All institutions participating in the Federal Student Aid Program must have in place a Satisfactory Academic Progress standard which contains both a qualitative and quantitative measure, defines the maximum timeframe for degree completion which cannot exceed 150% of the credits required for graduation, and which is at least as stringent as the criteria used to measure satisfactory progress for students who are not receiving federal aid.
In accordance with federal regulation, the University of Providence has established the following policy regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress:
Qualitative Standard
- Undergraduate Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA.
- Graduate Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA.
- Students transferring into the University of Providence with a GPA of less than 2.0 will be placed immediately on warning.
Quantitative Standard
- Student must successfully complete at least 67% of courses attempted.
- Grades of W, WP, WF, I, RD, and F are all included in the computation used to determine completion ratio.
- Transfer credits will be factored into completion ratio as both attempted and completed.
Maximum Time Frame
- For an associate degree the maximum allow able attempted credits is 90.
- For a bachelor degree the maximum allowable attempted credits is 180.
- The maximum timeframe for graduate students is 150% of the credits required by program.
SAP is reviewed at the end of each semester. Students who fail to maintain SAP will be placed on financial aid warning for the next semester enrolled. Students on warning may receive financial aid; however, they must bring performance up to acceptance SAP level in the next term enrolled or they will be suspended from further financial aid eligibility at the University.
Students who receive a semester GPA of 1.0 or less in their first semester will be placed on financial aid suspension and must appeal to be considered for future financial aid. This is to ensure a new student is placed on an academic plan which will assist the student in being successful.
Financial Aid suspension may be appealed in writing. The appeals should be addressed to the Financial Aid Office and will be reviewed by the Director of Financial Aid and the corresponding Vice President. Generally appeals will only be granted for extraordinary circumstances beyond the student’s ability to control such as illness or death of an immediate family member or personal injury or illness. As a minimum, the appeal must include the following:
- A statement, plus documentation as appropriate, explaining the circumstances that have led to failure to meet the established SAP standards.
- A statement as to how the student will again conform with SAP standards.
Students who successfully appeal Financial Aid suspension are placed on Financial Aid probation for one term if it is realistic to assume student could return to good standing in that timeframe. At the end of that term students must be meeting SAP or they will be suspended from Financial Aid. Students who successfully appeal suspension but are not realistically able to return to good standing in one term are placed on a specific academic plan which is monitored each term and that will allow them to return to good standing prior to completion of program.
Students who have appeals that are denied may appeal that decision to the Academic Appeals Committee.
Students may regain eligibility for financial aid by reestablishing their GPA and completion ratio using their own resources.