UW Colleges Financial Aid
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy
Federal regulations require students receiving financial aid to maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) and be working toward a degree. Courses attempted at UW Colleges as well as any transfer credits are included in the evaluation, including terms in which no financial aid was received. At the end of each term students enrolled in that term are evaluated to determine if they are meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. Students who are not meeting SAP requirements are no longer eligible to receive financial aid at any UW Colleges campus.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements
GPA Requirements
Completion Rate
Maximum Timeframe
Coursework Policies
Status Notification
Appeal Process
Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements
UW Colleges provides courses for the Associate of Arts and Science Degree. Only degree-seeking students are eligible to receive financial aid. It is important to review degree requirements and consult with an academic advisor in order to plan your course schedule.
GPA Requirements
Grade Point Average (GPA) is assessed based on the number of degree credits attempted. It is based on the graduated scale below. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 after attempting 48 or more credits.
| Degree Credits Attempted | Min. Cum. GPA Required |
|---|---|
| 1-11 | 1.00< |
| 12-23 | 1.25 |
| 24-35 | 1.50 |
| 36-47 | 1.75 |
| >48 | 2.00 |
Completion Rate
Students must successfully complete two thirds of the credits they attempt. The number of credits earned is divided by the total number of attempted credits. Credits earned includes grades of A to D-. Credits attempted include all credits the student enrolled in and attended including grades of I, R and S.
| Rate of Completion Chart | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credits Attempted | 2/3 Completion Rate | Credits Attempted | 2/3 Completion Rate | Credits Attempted | 2/3 Completion Rate |
1 |
1 |
31 |
21 |
61 |
41 |
2 |
2 |
32 |
22 |
62 |
42 |
3 |
2 |
33 |
22 |
63 |
42 |
4 |
3 |
34 |
23 |
64 |
43 |
5 |
4 |
35 |
24 |
65 |
44 |
6 |
4 |
36 |
24 |
66 |
44 |
7 |
5 |
37 |
25 |
67 |
45 |
8 |
6 |
38 |
26 |
68 |
46 |
9 |
6 |
39 |
26 |
69 |
46 |
10 |
7 |
40 |
27 |
70 |
47 |
11 |
8 |
41 |
28 |
71 |
48 |
12 |
8 |
42 |
28 |
72 |
48 |
13 |
9 |
43 |
29 |
73 |
49 |
14 |
10 |
44 |
30 |
74 |
50 |
15 |
10 |
45 |
30 |
75 |
50 |
16 |
11 |
46 |
31 |
76 |
51 |
17 |
12 |
47 |
32 |
77 |
52 |
18 |
12 |
48 |
32 |
78 |
52 |
19 |
13 |
49 |
33 |
79 |
53 |
20 |
14 |
50 |
34 |
80 |
54 |
21 |
14 |
51 |
34 |
81 |
54 |
22 |
15 |
52 |
35 |
82 |
55 |
23 |
16 |
53 |
36 |
83 |
56 |
24 |
16 |
54 |
36 |
84 |
56 |
25 |
17 |
55 |
37 |
85 |
57 |
26 |
18 |
56 |
38 |
86 |
58 |
27 |
18 |
57 |
38 |
87 |
58 |
28 |
19 |
58 |
39 |
88 |
59 |
29 |
20 |
59 |
40 |
89 |
60 |
30 |
20 |
60 |
40 |
90 |
60 |
Maximum Timeframe
UW Colleges offers the Associate of Arts & Science Degree program. The program requires students to complete 60 credits. Students have a maximum timeframe of 90 attempted credits in order to complete the degree requirements. After a student has attempted 90 credits he or she is no longer eligible for financial aid. This calculation of credits attempted includes transfer credits. Maximum timeframe is assessed weekly, if at any point in the term it is determined the student is not meeting SAP he or she is no longer eligible to receive aid for that term or any future terms.
Remedial coursework is included in the calculation of maximum timeframe. After a student has attempted 30 credits of remedial coursework he or she is no longer eligible for financial aid.
Coursework Policies
Incomplete Grades
A grade of an Incomplete is counted as credits attempted, but not credits completed. Students are responsible for notifying the campus Student Services Office when an incomplete grade has been replaced by a letter grade. This may bring students back into good standing with the SAP requirements.
Dropped Credits
Financial aid is based on a student’s enrollment on the 10th day of classes at 11:59pm. Courses that are dropped after that time are included as attempted credits and may impact a student’s SAP status.
Withdrawal From All Coursework
Students who withdraw from all coursework may be required to repay a portion of the aid received. For more information review the Impact of Academic Withdrawal on Financial Aid. Dropped courses or courses that a student withdrew from are included as attempted credits and may impact a student’s SAP status.
Repeated courses
Credits for repeated courses are included in the SAP calculation each time the course is attempted. The course counts only once as credits completed and only once in a student’s GPA. The most recent grade for a repeated course is used in calculating the GPA.
Beginning with Fall 2011 students are only eligible to receive aid ONCE for a previously passed course. For example a student may take a course and receive a D. The student may want to retake the course to achieve a higher grade. If the second attempt of the course is not the grade the student is seeking (some courses require a C or higher) the student is not eligible to receive aid for that course on future attempts.
Non-degree (including remedial) courses
UW Colleges non-degree courses are considered the same as credit courses for tuition, for full-time academic standing and for SAP. Non-degree courses are not included in the GPA calculation. Credits for non-degree work are included in the completion rate and maximum timeframe limits. After a student has attempted 30 credits of remedial coursework he or she is no longer eligible for financial aid.
Status Notification
At the end of each term students enrolled in that term are evaluated to determine if they are meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. Students who are not meeting the SAP requirements have a hold placed on their account and are mailed a letter. Maximum timeframe is assessed weekly, if at any point in the term it is determined the student is not meeting SAP he or she is no longer eligible for aid for that term or any future terms. Students can review their SAP status in PRISM. If a SAP hold is placed it will be listed in the holds section, students will also have a SAP Appeal in their To Do list.
Appeal Process
Students who fail to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements and who can demonstrate extenuating circumstances may appeal.
Students who have an appeal approved must complete a SAP Contract with the campus Student Services Office or Online Advisor
This contract is an academic plan which will assist the student in meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements in future semesters. Students must meet SAP requirements OR meet the requirements of a contract in order to continue receiving aid.
Forms
Use the forms listed below for submitting appeals. Complete all steps listed on the form and attach required documentation.
Level One SAP Appeal Form (SAP1)
This form is used for most appeals. Complete and submit with required documentation to the campus Student Services Office.
Level Two SAP Appeal Form (SAP2)
The second level appeal is only for certain circumstances.
All maximum timeframe appeals must be submitted to the Central Student Financial Aid Office.
If a student was denied an appeal by the campus committee he or she may appeal to the central office SAP appeal committee. A second level appeal is to be submitted only when the student has further information for consideration that was not present to campus staff or feels he or she was not fairly treated during the initial appeal.
SAP Appeal Short Form (SAP3)
This form is only appropriate in certain circumstances. In most cases students will need to complete the standard appeal form (SAP1).
Complete this form only if you:
- Are eligible for the one-time, first-time, first-term reinstatement per your academic advisor.
- Have not been enrolled in classes at any of the UW Colleges campuses in the last three years.
- Signed a SAP Contract for the term previous to this one and fulfilled the contract requirements.
Students are notified of the results of the appeal within two weeks.