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Federal Regulations Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal and state regulations require students meet minimum academic requirements to remain eligible for financial aid each semester. In order to maintain financial aid eligibility at Savannah Technical College, students must meet minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) and completion rate requirements as well as successfully complete, within a maximum timeframe, all coursework required for completion of the chosen program of study.

Savannah Technical College requires:

  • Grade Point Average – must maintain an overall grade point average of 2.0 (grade of “C” or higher) within the current program of study and
  • Completion Rate – must complete with a grade of “C” or higher at least two-thirds of all credit hours attempted within the current program of study (passed credit divided by attempted credit hours. For the purpose of calculation, 66.666…% is rounded to 67%) and
  • 150% Maximum Timeframe – must complete current program within 150% maximum timeframe within program of study. Multiply the number of credits required to graduate from your program X 1.5 = maximum attempted credits allowed. For example, your program requires 36 credits to graduate, 54 is the maximum attempted credits allowed (36 X 1.5 = 54).

You are expected to know and understand the SAP policy. The Financial Aid Office will notify you of your status via your Savannah Tech student email address. You are not excused from financial aid warning or suspension status nor are you exempt from appealing in a timely manner if you do not receive notification because you did not check your student email. You may log into your BANNER Web account at any time to check your financial aid SAP status.

Grades and Completion Rate

Satisfactory Academic Progress is evaluated after grades are issued each semester. Only credits and grades of a student’s current program, and only the highest grade and credits of a repeated course will be included in the Satisfactory Academic Progress determination.

Grade Point Average:

  • Students must maintain an overall grade point average of 2.0 (grade of “C” or higher) within the current program of study.
  • Grades of “A”, “B”, and “C” are considered successfully completed while grades of “D”, “F”, and “WF” will negatively affect the grade point average.
  • Transfer courses that count toward the student’s program are not included in the GPA calculation.
  • Learning Support courses, and ESOL courses are not included in computing GPA.

Completion Rate and Maximum Time Frame:

  • Students must successfully complete two-thirds of credit hours attempted within their program of study and complete their program of study within 1.5 times the normal length of the program.
  • Grades of “U”, “W”, “WP”, “WF”, “D”, and “F” are not considered satisfactory grades and are included in the total credit hours attempted.
  • Grades of “TR%”, “EX”, “AU”, and “AC” are included in the total hours attempted and applied towards the completion rate and maximum timeframe.
  • Incomplete grades, “I,” are not included in computing completion rate or maximum time frame. Grades submitted after the end of semester SAP evaluation will be included in the subsequent end of semester evaluation.
  • Learning Support grades are not included in the Satisfactory Academic Progress calculation, however there is a maximum time frame of 30 attempted credits for Learning Support courses.
  • ESOL courses are excluded from Completion Rate calculations.
  • Transfer credits from other schools accepted and applied toward program requirements by Savannah Technical College will be counted toward completion as both hours attempted and hours successfully completed. Grades assigned to transfer credits applied toward the program of student will not be calculated in the SAP GPA.
  • A transfer student is considered to be making satisfactory academic progress during the first semester of enrollment at the institution.
  • Students required to enroll in Learning Support courses may receive federal aid for up to a maximum of 30 attempted semester credits of Learning Support courses.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Reset

If a student is not making satisfactory academic progress but has changed program of study, the student can be reset and only those courses in the new program will be included in SAP determination. A student can “re-set” academic progress by changing majors a maximum of two times. This Reset procedure is accomplished at the end of each semester once grades are posted

Maximum Time Frame (150% Standard)

Students must complete their program of study within 1.5 (150%) times the normal length of a program of study. This includes all credit hours attempted whether they are completed or passed and includes accepted transfer credit. For example, if a program of study is 36 credit hours, the maximum time-frame to complete the program and receive financial aid is 54 attempted credit hours (36 X 1.5 = 54). The maximum time-frame will vary depending upon the length of the program of study. Students required to enroll in Learning Support courses may receive federal aid for up to a maximum of 30 attempted semester credits of Learning Support courses.

Financial Aid Warning

Students who do not meet the minimum program GPA or fail to complete an overall minimum of two-thirds of attempted credits within their program of study at the end of a semester will automatically be placed on financial aid warning for the subsequent semester of enrollment. During the one semester warning period, students remain eligible for federal and state financial aid and must improve their academic standing in order to meet the minimum requirements. An appeal is not required for this status. Students will be notified at their STC student email and in writing when placed on warning status.

Financial Aid Suspension

Failure to meet the minimum 2.0 GPA or two-thirds course completion requirements by the end of the financial aid warning period will result in the suspension of federal and state financial aid eligibility. Students placed on financial aid suspension will not be eligible for federal or state financial aid until the cumulative GPA of 2.0 is met and a minimum of two-thirds of overall attempted credits have been successfully completed. Students will be notified at their STC student email and in writing when aid eligibility has been suspended. Students have the right to appeal the suspension and request reinstatement of financial aid eligibility if extenuating circumstances prevented them from being successful.

Savannah Technical College Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Recalculation Re-Set Policy effective (FY 2018-2019) –Re-set recalculation consistent with Title IV of the Higher Education Act. As allowed under Volume 1, Chapter 1, Federal Student Aid Handbook, March 2017, it is our policy that for students who change majors, credits and grades that do not count toward the new major will not be included in the satisfactory progress determination.

STC SAP Procedure recalculates SAP for students who fail to meet grade point average, pace standard, and/or time frame, but who have changed programs of study (major) within the confines of the STC Policy and Procedure. Specifically, credits and grades which were earned in prior programs of study and do not count toward the new program of study will not be included in determining students’ SAP. A student can “re-set” academic progress by changing majors a maximum of two times.

Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension

If financial aid is suspended, you have the right to appeal the financial aid suspension and request reinstatement of federal and state financial aid eligibility. You must submit to the Financial Aid Office, by the published deadlines, a completed/signed Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension form, a written statement describing the basis for the appeal and must include supporting documentation (i.e., death of a relative, an injury or illness of the student, or other special circumstances). Requests for appeal without a letter of explanation and supporting documentation will not be considered and automatically denied.

For those students who have exceeded the 150% maximum timeframe, in addition to the appeal form and written statement, students must meet with their division Dean or designee to obtain an Advising Checklist outlining the coursework remaining and timeline for completion. Requests for appeal without letter of explanation and/or Advising Checklist will not be considered and automatically denied. The Financial Aid Appeals Committee will consider each appeal on a case-by-case basis.

Details of the Appeal Process are outlined here and on the Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension Form

Notification of the committee’s decision will be sent to the student’s Savannah Tech student email and a letter mailed to the most current address on file.

Financial Aid Probation

If an appeal is approved by the committee, a student’s federal and state financial aid eligibility will be reinstated on a probationary basis for up to two semesters; extensions for 150% maximum timeframe may be extended up to three semesters. Progress will be monitored after grades are posted each semester of enrollment. An appeal or extension approved by the committee may require that certain GPA and completion rate conditions are met in order for a student to remain eligible for federal and state financial aid during the probationary period of enrollment. Students will be notified at STC student email and in writing by regular mail of the conditions and length of their financial aid probation. The Financial Aid Office will continue to monitor each recipient’s academic progress to ensure that the conditions of the probationary status are successfully completed.

Failure to meet the conditions of the probationary status will result in immediate suspension for the subsequent term of enrollment. Suspension notifications are sent to the STC student email and in writing by regular mail.

Denied Appeals

Students for whom an appeal for financial aid reinstatement is denied may continue enrollment at Savannah Technical College at their own expense with academic approval from the Dean of their program of study. Students may make payment online or at the Cashier’s Office located in the Campus Shop.

If the financial aid appeal is denied by the Appeals Committee and the student feels they have extenuating circumstances that were not considered by the committee, they may submit a second level appeal to the Vice President for Student Affairs. The decision of the Vice President for Student Affairs is final and may not be appealed.

How to Regain Eligibility

Students who have not exceeded the 150% maximum timeframe will automatically regain eligibility once they achieve an overall GPA of 2.0 and have a minimum two-thirds completion rate.

Students who have not exceeded the 150% maximum timeframe and were denied reinstatement may re-appeal after completing with a grade of B or higher a minimum of six (6) credits at their own expense. Once the six credits are successfully completed, a student may submit a new appeal for the subsequent semester of enrollment. The new appeal will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Students who have exceeded the 150% maximum timeframe and the appeal for extension is denied cannot regain eligibility for the same program of study. Student will need to change program of study to reset the maximum timeframe or find an alternative source of funding.

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