Issued By: Student Financial Services & Compliance
Date: September 2023
I. Scope of Policy
This policy provides guidelines and established procedures for satisfactory academic progress in accordance with federal and state regulations.
II. Standards for Federal Financial Aid Programs
Federal regulations require students to make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward the completion of a degree or certificate program in order to receive Title IV financial aid, which includes Federal Pell and SEOG Grants, Federal Work Study, Federal Perkins Loans and the Federal Direct Loan Program. Satisfactory academic progress is measured qualitatively and quantitatively by two components: a student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) and the amount of credits they have earned relative to their year in school and enrollment status. Satisfactory academic progress is measured annually, at the end of the Spring semester, after all grades have been submitted. Students failing to meet the above criteria are eligible to appeal this decision if extenuating circumstances played a factor in their academics. Examples of such circumstances could include an illness, accident, separation or divorce, or the death of a relative. An appeal must be made in writing to the Institute and include an explanation of the circumstance(s) that may have adversely affected the student’s ability to meet the academic requirements, and the changes that have occurred which will allow them to make SAP in the future. All appeals must be accompanied by supporting documentation, such as a letter from a doctor or attorney. If an appeal is granted, the student will be placed on probationary status for one semester after which the student must meet SAP guidelines. Failure to meet these SAP criteria after the probationary period will result in loss of eligibility for Title IV funds. Students wishing to receive Title IV financial aid for summer semesters may have these awards evaluated and offered prior to a determination of SAP. All students receiving summer aid will have their SAP evaluated after all spring grades have been submitted. Students not making progress will have their summer aid cancelled, and the student will be liable for all assessed charges unless an appeal is filed and granted as outlined above. Student must register and pay for courses via other means (non-federal student aid) and will be evaluated after each semester until they are making SAP. At this point, their eligibility for federal student aid will be re-instated.
Undergraduate Criteria
The criterion below outlines the progress that is required for an undergraduate student to be considered in good standing:
| Total Credits Attempted | Total Credits Earned | Total Credits Earned Divided By Total Credits Attempted | Cumulative GPA Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-18 | 0 | 0% | 67% |
| 0-18 | 1 – & above | 0% | 1.5 |
| 19-47 | 0 – & above | 40% | 1.5 |
| 48 – & above | 0 – & above | 67% | 2.0 |
Undergraduate Maximum Time Frame
The maximum credits a student is allowed to attempt is no more than 150% of the credits normally required for the degree. For example: if the credits needed for the degree is 120, a student can attempt no more than 180 credits.
Graduate Criteria
The criteria below outline the progress that is required for a graduate student to be considered in good standing:
Completion Rate Requirement
- All students must earn at least 67% of their attempted hours.
GPA Requirement
- Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA.
Graduate Maximum Time Frame
Graduate students are required to complete the degree according to the maximum time frame outlined in the bulletin under the specific degree program.
Additional Information
- Progress standards for part-time students are prorated based upon the criteria above.
- Qualifying transfer credits are counted as both attempted and earned credits but have no effect on the GPA.
- Grades of W (Withdrawal), WD (Unofficial Withdrawal), INC (Incomplete), are counted as credits attempted but not completed, and do not affect the GPA. Page 2 Rev. 9-2018
- Repeated classes will count only once towards credits completed. A student may receive aid for a repeated class that has been successfully completed once.
- Any departmental requirements that exceed these standards must be adhered to for the purposes of evaluating SAP.
- The Institute will recalculate SAP continuously throughout the year to account for late grade submittals, grade changes, etc.
III. New York State Education Department Standards
To receive financial aid awards from New York State, including undergraduate Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) funding, students must meet the academic standing requirements as defined by the New York State Education Department. These requirements are different than those set forth by the Federal government, and are applicable only to New York State awards.
The basic measures for good academic standing for TAP Awards include the following:
- Pursuit of Program: A student must receive a passing or failing grade (A-F) in a certain percentage of courses each term.
- Satisfactory Academic Progress: A student must accumulate a specified number of credits and achieve a specified cumulative grade point average (GPA).
The requirements for meeting these standards increase as the student progresses, and is based upon the number of State awards that the student has already received. Students failing to meet the required criteria are eligible to request a one-time waiver of the academic and/or “C” average requirement(s) if extenuating circumstances played a factor in their academics. Examples of such circumstances could include an illness, accident, separation or divorce, or the death of a relative. An appeal must be made in writing to the Institute and include an explanation of the circumstance(s) that may have adversely affected the student’s ability to meet the academic requirements, and the changes that have occurred which will allow them to make SAP in the future. All appeals must be accompanied by supporting documentation, such as a letter from a doctor or attorney. If a waiver is granted, the student will be eligible for the State award for the semester for which they were granted the waiver. The student must be meeting the academic progress and pursuit of program requirements to receive further awards.
The charts below outline the progress that is required for an undergraduate student to be considered in good standing:
Baccalaureate Semester Based Program Chart (2010 Standards)
This applies to all non-remedial students’ first receiving aid in 2010-11 and thereafter.
| Semester | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Being Certified for Payment: | ||||||||||
| A student must have accrued at least this many credits | 0 | 6 | 15 | 27 | 39 | 51 | 66 | 81 | 96 | 111 |
| With at least this GPA | 0 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
Additional Information
- All students must be registered for a minimum of 12 credits per semester.
- A student may not receive a NY State award for repeating a class that they have already successfully completed (i.e. the credits for a repeated class for which the student has already received a satisfactory grade will not count towards the full-time requirement).
- The standards that a student must meet are dependent upon when a student first received an award from NY State, as well as their remedial status.
- A student is placed on the charts above based upon their total TAP points received, including any award(s) received at a previous institution(s).
- To continue to receive TAP funding, a minimum number of credits must be completed each term, as well as on a cumulative basis.
- Students who have accrued 64 credits are required to declare a major to maintain their TAP eligibility.
- A student must maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) prior to being certified for a TAP payment. This average increases as the student progresses in payment points.
- All students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 (a “C” average) or better after accumulating 24 or more payment points (e.g., 4 full time semesters).
- A student who is not making progress, and/or is not meeting the “C” average requirement may request a one-time waiver if extenuating circumstances affected their academic performance. A student may only receive this waiver once for NY state awards.