SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY GRADUATE STUDIES
Introduction
The US Department of Education (USDE) requires that all students make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in a program of study to gain and maintain eligibility for Title IV financial aid programs. These include the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program or any other financial aid grant available.
Atlantic University College in its Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy states that every student enrolled in any of its academic programs will be evaluated by the Registrar and Academic Dean. This assessment will be made using criteria established by the USDE.
Definitions
1. Attempted Credits:
All credits in which the student enrolls in Atlantic University College and obtain grades, A, B, C, D, F, W, WA, AP, NP or R including all the times you take the same course.
2. Earned Credits:
Credit courses attempted in Atlantic University College and obtained a passing grade: A, B or C.
3. Transfer Credits:
Credits accepted for transfer will be considered as earned credit for purposes of this policy; however, because no grades are assigned to the transferred courses, it will have no impact on the student’s overall Grade point average (GPA), but will be considered to determine the pace of completion.
4. Pace of Completion:
Pace is determined by dividing the cumulative number of credits you have earned by the cumulative number of credits you have attempted. Atlantic University College does use standard rounding rules when calculating percentages for pace. For example, 66.5% would be rounded up to 67%.
5. Grade Point Average:
The measure of academic merit carried out by the student. It is calculated by dividing the total grade points received by the number of credits awarded, including D or F’s that have not been changed.
6. Retaken Courses:
It is a practice under which the student is allowed to repeat courses. SAP regulations allow a student to retake any passed or failed course (a maximum for once per course) and receive Title IV funds. If a student is retaking a course for a third time is not eligible for Title IV financial aid for that course. According to this permission, only the last grade obtained will be considered for the overall average. Retaken and approved courses will be considered in measuring the overall average and the pace of completion. Courses with an R rating will only be considered for pace of completion.
7. Academic Progress:
The evaluation criteria to determine academic achievement of the graduate students. This established parameter for all students at Atlantic University College must be in compliance with the federal regulations of Title IV programs.
8. Courses With W And Wa Rating: These courses will be considered in calculating pace of completion.
9. Financial Aid Warning (Faw): During the increments of time evaluations,, students who do not comply with all requirements of the SAP standards will be assigned in this category. Warning status lasts for one academic term only, during which the student may continue to receive Title IV funds. Students who fail to meet SAP standards after the warning period lose their aid eligibility unless they successfully appeal and are placed on probation.
10. Financial Aid Probation (Fap): A status the Institution assigns to a student who is failing to make satisfactory academic progress and who successfully appeals. Financial aid may be reinstated for one academic term.
11. Financial Aid Ineligible (Fai):
If the overall SAP Policy requirements are not met at the end of the Financial Aid Warning academic term, then you will be placed on FAI status and you will be suspended from receiving any Title IV financial aid until the SAP Policy requirements have once again met.
12. Appeal:
A process by which a student on financial aid ineligible status requests a reconsideration of his eligibility for Title IV funds to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee.
13. Academic Suspension:
Students who fail the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for three academic terms unjustifiably will be suspended for one academic term (student cannot appeal suspension). After completing the suspension period, the student may be readmitted, but remain ineligible for financial aid until meets the satisfactory academic progress requirements. The determination will be based on the next academic term evaluation.
14. Academic Plan:
Design of an educational model that is structured to achieve the academic success of a student prepared by Academic Dean.
15. Maximum Timeframe:
The US Department of Education has established a requirement that students receiving Federal Student Aid complete their degree within 150% of the time frame. Time frame is evaluated by the number of credit hours attempted. Students who are unable to graduate within the 150% timeframe lose eligibility for financial aid when the credit hours needed to graduate and the credit hours attempted exceed the 150% limit.
16. Program Reclassification or Additional Credentials:
The credits transferred from one program to another, or additional credentials, will be considered for SAP evaluations.
17. Veteran Certification:
A student who receives benefits from the Veteran Administration in financial aid ineligible status will not be certified for these benefits.
18. Readmission:
All students will be evaluated according to the current satisfactory academic progress published in the institutional catalog. If you are offered readmission, your SAP status will be the same as of the date of your last enrollment at Atlantic University College. If you are determined to be failing SAP, you will be ineligible to receive federal financial aid. If you have not previously requested an appeal, you can file it before 20 calendar days from the beginning of the next term.
19. Academic Progress Committee: A committee composed by the Dean of Academic Affairs, Dean of Students, Registrar, Academic Advisor, Counselor, Admissions Director and Financial Aid Director to evaluate students SAP appeals.
Requirements for Achieving Satisfactory Academic Progress
The requirements to achieve satisfactory academic progress are divided into three components:
QUALITATIVE
Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
QUANTITATIVE
Students at a master’s degree level must pass with at least 50% of the credits attempted during the first year of studies, and 67% during the remaining terms.
REQUIREMENTS OF MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME
Students who are enrolled in a master’s degree program will have a maximum of 54 attempted credits for a 36 credits program, or 57 attempted credits for a 39 credits program, in order to complete the requirements of the degree. Students who exceed the maximum time frame will be responsible for full payment of their tuition and fees.
Procedure to Identify Students who do not comply with our Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
A. Atlantic University College evaluates graduate student’s satisfactory academic progress in increments of time, these being:
An additional evaluation time frame of 150% will be used for students who don’t meet the expected academic progress. Once the Registrar and the Academic Dean complete the SAP evaluation, any subsequent grade change will be considered in the next academic term evaluation.
B. Students who fail to meet SAP standards will be on Financial Aid Warning status. During the Financial Aid Warning term, students are eligible to receive Title IV funds. FAW status can only be granted for one academic term. Students are not allowed to receive consecutive FAW status for financial aid.
C. If the overall SAP Policy requirements are not met at the end of the Financial Aid Warning academic term, then students will be placed on FAI status until the SAP Policy requirements have once again met or an appeal is approved.
D. Students with documented extraordinary circumstances that are beyond their control may submit an appeal to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee. If the appeal is approved, the student will be in FAP status for the next academic term.
E. Students on Financial Aid Ineligible (FAI) status or Financial Aid Probation (FAP) will be evaluated at the end of the academic term. If the overall SAP Policy requirements are not met, the student will be placed on Academic Suspension for two academic terms. If you are readmitted, your SAP status will be the same as of the date of your last enrollment at Atlantic University College.
Right to Appeal
A student may appeal the suspension of financial aid eligibility on the basis of: injury or illness, the death of a relative or other special circumstances. Appeal must explain why he or she failed to make satisfactory progress and what has changed in his or her situation that will allow him or her to make satisfactory progress at the next SAP evaluation. The student must complete an appeal form and provide documentation to support his or her petition within ten (10) business days from the date of the notification sent by the Registrar. Appeals without support document(s) will be denied.
The SAP Coordinator will convene the members of the Academic Progress Committee to evaluate the student’s appeal within ten business days. The Committee will be notified of the decision by email to the student and sent a copy to the Financial Aid Office. If the financial aid appeal is approved, the student will be placed on “Probation” status and will be eligible for financial aid for one term.
Effective Date
These rules and procedures shall enter into effect from August 2022.
*Students may not obtain financial aid probation status by the same circumstances on more than one occasion. *Decision of the Academic Progress Committee is final and unappealable.
