Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
To participate in the Title IV Student Aid Program (Federal Direct Student Loans, Federal PLUS Loans, Federal PELL Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal TEACH Grants and Federal Work Study), MVNU must fulfill federal requirements to implement and make public the standards for satisfactory academic progress that students must meet to be eligible to receive Title IV financial assistance. These standards are for financial aid purposes only and do not replace or override the academic policies of MVNU.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is based on three components:
- Completion Rate
A student must complete 67% of all hours attempted at MVNU and all other institutions for financial aid eligibility. This is determined by dividing the total hours earned by the total hours attempted. Attempted hours will include grades of F, X, U, W, WF, WP, and I. These grades will NOT count as earned hours.
- Repeating courses will add to the total number of attempted hours but will count only once as earned hours.
- If a traditional student chooses to retake a course she or he has already passed at some point in the past, she or he can do this one time and receive financial aid for the course. Two or more attempts to take a course that has previously been passed cannot be funded with financial aid.
- Timeframe
A student can only receive financial aid for a maximum of 1.5 times the total credit hours required for his or her degree program. For any major that requires 120 credit hours for graduation, this equals a maximum of 180 hours that can be attempted. For any majors requiring more than 120 hours, the maximum allowed will be calculated accordingly. Any hours attempted but not completed will count.
- Transfer credit hours must be included in the maximum of 180.
- Repeated courses, failed courses, and withdrawals will also count towards the maximum.
- An appeal must be submitted by any student who has exceeded his or her maximum timeframe allowed due to transfer hours or change of major. Student Financial Services will review the credits attempted that apply towards the student’s program of study in order to determine future financial aid eligibility. An academic plan signed by the student’s academic advisor will be required.
- GPA
A student must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 (3.0 for all graduate programs) by the end of the fourth semester payment period and maintain the 2.0 (3.0 for all graduate programs) for the duration of his or her eligibility.
- Repeated courses and failed courses will also count towards the cumulative GPA.
SAP Review
After each semester/payment period, Student Financial Services will review completion rate, timeframe, and GPA for each student enrolled in that semester/payment period, regardless of whether or not the student received Title IV aid during that period. Depending on the student’s status relative to these factors, the student’s progress for financial aid purposes will be determined as follows:
- Satisfactory Progress applies to any student who passed the appropriate number of earned hours to attempted hours, who has not exceeded the maximum total attempted hours allowed for his or her program and, whose GPA meets the requirements listed above.
- Financial Aid Warning applies to any student who fails to meet the requirements for completion, timeframe, and GPA listed above for the semester. A warning letter will be sent at the end of the semester to the student to indicate why he or she is receiving a warning and what must be done within the next semester to be back in accordance with the SAP rules. If the student fails to meet these requirements, his or her federal, state, and institutional financial aid will be suspended for future semesters. The student must bring his or her hours and/or GPA back into good standing or appeal to regain financial aid eligibility. A student cannot have two consecutive semesters on warning.
- Financial Aid Probation applies only to a student who has failed to meet SAP requirements and has had an appeal approved by Student Financial Services. A student may be on probation for one semester only. If a student has not met the SAP requirements above, he or she should work with a Student Financial Advisor to understand what options exist to regain eligibility.
- Unsatisfactory Progress applies to a student who has not met the requirements for completion rate, GPA, and attempted hours after his or her warning period and who is not on financial aid probation nor has an approved appeal. This student is not eligible for federal, state, or institutional financial aid until she or he meets the requirements in each of the three areas listed above.
- Academic Plan applies to any student who has submitted an academic plan as part of a SAP appeal and has successfully completed the goals for that semester as outlined by the plan. The student continues to remain eligible for federal and state financial aid, but does not meet the definition of an SAP eligible student.
SAP Appeal Process
- A student who wishes to appeal his or her unsatisfactory academic progress determination must submit an SAP Appeal Form to the Student Financial Services office. SAP appeals are reviewed based on extenuating circumstances such as serious injury or illness involving the student, death of an immediate family member, or other circumstances beyond the student’s control that prevented him or her from achieving satisfactory progress. Each student’s circumstance is reviewed on an individual basis. Students appealing may also be required to submit an academic plan that indicates exactly what the student must take to finish his or her academic program and details in what time frame this can be accomplished.
- The Assistant Director for Financial Aid will review the appeal and determine whether the financial aid termination is justified. The student will be advised in writing and by MVNU email of the decision and may be asked to meet with his or her Student Financial Advisor to plan for future semesters.
- A student wishing to appeal the decision of the Assistant Director for Financial Aid may do so in writing to the Director of Student Financial Services.
Things to Consider Regarding the SAP Policy
Changes in Major: Students will be expected to maintain satisfactory academic progress standards even if they make a change in major. All hours attempted from prior majors will be included in the total hours attempted for maximum time frame requirements. A student may appeal for a longer time frame with rationale of the reasons for the extension.
Second Degree: Students who pursue a second degree must pass courses at a 67% pass rate and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher. They may not exceed 150% of the required courses for the new degree.
Incomplete Coursework: Incomplete course work will be included as all hours attempted but not in hours passed until the grade is complete. Once the course is graded, the satisfactory academic progress status process will be re-evaluated upon request of the student.
Repeated Coursework: Any course may be repeated once at Mount Vernon Nazarene University without affecting financial aid if the student is enrolled full time (12 hours minimum). Any course may be repeated twice (i.e., taken for a third time) without affecting financial aid if the student is also enrolled full time (12 hours minimum) in non-repeated courses at MVNU. All attempts in a course are reflected on the student's academic transcript; the cumulative GPA will reflect the most recent grade in the repeated course taken as a replacement, even if the new grade is lower than the previous attempt. However, the original grade(s) will remain a part of the student's permanent academic record. Grades of W (withdrawn) or WP (withdrawn/passing) will not replace previously earned grades of A-F or WF (withdrawn/failing) in the GPA calculation. Duplicate credit hours are not awarded when a course is repeated as a replacement.
Non-credit/remedial Coursework: Remedial coursework will be counted in determining financial aid eligibility, enrollment status, and satisfactory academic progress. These courses will be included in maximum timeframe calculations. Students will be limited to no more than thirty (30) remedial credits for financial aid eligibility.
Summary
Students are encouraged to review these standards and to be knowledgeable relative to their individual progress and financial assistance. The University recognizes that circumstances and conditions regarding these standards may require the discretionary judgment of the Student Financial Services Office. Examples of such conditions include changing majors or career objectives as well as various personal reasons. Any student with questions regarding SAP or these conditions should contact the Assistant Director for Financial Aid.