Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is a federal requirement that states you must meet and maintain good academic standards in order to be eligible for Federal and State aid. If you do not meet the standards listed below, you may lose financial aid eligibility.
Determining SAP Status
-
Criteria
There are three components to calculate a student's Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP):
Grade Point Average (GPA) Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA
Completion Rate Minimum 66.66% successful completion rate of all credit hours attempted
Example: a student with 54 earned credit hours out of 69 attempted credit hours would have a calculated completion rate of: (54 ÷ 69) x 100 = 78%
Maximum Hours The maximum time frame a student may receive financial aid may not exceed 150% of the published length of their degree program.
Example: a student with a 60 credit hour associates degree program would be calculated as: 60 x 150% = maximum of 90 attempted hours of college-level coursework allowed
Example: a student with a 120 credit hour bachelors degree program would be calculated as 120 x 150% = maximum of 180 attempted hours of college-level coursework allowed
View ACD's Detailed SAP Policy
Timeline
The Student Financial Aid Office will run a review of SAP status once a year after spring grades are posted, typically the last week of May.
Once the process is run, students not meeting SAP will be placed on "financial aid suspension" and will no longer qualify for financial aid. Any offers of future semester awards will be removed from your account.
How To Check Your SAP Status on ACES
-
Submission Dates: Coming Soon
Submission Steps
- First, meet with your Certified Academic Advisor to initiate your appeal.
- Then, submit your appeal request to Student Financial Aid through the link on your ACES portal. You must attach supporting documentation that describes why you did not meet SAP standards and how you will return to good standing.
How to Submit Your Appeal on ACES
Processing Timeline
The review time of a SAP appeal may take 3-4 weeks. A message will be sent to your ACES financial aid portal once an approval or denial has been made.
If approved, SAP appeals allow financial aid eligibility to be renewed. Students whose appeal is denied may submit a new appeal after the completion of one semester.
FAQs
Avoid dropping classes or earning grades not considered to be passing according to the SAP policy, and follow your degree plan and meet with an advisor regularly.
If you submit your appeal by the priority deadline, you are guaranteed to have your appeal reviewed by the first day of the semester. This will allow you to determine what finanicial aid you may or may not be eligible for before starting your classes.
Students that submit their appeal after the priority deadline should make payment arrangements with the Business Office to avoid being dropped for non-payment.
If you do not attend the Alamo Colleges District during the term for which the appeal was submitted and approved, the approval will be voided and your SAP status will be returned to suspension.
However, if you do complete attendance at the Alamo Colleges District during the term for which the appeal was submitted and approved, your renewed financial aid eligibility may be extended for up to one (1) academic year of non-enrollment. At the end of this non-enrollment period, your financial aid eligibility will be returned to suspension.
Due to prior college credit hours earned before attending the Alamo Colleges District, new incoming dual credit students entering fall or spring will be placed on SAP probation until the regular SAP process runs at the end of spring.
Please make sure you have
1) completed the ApplyTexas application for admission,
2) completed your FAFSA and
3) that the Alamo Colleges District has successfully received your FAFSA.
Your academic history, including hours transferred into the Alamo Colleges District, is cumulative and never resets itself. Once you are in violation of SAP requirements, the suspension status remains until an appeal is approved or sufficient progress is made. Transferred hours count towards maximum attempted hours.
No. An approved petition or Academic Fresh Start does not impact your financial aid suspension. Only an appeal approved through the financial aid appeal committee can reinstate students.
No. Your suspension status impacts eligibility for all federal aid, including Direct Loans.
