Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) ensures that students are successfully completing their coursework toward their degrees. Federal regulations require you to meet basic standards of academic progress so you may continue to receive federal financial aid. The PBSC Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy for financial aid eligibility applies only to applicants/recipients of federal student aid enrolled in one of the financial aid approved degree or certificate programs and sets academic standards which you must achieve to remain eligible for federal student aid.
SAP is evaluated at the end of every semester to determine financial aid eligibility for the upcoming semester. You must meet the following three SAP criteria to be eligible to receive federal financial aid:
1. Grade Point Average (GPA) - Based on the number of units the student attempted, they must maintain a minimum GPA as shown in the chart below:
| Number of units attempted | Minimum cumulative GPA needed |
|---|---|
| Less than 15 | 1.4 |
| 15 - 27 | 1.6 |
| 28 - 45 | 1.8 |
| 46 and more units attempted | 2.0 |
2. Completion Rate of 67% – All students, regardless of units attempted, must maintain a cumulative 67% rate of completion. To calculate completion rate, you will use Total Units Earned and divide by Total Units Attempted.
Example: 12 units earned divided by 15 units attempted equals 0.8 (or 80% completion ratio)
3. Maximum Time Frame – Students must complete their degree within 150% time frame.
Example: An associate’s degree that takes 60 units to complete must be completed within 90 units, while a bachelor’s degree that takes 120 units to complete must be completed within 180 units. Transfer units are considered as completed coursework both attempted and earned for purposes of this policy.
Students who fails to meet SAP for the first time will be placed on financial aid warning. Students in financial aid warning status are eligible to receive financial aid for only one additional semester.
Students who do not meet SAP standards (fail) will not be eligible to receive federal financial aid and will be placed on financial aid suspension. A SAP Appeal questionnaire will automatically be sent to their Workday inbox.
Students who have lost their financial aid eligibility due to mitigating/extenuating circumstances may submit the SAP Appeal questionnaire.
For students that are not financial aid recipients, or students that are financial aid recipients but elect not to submit an appeal may disregard the SAP Appeal questionnaire request and not complete one.
To submit a SAP appeal, students will complete the questionnaire sent in their Workday inbox. In the questionnaire, you are required to provide a statement detailing the mitigating/extenuating circumstances (see examples below) that led to not meeting SAP requirements, along with supporting documentation for these events. The appeal must also explain how the mitigating/extenuating circumstances have been resolved and will no longer hinder academic performance moving forward.
Mitigating/extenuating circumstances are essentially unanticipated and unavoidable circumstances beyond your control which directly affected your ability to be academically successful, and which have been resolved so you are now able to be academically successful.
Examples of mitigating/extenuating circumstances are:
- Serious injury/illness or an acute mental health condition, or
- Death of an immediate family member, or
- Other special circumstances deemed to be sufficiently mitigating by PBSC.
It is also strongly encouraged that if you are planning to submit a SAP appeal you meet with a Financial Aid advisor. The advisor can provide guidance and suggest appropriate documentation to include with your appeal.
All appeals must be submitted through Workday. You will be notified of the SAP Appeal decision through Workday. Please allow at least 4 weeks for a determination to be made on your SAP appeal. Additionally, appeal approvals are not guaranteed. Students who submit an appeal are strongly encouraged to arrange alternative payment methods until a determination is made or in case the appeal is denied. An appeal determination is not guaranteed by payment due date.
