Your Arizona Guide to State SAP University
What is satisfactory academic progress? To remain eligible for federal financial aid, you must make aatisfactory academic progress (SAP) as a student, meaning you need to make good enough grades, and successfully complete enough classes in a timely manner to demonstrate that you are successfully working toward your degree.
Your Guide to Satisfactory Academic Progress What is Satisfactory Academic Progress?
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Next steps for a SAP Review
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Your SAP status and how to review
Arizona State University measures Satisfactory Academic Progress yearly after the spring semester using three metrics: GPA standard Pace rate standard Maximum credit hour standard
Watch video explaining SAP
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3 SAP Standards
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{
Grade Point Average (GPA) Pace Rate Maximum Time Frame
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GPA standard
Pace rate standard
You must maintain a minimum ASU GPA according to the ASU Undergraduate Academic Standards , or the ASU Graduate Academic Standards . Students on academic disqualification are not eligible for financial aid.
You must pass at least 67% of your total attempted ASU credit hours in your current degree program. You may need to consider reducing your course load in order to improve your cumulative pace rate. All courses must apply to your degree program.
Undergraduate minimum cumulative GPA: 2.00 *
Passed credits do not include courses with grades of E, EU or W. A passed course, if retaken, will be considered passed only once, yet attempted twice. Audited courses, ungraded courses, remedial no-credit courses and courses with a grade of Z are excluded from this measurement.
Graduate student minimum cumulative GPA: 3.00 * * Some programs may require a higher GPA to maintain good academic standing within your specific program.
Watch video explaining SAP minimum GPA
2.0 for Undergraduate Students 3.0 for Graduate Students
Watch video explaining SAP pace rate standard
Example of undergraduate SAP First-year student
Fall semester
Spring semester
Cumulative total
Hours completed
6
8
14
Hours attempted
12
12
24
Pace of progression
50%
67% *
58%
Financial aid status
Not meeting pace rate standard
Meeting pace rate standard
Not meeting SAP – needed 67% at end of spring
* Student met 67% requirement for the semester, but did not meet the cumulative 67% pace required for financial aid when measurement is conducted at the end of the spring term.
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Maximum credit hour standard You must not exceed the maximum attempted credit hour limit for your degree program. This standard applies to all programs, including minors, dual majors, dual/ concurrent degrees, and prior degrees. All transfer credit hours accepted by ASU are included in this measurement. Audited courses are excluded from this measurement. If you are approaching your Max Credit Hour limit, ASU will send you an email notification so you can work with your advisor and make a plan to successfully complete your degree without exceeding your maximum credit hours.
Academic plan Students who exceed maximum credit hours can apply to reinstate their aid through a Satisfactory Academic Progress Review. A SAP review requires that the student meet with their academic advisor to develop an Academic Plan that, if successfully followed, will result in the student attaining the required standards for SAP. Failure to meet the terms of the Academic Plan may result in the loss of financial aid eligibility for future terms.
Watch video explaining SAP maximum hours standard
Important things to know about how SAP is measured • If you are not meeting SAP you can still register for classes.
Maximum credit hour standard = 150% of the length of your program Example: 120 credits x 1.5 = 180 credits
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• To remain eligible for federal and state aid programs, you must meet all ASU SAP standards regardless of whether or not you have received financial aid in the past. These standards apply to your entire academic record at ASU (including transfer credit hours accepted by ASU). • Not all financial aid programs require students to meet the SAP standards outlined in this policy. For example, many scholarships and private loans have other eligibility requirements. Students must contact their scholarship program and/or private lender to determine if their SAP status impacts the receipt of the scholarship or private loan.
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Next steps for a SAP review If you are no longer eligible for federal or institutional financial aid because you didn’t meet SAP standards, ASU offers resources to help you get back on track. You can submit a review explaining why you weren’t able to meet SAP, and request to have your aid reinstated for one probationary term. Submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Review explaining: • the extenuating circumstances that kept you from meeting SAP. • What has changed that will allow you to meet SAP standards at your next evaluation. ASU will notify you of the outcome via your ASU email. If this review is approved, you will be placed on financial aid probation and will be eligible to receive financial aid for one term while you work toward getting back into good standing.
Watch video about how to submit a SAP review
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Examples of extenuating circumstances Circumstance
Examples of Appropriate Supporting Documentation
The death of a family member, relative, or significant person in the student’s life.
Provide a copy of an obituary or death certificate.
The injury, physical illness, or mental illness of the student.
Provide documentation (e.g., a physician’s statement, police report or documentation from a third party professional, such as a hospital billing statement), and personal statement.
The injury, physical illness, or mental illness of a family member, relative, or significant person in the student’s life.
Provide documentation (e.g., a physician’s statement, police report or documentation from a third party professional, such as a hospital billing statement), related to the individual for whom the student provided care or support and personal statement.
Family difficulties such as divorce or separation of the student or student’s parents.
Provide court documentation, or a letter from the attorney in the case.
Interpersonal problems with friends,family, roommates, significant other or employer.
Provide a written statement from an attorney, professional advisor or other individual describing circumstances and personal statement.
Exceeding maximum timeframe standard as a result of excess transfer credits or changing majors.
Provide an ASU academic advisor’s written statement and signature on review form. Complete academic plan on page 3 and provide a personal statement
Natural disasters.
Provide a written statement and/or supporting document(s).
Academic hardship due to disability.
Provide a written statement from Student Accessibility and Inclusive Learning Services, your academic advisor or third party agency that has been assisting you with your disability and/or academic progress.
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Your SAP Status and how to review Your SAP status is listed in the Finances Tab of My ASU, in the Financial Aid and Scholarships box. Status
How to review
Good Standing
You are meeting SAP standards and don’t need to do anything.
Approaching Max Hrs Limit
Important things to know about the SAP Review
GPA Standard: Not meeting
You can either: • Submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Review form with required documentation by the deadline noted on the form. • Enroll at ASU without using financial aid and raise your GPA to meet the GPA standard.
Pace Rate Standard: Not Meeting
You can either: • Enroll at ASU without financial aid and pass sufficient credits to meet the required cumulative institutional pace rate standard. • Submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Review form with required documentation by the deadline noted on the form.
Max Hrs Standard: Not Meeting
Submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Review form with required documentation by the deadline noted on the form.
Financial Aid Probation
This status means your SAP review has been approved and your aid has been reinstated for one term. In order to maintain eligibility you need to either: • meet all three SAP standards • meet your Academic Plan.
• Submitting a SAP review does not guarantee your aid will be reinstated. • The outcome of this review will depend on the nature of the extenuating circumstances, the quality of the documentation you provide and how well you have demonstrated the ability to complete your degree within a reasonable time period. • All documentation submitted is confidential. • All decisions are final and cannot be reviewed.
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Your financial aid is not impacted and you do not need to do anything. We encourage you to connect with your advisor to make sure you have a plan for completing your degree before you exceed the maximum number of hours allowed to maintain your financial aid.
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Contact us
If you have any questions about Satisfactory Academic Progress, please reach out to the Financial Aid and Scholarship Services team at 855-278-5080 or chat with a team member online. We’re here to help.
Information is subject to change. ASU is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution. For ASU’s nondiscrimination statement, visit asu.edu/titleIX. ©2022 Arizona Board of Regents for ASU. To request this publication in alternative formats, contact Admission Services at 480-965-7788. Photo credit: Chloe Merriweather. May 2022 / 55884