Federal Student Aid Regulations
Satisfactory academic progress is required to continue receiving federal student aid. In other words, you have to make good grades, and complete enough classes (credits, hours, etc.), to keep moving toward successfully completing your degree or certificate in an appropriate time period. This policy applies to all Title IV and non-Title IV recipients and failed SAP can disqualify students from other non-federal aid.
Students on SAP Warning or SAP Suspension are not meeting the SAP standards. Find out more about the SAP statuses, and how SAP is determined on this page.
***Sec 484 (a)(2) – In order to receive Title IV (TIV) aid the student must be maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in the program of study.
SAP Standards
The Financial Aid Office at UTTC checks each student’s progress at the end of every semester. When that happens, they will check your GPA, and course completion progress.
GPA: Minimum Grade Point Average
Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA for each semester, as well as cumulatively. UTTC uses a 4.0 grade scale. Grade Explanation Honor Points Per Credit: A Excellent 4; B Good 3; C Satisfactory 2; D Unsatisfactory 1; F Failure 0. Incompletes, Withdrawn and Non-Credit semester hours are not used in calculating a student’s GPA.
Things that may cause your SAP cumulative GPA to be different from your transcript cumulative GPA are withdrawing or repeating courses. The SAP GPA will include every class a student has taken, regardless of whether they retook it for a higher grade in a later semester. For that reason, it’s possible to have a transcript GPA that is above 2.0, but still have a SAP GPA that is below 2.0.
INCOMPLETES:
A student can set-up a request with their advisor to have an incomplete grade at the end of the semester. The student will have two weeks into the succeeding semester to complete the necessary work. If not taken care of by the deadline it converts to an “F.” Incompletes are figured into the SAP quantitative immediately and then into the qualitative (GPA) at the deadline.
PACE: Percent of Attempted Credits Earned
The minimum PACE to maintain is 67% (two-thirds). That means you must complete at least 67% of the credits that you enroll in. This status is monitored for each semester, as well as for your career.
Attempted credit hours: all enrolled hours (including withdrawn courses); repeated courses; transferred credits.
Completed credit hours: grades of A, B, C, D; transferred credits.
Credit hours NOT complete: grades of F; incomplete (I); withdraw (W); non-credit (NC).
Maximum Time Frame for Degree Completion
All students are held to the 150% rule for their degree. This refers to the number of credits needed to complete a degree.
For example, if your associate degree requires 60 semester hours to complete, you must be able graduate with no more than 90 credit hours attempted.
Likewise, if you are pursuing a bachelor’s degree that requires 120 semester hours to complete, you must be able graduate with no more than 180 credit hours attempted.
Time frame is evaluated by the number of hours attempted. Students who are unable to graduate within the 150% time frame are no longer eligible for financial aid without an approved appeal.
In addition to the Appeal documents, you will also need an Academic Plan that outlines the courses required for graduation. You will need to strictly adhere to this plan to remain eligible for financial aid.
SAP Status
After final grades are posted Students will be notified by e-mail as to what their SAP Status is. If on Warning or Suspension they will be told what component they did not meet. They will also be informed of how to appeal.
Student on SAP Warning are still eligible to receive financial aid.
Note: There is no warning period for the 150% timeframe.
Financial Aid Warning
Warning Status is your chance to improve your GPA and/or PACE rate to meet SAP standards for the next semester and your academic career. At the end of the Warning semester, you will either be moved back into Good Standing or you will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension.
Financial Aid Suspension
You are not eligible for federal financial aid in Suspension Status.
You may appeal the suspension. The decisions of the Financial Aid Department are final.
If your appeal is approved, your aid will be reinstated for one semester. At the end of this semester SAP will be run again to see if the student is back in good standing. Failing students will also have been required to fill out an Academic Success Plan and Academic Contract with their academic advisor. Failure to meet the terms of this contract during this probationary period can lead to Academic Suspension.
If your Appeal is Denied
You will remain in Financial Aid Suspension status. That means you are not eligible to receive funding like the State Grant, Federal Pell Grant, or Federal Work Study. However, you are still eligible to attend classes at UTTC. First, you need to meet with Student Accounts and get on a payment plan.
SAP Appeal
Appealing SAP Suspension Status
Even if you do not qualify for federal student aid, being in SAP suspension may reduce the number of scholarships and grants you are eligible for. That means it is a good idea to appeal SAP Suspension, even if you know you won’t get Pell. First, your appeal starts with completing the below form. Then you will need to gather supporting documents. Finally, turn in your form and all documentation to the Financial Aid Office. A signed SAP Appeal form and statement are required. If the issue is completion or GPA the student will need to explain circumstances on why they failed and must offer solutions they are pursuing to be successful going forward. Documentation is highly encouraged and includes but not limited to issues with medical issues, counseling, access, technology, deaths, books/supply issues, tutoring etc. Students are also required to fill out an Academic Success Plan and Academic Contract with their Academic advisor. On the SAP Appeal form the student must explain as to what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow the student to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation, which is the end of every semester.
Appeal Decisions are Final
Students are still eligible to attend classes at UTTC if they are in a SAP Suspension status. However, you must meet with Student Accounts to discuss a payment plan.
CONTACT INFO
Jack Barden Center
(Upper Floor)
3315 University Drive
Bismarck, ND 58504
Bismarck, ND 58504
Phone: 701.255.3285
Toll Free: 888.643.8882
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