing information on extenuating circumstances, indicating what has changed to prevent successful academic progress.  However, the submission of an appeal in only a request and does not guarantee that scholarships or financial aid eligibility will be reinstated.  The appeal must be submitted online at: https://www.tamusa.edu/financialaid/important-forms-and-resources.html.

Students must provide the following documentation, along with their completed SAP Appeal Application to be considered:  

  • Provide a personal statement that explains:
    • The factors beyond the student’s control contributing to the student’s lack of academic progress. It is assumed that each student appealing is dependent upon financial aid for the completion of a degree, so this explanation is not considered reason for approval. Students should not discuss their need for financial aid in their appeal, as this is not grounds for approval.
    • How student's personal circumstances have changed so that it will no longer impede the student's academic progress.
    • What measures the student is taking to ensure the academic success in the future, such as a reduction in enrollment, utilizing tutoring, etc. Be specific.
    • Attach supporting documentation to substantiate the student's reason(s) for the appeal which corresponds to the periods of poor performance (i.e. medical documentation, death certificates, obituaries, doctor’s notes etc.). SAP Statements without corroborating documentation will be considered incomplete and be denied for the semester.
  • An updated degree plan for graduate students OR an academic plan signed by both student and Academic Advisor for undergraduate students must be included.
  • Provide a print out of the completion of the Exit Counseling Session from www.studentloans.gov.

Failure to provide the required documentation will result in the denial of the student’s appeal. All information will become a part of the student’s confidential financial aid record and cannot be returned.  The student will receive notification from the Financial Aid Office within two to four weeks regarding the status of the appeal. Appeals submitted after the first day of class each semester may require additional time for review and a response.

Priority Deadlines

  • Fall semester = Census Date
  • Spring semester = Census Date
  • Summer semester = Census Date for first summer term

Monitoring of SAP Academic Plan

SAP Academic Plans are reviewed at least once per academic term.  Failure to adhere to the conditions of the Academic Plan will result in the denial or cancellation of all future aid until the student has met the minimum standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress at their expenses.