Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Criteria*

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Federal regulations require all financial aid recipients maintain satisfactory academic progress in a course of study leading toward a degree, certificate or educational objective. Federal guidelines stipulate that the SAP policy apply to ALL enrollment periods at Austin Community College (ACC) regardless of whether or not aid was received. Financial aid applies to ALL federal Title IV and certain state and institutional aid programs. Students who are on academic suspension are not eligible to receive financial aid even if they are allowed admission by special approval for the semester.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress at Austin Community College is defined as:

QUALITATIVE COMPONENT – GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA) REQUIREMENT
Students applying for financial aid must have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on all hours earned at Austin Community College.

QUANTITATIVE COMPONENT - COMPLETION RATE
A student pursuing a degree or certificate at ACC must complete at least 67% of all hours attempted at ACC.

MAXIMUM TIME FRAME

Students receiving financial aid funds will be expected to complete their ACC educational objective or course of study within a reasonable time frame. The maximum time frame is 150% of the published length of the academic program or certificate (to include all transfer credit hours). Developmental course work will not be counted in the maximum time frame.

Example: Vocational Nursing = 53 Hours x 150% = 80 hours. 80 hours is the maximum that can be attempted for this program and receive financial aid.

TRANSFER STUDENTS

Transfer students entering ACC must be enrolled in a program of study which leads to a degree or certificate at ACC. All previous grade transcripts must be submitted to the ACC Office of Admissions and Records and evaluated before financial aid may be awarded. All transfer credits evaluated will be counted towards the maximum timeframe (150% of published program) at Austin Community College.

BACHELOR’S DEGREE STUDENTS

Students with a Bachelor’s degree must submit official grade transcripts of all prior course work for evaluation by the ACC Office of Admissions and Records. A degree plan for the degree objective at ACC must be submitted with the appropriate signatures to the Financial Aid Office. Students will not be approved for more than two academic years or four semesters.

FAILURE TO MEET THE STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS

In the following provisions, probation or suspension means financial aid probation or suspension, not academic probation or suspension.

1. Financial Aid Probation – At the end of the first semester in which the standards of academic progress are not met, the student will be placed on Probation and will be notified of that status. The student will be eligible to receive financial aid during the probation period.

2. Financial Aid Continued Probation – After the Probation semester, if the student meets the standards of academic progress for the following term, they will be continued on a probationary status. Student will remain eligible to receive financial aid during the Continued Probation semester.

3. Financial Aid Final Probation – After a semester on Continued Probation, if the student is still not meeting the cumulative standards of academic progress but has met the standards for the term they will be placed on a Final Probation status. Students will remain eligible to receive financial aid during the Final Probation semester. Final Probation is the last semester of probation available to the student. If the standards of academic progress (cumulative 2.0 GPA and 67% completion rate) are not met by the end of the Final Probation semester students will not be eligible to receive additional financial aid.

4. Financial Aid Suspension – The student who fails to meet the standards of academic progress (during the next semester of attendance) while on a Probation, Continued Probation, or Final Probation status will be placed on Suspension and denied financial aid.

5. Maximum Time Frame Suspension – If a student fails to meet the Maximum Time Frame standards, they will be placed on Maximum Time Frame Suspension and denied financial aid.

6. Maximum Suspension – If a student who had been placed on Maximum Time Frame Suspension was granted an appeal but has failed to meet the terms set forth by that appeal, they will be placed on Maximum Suspension and denied financial aid. Maximum Suspension can only be appealed to the Director of Financial Aid. Supporting documentation must be submitted.

NOTIFICATION

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) of financial aid recipients will be measured three times a year following the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. A student who is on financial aid probation or suspension will be notified in writing by the Financial Aid Office. Notification will be sent to the current address listed on file with the Office of Admission and Records. Students are held responsible for knowing the Financial Aid SAP requirements for eligibility and their aid status at the end of each semester.

APPEAL PROCESS

A student who has been denied financial aid for failure to meet the SAP requirements may appeal by completing the Financial Aid Appeal form and writing a letter explaining the mitigating circumstances. The Financial Aid Appeal Committee will evaluate the petition and decide whether to reinstate the student’s financial aid eligibility at ACC. A student may file an appeal to the Financial Aid Appeal Committee under the following conditions:

• A medical condition, separation/divorce, or death in the immediate family was a factor in the student not making satisfactory academic progress.
• Student’s activation into military service
• Mitigating circumstances as deemed appropriate for consideration by the Financial Aid Appeal Committee.
• Change of major caused the student to exceed maximum time frame.

The following must also be included as part of the appeal:

• Documentation to provide support for the appeal. (Example: Verification from a doctor, copy of death certificate, etc.)
• Letters from people to support the appeal request (instructors, counselors, etc.) if applicable.

The student will be notified of the committee’s decision in writing. The student has the right to appeal a denial decision of the committee within 10 days of the notification. The Director of Financial Aid will review the committee’s decision and make a recommendation which will be final. Appeal approvals are not applied retroactively after the end of a semester.

CHANGE OF PROGRAM / MAJOR OR ADDITIONAL DEGREE

A student who changes programs/majors and exceeds the maximum time frame must submit
a degree plan signed by an Advising Specialist/Counselor/Dean/Department Chair/Faculty Advisor to include a summary of all credit hours required to complete the new program. The student must complete 100% of all attempted credit hours with a 2.0 GPA for the semester. A student’s financial aid eligibility will be limited to only those courses required to complete the new program.

EFFECTS ON FUNDING

• Financial aid will not be provided for certain courses:
  • Courses taken by audit
  • Credit hours earned by placement tests (CR)
  • Non-credit coursework (Continuing Education)
• Grades of A, B, C, D and S will be considered as hours completed.
• Grades of I, IP, F and U will be considered as hours attempted but not completed.
• A grade of F will be counted in the grade point average (GPA).
• Withdrawals and repeated courses will be counted towards all hours undertaken.
• Developmental courses will be included to determine the financial aid student’s GPA and completion requirements.

DEVELOPMENTAL COURSES

Developmental coursework may be funded up to a maximum of 30 hours according to federal regulations. English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses may be funded up to a maximum of 24 hours.

SUPPORT SERVICES

Many services are available at Austin Community College to help students attain academic success. Please refer to the ACC College Catalog for a listing of these services.