Satisfactory Academic Progress

College of Professional Studies – Undergraduate Link

Federal regulations and Syracuse University policies require that all financial aid recipients must make steady progress toward completion of their degree requirements. Students must successfully complete (earn) a specified number of credit hours (quantitative measure) as well as attain and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (qualitative measure) by the end of their sophomore academic year and each semester thereafter.

Syracuse University conducts a review of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) tied to receipt of federal and institutional student aid at the end of each semester. Federal and institutional student aid programs include Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG), Federal Work-Study, Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans and Syracuse University grants and scholarships. For Direct PLUS Loans borrowed by parents of undergraduate students, the parent borrower’s eligibility to receive loan funds is dependent on the student’s SAP status. The information that follows applies to all undergraduate students (new and continuing students) who are requesting federal and/or Syracuse University institutional aid funds. For information regarding New York State Aid for Part-time Study Program (APTS), please read the Satisfactory Academic Progress — New York State Aid information found on this page.

In addition to meeting the standards for receiving financial aid, students must also meet the academic standards of their school or college at Syracuse University which may be lower. For further information, please visit the Registrar’s Office .

Requirements for Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress Link

Beginning in May 2017, a student will be notified at the conclusion of each semester, if he/she fails to meet SAP requirements. If a student fails to achieve satisfactory academic progress at that time, the student will be placed on Warning status and may receive financial aid for one semester only to provide an opportunity to regain eligibility. Should the student continue to fail satisfactory academic progress after this one semester on Warning status, Syracuse University may not award and disburse future federal/university program funds to the student.

To meet SAP standards you must:

• Earn between 50 and 67 percent of all credit hours attempted each semester (percentage dependent upon number of credits attempted, see chart below). Transfer courses are counted as both attempted and completed hours when measuring SAP (Pace) progress.

• Attempted Credits Include:
  • • • Earned credit (grades of A-D and/or P)
      • Repeated courses — both attempts
      • Withdrawals (WD)
      • Failures — Failed (F), Unsatisfactory (U)
      • Incompletes
      • All accepted transfer credits (including consortium agreements and Study Abroad courses) toward the degree program.
• Attain a cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.) of 2.0 by the end of sophomore academic standing and maintain this for the duration of the academic career.

• Complete a degree program in a maximum timeframe of no more than 150 percent of the average length of the program — For example, the average number of credit hours required to complete a Bachelor degree program is 120 credits. Using that average, 150 percent of 120 credits would equal 180 credit hours which would be the maximum number of credit hours for which a student could receive financial aid (assuming the above requirements are also met).
• GPA and progress towards completion are affected by course incompletes and withdrawals.

Readmitted Students Link

• Students will be reviewed at the time of readmission from a leave of absence to determine if SAP standards are met. Returning from a leave or removal from academic probation does not automatically qualify a student for federal aid.
• Under some circumstances students are allowed to return to Syracuse University after a period of time and have their previous graded coursework removed from their academic records. Financial Aid SAP regulations do not recognize any provision for academic amnesty or renewal. All academic coursework taken at any time a student is in attendance at Syracuse University must be included in determining SAP.
• Students repeating classes need to be aware of the impact repeating classes may have on their federal financial aid in addition to Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements of meeting pace. The criteria for federal aid eligibility for courses that are taken more than once are:

• Unlimited repeated courses can be funded with federal aid if the student has not passed the course previously while attending Syracuse University. All attempts are counted in the overall review.
• Only one repeated course can be funded with federal aid if the student has previously passed the course. Both attempts are counted toward attempted however only one passed course is counted towards the total earned.

Appeals Link

Students who need more than one semester to comply with the SAP policy must include an academic plan with the appeal for waiver. The academic plan must contain:

Students who do not meet the SAP standards after the one semester Warning may appeal to the College of Professional Studies Financial Aid Office for a SAP Financial Aid Waiver. Waivers may be issued for students who have experienced exceptional or extraordinary circumstances “beyond the student’s control” that resulted in the failure to satisfy the requirements and where there is a reasonable expectation that the student will meet these requirements in the future. Exceptional or extraordinary circumstances include family illness or death or personal illness. Supporting documentation will be required such as a death certificate, letter from doctor or counselor, statement from advisor, etc.

• Specific outcomes of how SAP can be established; and maintained
• List of specific courses or course load with GPA recommendations
• Signoff from academic advisor

If an appeal is approved, the student will be allowed to receive financial aid for one semester only. If the student meets the conditions set forth in the approval letter and academic plan, if applicable, the student may continue to receive aid for subsequent semesters. If the appeal is denied through this process, the student will be notified in writing and will not receive financial assistance for the next period of enrollment or until the student is in compliance with SAP standards. The student may regain financial aid eligibility by enrolling in and completing sufficient credits to meet the standards described in the above policy without the benefit of federal or university funded financial aid.

Students may appeal only once for a SAP waiver unless they have different circumstances which led to the original failure.

College of Professional Studies – Graduate Link

• • This policy on satisfactory academic progress relates specifically to graduate students who are receiving student loans and other federally funded financial aid. In addition to meeting the standards for receiving financial aid, students must also meet the standards of their academic program at Syracuse University.
  • Students will be reviewed on a per semester basis, at the end of each semester. If a student fails to meet SAP standards he/she will be placed on SAP Warning for one semester. During that semester the student will be eligible for financial aid for that term. To be eligible the following semester the student must be in compliance with SAP standards.
  • For the purpose of receiving federal student loans and other federally funded financial aid, satisfactory academic progress is defined as earning a minimum number of credits over a specific number of semesters and maintaining a minimum grade point average (GPA).
  • Graduate students must receive a passing grade in 75% of total credits taken. Graduate students will have 4 semesters in which to achieve the 75% standard.
  • Graduate students must achieve and maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Graduate students will have 4 semesters in which to attain the cumulative 2.0 GPA.
  • Graduate students who register for 0 credit hours and are certified as full-time by their academic department can maintain eligibility for a maximum of 9 terms (including Fall and Spring semesters and Summer Sessions).
  • Graduate students who fail to meet SAP have the right to appeal for a waiver based on extenuating circumstances. If the appeal is approved, the student will be allowed to receive financial aid for one semester only. If the conditions set forth in the approval letter and academic plan (if applicable) are met, the student may continue to receive aid for subsequent semesters. If the appeal is denied through this process, the student will be notified in writing and will not receive financial assistance for the next period of enrollment, or until the student is in compliance with SAP standards.
    • Students who did not attain the 75% standard, as specified above, may regain financial aid eligibility by enrolling in and completing sufficient credits to meet the standards described in the above policy without the benefit of federal funded financial aid.
    • Students who exceed nine terms of full-time enrollment, registering for zero credits, must appeal to the Financial Aid Office.

Criteria Link

Semester(s) with Unearned Credits Link

Students who otherwise meet the SAP program standards, enroll and incur tuition liability but withdraw without earning academic credits for more than one semester, need to meet with a Financial Aid Office advisor. Semesters with unearned credits do not have to be consecutive for this policy to apply. The College of Professional Studies reserves the right to place the students on probation or certify the student as ineligible for aid. NOTE: In addition to meeting the standard for receiving financial aid, students must also meet the academic standards of their college at Syracuse University.