INTRODUCTION

Federal guidelines for federal student aid eligibility require that standards of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) be equal or stricter than the standards required of students who are not receiving financial assistance.  All periods of the student’s enrollment count when reviewing for SAP, including periods in which the student did not receive federal funds.  Hampton University is required by federal regulations to institute standards of satisfactory progress for students receiving Title IV assistance. Hampton University has adopted financial aid standards that differentiate between students receiving assistance and those students not receiving assistance.

What is Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)? The qualitative (cumulative grade point average or CGPA) and quantitative (completion rate or pace), measure a student’s progress toward completing a program of study.  Federal regulations also require that an aid Title IV aid recipient complete their program of study within 150% of the published length of the program, measured in attempted credits.  This is called the Maximum Timeframe.

Students must meet the qualitative, quantitative, and maximum timeframe requirements to maintain their eligibility for Title IV aid as they progress through their program.

Why Must Schools Maintain and Enforce Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards? In order to comply with the laws of the Higher Education Act (HEA 484) and Code of Federal Regulations (34 CFR 668.16(e), 34 CFR 668.32(f), 34 CFR 668.34). In sum, in order to receive any grant and/or loan assistance under this title, a student must meet satisfactory academic progress standards as specified in this policy. A student is maintaining satisfactory academic progress at the University if they meet the minimum guidelines at the end of each academic year.

What is the Frequency with Which HU Will Monitor SAP?

HU will monitor SAP once per academic year, at the end of each spring semester.  Students will be evaluated for compliance with CGPA, completion rate/pace, and maximum timeframe requirements at that time.  Students are notified of non-compliance and their right to appeal via HU email.

Academic Work Evaluated:  Hampton University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy applies to all credits attempted, irrespective of if the student received financial aid in every term.

UNDERGRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS

Quantitative Measure Requirements

Undergraduate and professional students must successfully complete 67% of their attempted credits.

Attempted credits are those for which a student is enrolled at the conclusion of the Add/Drop period for a semester (those that appear on the academic transcript).

Students who meet this minimum rate of credit completion and follow departmental recommendations on course selection should complete their degree within the Maximum Timeframe allowed for Federal Student Aid recipients.

Grades that are counted as attempted credits in the quantitative measure:

A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, I, IP, S, U, WP, WF

Grades that are counted as successfully completed credits in the quantitative measure:

A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, S

Qualitative Measure Requirements

Undergraduate and professional students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0 for all credits attempted.

Attempted credits are those for which a student is enrolled at the conclusion of the Add/Drop period for a semester (those that appear on the academic transcript).

Grades that are included in the CGPA:

A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F

Maximum Time Frame

Federal regulations require that a student must complete his or her educational program within a Maximum Timeframe no longer than 150% of the published length of the educational program, measured in credit hours attempted.

For example, if an undergraduate student is enrolled in an academic program that requires 120 credit hours for graduation, he or she would be allowed a maximum of 180 (120 x 150%) attempted credits in order to complete his/her degree.

At the point when it is not mathematically possible for a student to complete their program within the required 150% timeframe, the student will lose eligibility for Title IV aid.

Grades that are counted as attempted credits in maximum timeframe:

A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, I, IP, S, U, WP, WF.

Treatment of Courses/Grades in SAP Calculations

Incomplete (I) Grades

An Incomplete (I) grade indicates that a student has not completed all coursework required for a grade; students are allowed up to one academic year to complete the work. Incomplete (I) grades are counted as attempted credits, but will not be counted as successfully completed credits unless/until the student receives a passing grade.

Repeated Courses

Repeated courses are counted as attempted and completed (providing a passing grade is earned) credits for completion rate, and are counted in the CGPA (the last grade received for the course).  Repeated credits are counted as attempted credits for maximum timeframe.

Transfer Credits

Credits that are transferred from another institution and accepted toward an academic degree program at the University (at the time of SAP Review) count as attempted and completed hours for Completion Rate and Maximum Timeframe.  The cumulative Grade Point Average is determined only with courses taken in residence at Hampton University.

Remedial Courses

Remedial credits are counted as attempted and completed (providing a passing grade was achieved) credits for completion rate and as attempted hours for maximum timeframe.  They do not affect CGPA.

Readmitted Students 

Readmitted students will be reviewed on previous academic records in order to determine eligibility for financial assistance, irrespective of the time elapsed since the student’s last attendance, or program of study, and/or degree program.

Change in Major

Changes of major have no bearing on SAP requirements.

Academically Dismissed Students

Students who are allowed to return to the University via the Readmit process cannot receive Federal Student Aid until they demonstrate that they are capable of earning a minimum semester GPA of 2.0 or better. The student must earn a semester GPA of 2.0 and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. Otherwise, the student can apply for non-federal educational loan assistance. The Office of Financial Aid will only permit a total of two appeals for reinstatement for students who have been academically dismissed. Students who become academically dismissed after the Spring semester cannot receive Federal Student Aid for the Summer session.

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Quantitative Measure Requirements

Graduate students must successfully complete 80% of their attempted credits.

Attempted credits are those for which a student is enrolled at the conclusion of the Add/Drop period for a semester (those that appear on the academic transcript).

Students who meet this minimum rate of credit completion and follow departmental recommendations on course selection should complete their degree within the Maximum Timeframe allowed for Federal Student Aid recipients.

Grades that are counted as attempted credits in the quantitative measure:

A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, I, IP, S, U, WP, WF

Grades that are counted as successfully completed credits in the quantitative measure:

A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, S

Qualitative Measure Requirements

Graduate students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 for all credits attempted.

Attempted credits are those for which a student is enrolled at the conclusion of the Add/Drop period for a semester (those that appear on the academic transcript).

Grades that are included in the CGPA:

A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F.

Maximum Time Frame

Federal regulations require that a student must complete his or her educational program within a Maximum Timeframe no longer than 150% of the published length of the educational program, measured in credit hours attempted.

For example, if an graduate student is enrolled in an academic program that requires 30 credit hours for graduation, he or she would be allowed a maximum of 45 (30 x 150%) attempted credits in order to complete his/her degree.

At the point when it is not mathematically possible for a student to complete their program within the required 150% in attempted credits, the student will lose eligibility for Title IV aid.

Grades that are counted as attempted credits in maximum timeframe:

A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, I, IP, S, U, WP, WF.

Treatment of Courses/Grades in SAP Calculations

Incomplete (I) Grades

An Incomplete (I) grade indicates that a student has not completed all coursework required for a grade; students are allowed up to one academic year to complete the work. Incomplete (I) grades are counted as attempted credits, but will not be counted as successfully completed credits unless/until the student receives a passing grade.

Repeated Courses

Repeated courses are counted as attempted and completed (providing a passing grade is earned) credits for completion rate, and are counted in the CGPA (the last grade received for the course).  Repeated credits are counted as attempted credits for maximum timeframe.

Transfer Credits

Credits that are transferred from another institution and accepted toward an academic degree program at the University (at the time of SAP Review) count as attempted and completed hours for Completion Rate and Maximum Timeframe.  The cumulative Grade Point Average is determined only with courses taken in residence at Hampton University.

Readmitted Students

Readmitted students will be reviewed on previous academic records in order to determine eligibility for financial assistance, irrespective of the time elapsed since the student’s last attendance, or program of study, and/or degree program.

Change in Major

Changes of major have no bearing on SAP requirements.

SAP Statuses and Eligibility Status

• Meeting all requirements and eligible for aid.
• SAP suspended and not eligible for aid.
• SAP Warning – If a student falls below the minimum requirements for SAP, they will be placed on Financial Aid Warning for the subsequent semester of attendance.  At the end of that semester, the student must meet all SAP requirements, or eligibility is suspended.
• On SAP probation – Student was suspended, appealed and was approved. Progress reviewed at the end of first payment period.  If student is in compliance at that time, eligibility is reinstated.  If not in compliance, eligibility is suspended.
• On SAP Academic Plan – Applies to students that have an approved appeal, but cannot meet all SAP requirements with one semester of probation. Student is reviewed at the end of each semester and remains eligible if they meet all requirements of their Academic Plan.
• Reinstated – a student who was suspended due to non-compliance will have their eligibility for Federal Student Aid reinstated at the point that they are meeting all requirements above.

SAP Review Process

All students are reviewed for compliance with the SAP Policy at the end of each Spring semester.

Approved SAP Appeal students are granted financial aid for the next semester of attendance and are subsequently reevaluated for compliance at the end of that semester before they are allowed to receive aid for the subsequent semester.

Students who attend only one semester, who are found to be in non-compliance with the SAP Policy are sent a Financial Aid Warning Notice.

Former students who return to the University are evaluated for compliance with the SAP Policy.

Students who are not meeting the minimum requirements above will receive an email notifying them of their non-compliance and informed of their right to appeal if they experienced mitigating circumstances during the evaluation period.

Mitigating Circumstances

Waivers for Satisfactory Academic Progress will be given only to those students who have suffered undue hardships.  If the student has undergone undue hardship because of death of a relative of the student, an injury or illness of the student, or other unusual circumstances as determined by the Financial Aid Administrator, the student is required to provide documentation to support the reason(s) for the waiver request.

Appeal Process

Students may appeal if:

1. There is a change in the student’s CGPA. due to enrollment in another period (such as Summer School, first semester).
2. Other mitigating circumstances such as death of a family member or serious illness or injury of the student.

Students are allowed to appeal three times during their academic career.  After notification, the student must follow the steps below to appeal:

1. Use the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form to write your appeal, clearly stating why you failed to meet the SAP requirements and attach documentation that supports your appeal.
2. Submit your completed appeal packet and all supporting documents within 14 days of receipt of your notification.
3. Allow two to three weeks for the processing of the appeal and receipt of the decision letter.
4. Please be aware the decision rendered by the financial Aid Office is FINAL and not subject to further appeal.

Students with appeals regarding transfer hours in some cases where the number of transfer hours are in dispute, the student must submit written confirmation from his/her chairperson or Dean in regard to the actual number of hours being counted toward the student’s current degree program.  This information must accompany the student’s appeal and will become a part of the student financial record.

No appeals will be reviewed during registration periods.

If your SAP appeal is not approved and you still wish to attend, you must do so at your own expense. Note that you may wish to apply for a private educational loan, be further advised this type of loan will require that you have satisfactory credit, or you’ll need to obtain a credit worthy endorser.