Maintain Your Financial Aid

To receive and keep your financial aid, the federal government requires students to meet a set of standards referred to as Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). The following information helps you determine, track, maintain, and re-establish your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

To receive and keep your financial aid, the federal government requires students to meet a set of standards referred to as Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). The following information helps you determine, track, maintain, and re-establish your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

MEET ALL THREE STANDARDS TO BE ELIGIBLE:

Your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) status is determined when you apply for financial aid. It is based on all previous academic history. Once you receive aid, your academic progress is evaluated at the end of every semester.

Three Standards to Make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Status
Grade Point Average Maintain a cumulative 2.0 or higher GPA for ACC classes.
Course Completion Successfully complete 67% of attempted credits.

For example: If you enrolled in 12 credits but you withdrew (W) from 6 credits, you have only completed 50% of your attempted credits.
Degree Progress Demonstrate progress toward finishing your program of study within a 150% maximum time frame.

For example: if you seek an associate degree requiring 60 credits, complete the degree within 90 attempted credits.

Track your own progress

It is your responsibility to monitor your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Meet with an AoS Advisor or Completion Counselor before you encounter difficulties that threaten your financial aid eligibility.

You can review your SAP status on Self-Service Financial Aid or be proactive and use the online GPA calculator and course completion calculator to plan your academic progress.

GPA calculator

Completion calculator

Re-establish your eligibility

You can re-establish your financial aid eligibility by raising your GPA and completion rate to the minimum standards or, if appropriate, completing a Financial Aid SAP Appeal. Here are some examples of circumstances in which we encourage a Financial Aid SAP Appeal: illness, injury, death of a relative or close friend, divorce, loss of employment, childcare issues, transportation issues, or other unforeseen events.

Financial Aid SAP Appeal

The Financial Aid SAP Appeal allows the ACC Financial Aid Office to consider granting you aid while you work to get back to the minimum SAP requirements. You will gain access to the SAP Appeal Form after you pass the “Key Components to SAP FA Appeal Process” video series and quiz on GetSAP. Follow all instructions on the SAP Appeal Form, and submit the complete appeal to a campus Financial Aid Office.

Start Financial Aid SAP Appeal

After logging in, select the “Key Components to SAP FA Appeal Process” session.

IMPORTANT:

  • All appeals must adequately describe the circumstance(s) that prevented the student from maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), provide any available supporting documentation, and explain what steps the student intends to take to maintain SAP in the future.
  • Due to the comprehensive nature of the appeal process, it will take 4-6 weeks to review all appeals. Students are still responsible for paying their balance with ACC while their appeal is under review. ACC also has payment plans available.
  • Financial Aid SAP Appeals cannot be retroactively approved for a semester that has ended. In order to allow sufficient time for appeal review before the semester’s end, our office suggests that students submit the appeal before these dates.
    • Fall Semester - October 1
    • Spring Semester - March 1
    • Summer Semester - July 1
  • Students with a bachelor’s degree will only be considered for student loans and will not receive grants.
  • I submitted my appeal. What's next?
    • If approved, you must complete 100% of all attempted credit hours with a 2.0 grade point average each semester. Financial aid will also be limited to only those courses required to complete the approved academic program on the appeal. The Financial Aid Office also sets an expiration date for the approved appeal. On that date, you will again become ineligible for financial aid unless another appeal is approved.

      If denied, you can still re-establish your financial aid eligibility by raising your GPA and completion rate to the minimum standards. If appropriate, you may also submit a second appeal addressing any of the committee’s reasons for denial.

  • What does my Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) mean?
    • Satisfactory Academic Progress
      Status Description Consequence
      Good Standing Student is meeting academic standards or has no academic history. Fully eligible for financial aid.
      Financial Aid Warning Student did not meet standards for cumulative GPA and/or 67% completion rate. Eligible for financial aid but must reach all standards by the end of the next semester to maintain eligibility. This includes completing the student success workshop.
      Financial Aid Suspension Student is not meeting cumulative GPA and/or 67% completion rate and is not eligible for the Warning status. Ineligible for financial aid.
      Warning Maximum Timeframe Students is approaching the maximum timeframe for their declared degree program. Eligible for financial aid but, if a student does not complete their degree within the established maximum timeframe for their program, they will eventually be placed on Maximum Timeframe Suspension (see below.)
      Maximum TimeFrame Suspension According to the major on file, the student has attempted too many credit hours to be eligible for aid. Ineligible for financial aid
  • How is my Satisfactory Academic Progress calculated?

    • Grade point average (GPA)

      Include classes of the following types that were taken at ACC (not transfer classes):

      • Credit classes you completed or attempted with following grades: A, B, C, D, and F
      • Early College Start classes
      • Study Abroad classes
      • Developmental education classes
      • ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes
      • All grades assigned for repeated classes

      DO NOT include:

      • ACC classes you attempted with the following grades: I, IP, W, S, and U
      • Transfer classes accepted at ACC from other colleges and universities
      • Audited classes
      • Military credit
      • Continuing Education classes
      • Credit earned through examination (AP, IB and other test credit)

      Completion rate

      Include classes of the following types that were taken at ACC (not transfer classes):

      • Credit classes completed or attempted with following grades: A, B, C, D, F, I, IP, S, W, and U
      • Early College Start classes
      • Study Abroad classes
      • Developmental education classes
      • ESOL classes
      • All grades assigned for repeated classes

      DO NOT include:

      • Transfer classes accepted at ACC from other colleges and universities (see note)
      • Audited classes
      • Military credit
      • Continuing Education classes
      • Credit earned through examination (AP, IB and other test credit)

        Note: Transfer classes are not calculated in the completion rate but do count in maximum time frame

      Maximum Timeframe

      Include:

      • All ACC credit classes completed or attempted with following grades: A, B, C, D, F, I, IP, S, W, and U
      • Transfer classes accepted at ACC from other colleges and universities
      • Early College Start classes
      • Study Abroad classes
      • Repeated classes (all occurrences)

      DO NOT include:

      • Developmental education classes
      • ESOL classes
      • Audited classes
      • Continuing Education classes
  • Helpful examples of SAP standards
    • What Happens If ... Then Your Financial Aid Status is ... What You Need to Do Is ..
      My overall ACC GPA drops below a 2.0 for the first time? Warning - You are still eligible for financial aid for your next semester. Raise your overall ACC GPA to a 2.0 by the end of your next semester and attend the student success workshop.
      My overall ACC GPA remains below a 2.0 after the Warning semester? Suspension - You are not eligible for financial aid. Raise your overall ACC GPA to a 2.0 by taking ACC classes without financial aid or appeal to our office.
      My overall ACC class completion rate drops below 67% for the first time? Warning - You are still eligible for financial aid for your next semester. Raise your overall ACC class completion rate to 67% by the end of your next semester and attend the student success workshop.
      My overall ACC class completion rate remains below 67% after the Warning semester? Suspension - You are not eligible for financial aid. Raise your overall ACC class completion rate to 67% by taking ACC classes without financial aid, or appeal to our office.
      I raise my GPA to 2.0 after the Warning semester, but my class completion rate drops below 67% (or vice versa)? Suspension - You are not eligible for financial aid. Raise your overall ACC GPA to a 2.0 and your overall ACC class completion rate to 67% by taking ACC classes without financial aid, or appeal to our office.
      I attempt over 150% of the credit hours required to get my ACC degree? Maximum Time Frame Suspension - You are not eligible for financial aid. Appeal to our office.

For more information

Please review Austin Community College's official policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) (PDF); Progreso Académico Satisfactorio (SAP) en Español (PDF).