Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy
The US Department of Education requires that students maintain certain academic standards to gain and maintain federal student aid eligibility. The academic standards are called Satisfactory Academic Progress, or SAP. There are three criteria for SAP- Qualitative (GPA), Quantitative (credit hours earned), and Maximum Timeframe. To maintain financial aid SAP, undergraduate students and graduate students must meet all academic requirements. All students enrolled in courses will be evaluated for financial aid SAP; this includes courses taken while not receiving Title IV financial aid.
The Director of Financial Aid will evaluate your academic record each semester to ensure you are meeting financial aid SAP requirements. This evaluation includes courses taken during each semester and your overall cumulative academic record. You may contact the Office of Financial Aid at any time to request your record be evaluated. If you fail financial aid SAP requirements, you will be notified via an email sent to your Wittenberg University email account, and a letter sent to the address that you have on file with Wittenberg University.
Please note: The Office of Financial Aid continuously reviews all policies to ensure compliance with federal regulations. This Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy and appeal policy may be updated at any time to ensure compliance with any changes or updates to federal regulations. Students will be notified via the Wittenberg University email system when a change in the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy or the appeal policy is changed.
Wittenberg University's financial aid SAP policy is used to determine your financial aid eligibility only. It does not reflect your academic standing for continued enrollment in your degree program.
- Financial Aid SAP Requirements
You must meet the following financial aid SAP requirements to maintain your eligibility for federal student aid.
1. Cumulative GPA
- Undergraduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Please note:
- Repeat coursework does impact your cumulative GPA for SAP purposes.
- Incomplete coursework does not impact your cumulative GPA for SAP purposes until the grade is finalized. Once finalized, it will be factored into the SAP calculation during the next formal review of SAP.
- Your overall cumulative GPA is used when reviewing SAP, regardless if you have a change in major or are pursuing a second degree. However, you can appeal to receive financial aid based on a change of major or pursuing a second degree.
2. Completion Rate (67% Rule)
- Undergraduate and graduate students must earn 67% of their cumulative attempted credit hours during the full academic year.
- The percentage is calculated by dividing your total number of earned credit hours by your total number of attempted credit hours during the full academic year.
Please note:
- Attempted credit hours are those credit hours for which you have received a grade of A, B, C, D, F, I, L, NC, S, W, NR, X, and XF.
- Transfer credit hours and repeated coursework are included in your total attempted credit hours.
- Incomplete coursework is included in hours attempted, however they are not considered hours earned until the grade is finalized.
- Your overall cumulative hours attempted and hours earned are used when reviewing SAP, regardless if you have a change in major or are pursuing a second degree. However, you can appeal to receive financial aid based on a change of major or pursuing a second degree.
3. Maximum Timeframe (150% Rule)
- You must complete your program of study within 150% of the timeframe required to earn your degree.
- The maximum timeframe is 150% of the typical number of hours needed to complete degree requirements.
Student Level and/or Degree Program Maximum Number of Total Attempted Credit Hours Undergraduate/Bachelor's Degree Programs 189 semester hours Graduate/Master of Science in Analytics 44 semester hours Graduate/Master of Arts Coaching 48 semester hours Graduate/Master of Arts Education 54 semester hours Please note:
- Attempted credit hours are those credit hours for which you have received a grade of A, B, C, D, F, I, L, NC, S, W, NR, X, and XF.
- Transfer credit hours and repeated coursework are included in your total attempted credit hours.
- Incomplete coursework is included in hours attempted, however they are not considered hours earned until the grade is finalized.
- If you are enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program that is longer than 126 credit hours, you must indicate this information in your SAP appeal.
- Your overall cumulative hours attempted and hours earned are used when reviewing SAP, regardless if you have a change in major or are pursuing a second degree. However, you can appeal to receive financial aid based on a change of major or pursuing a second degree.
- SAP Status
You can check your SAP status by calling or emailing the Office of Financial Aid.
SAP STATUSES
Financial Aid Satisfactory: You have met SAP requirements for federal student aid purposes. You have continued eligibility for federal financial aid.
Financial Aid Warning: You are not meeting the requirements of SAP; however, the Board of Academic Standards has also notified you with a warning. During your warning period, you must work to improve your academic standing and abide any academic plan set in place by the Board of Academic Standards. You will have only one warning period.
Financial Aid Unsatisfactory: You have not met SAP requirements and you are ineligible for federal student aid. You will remain ineligible for federal student aid unless you successfully appeal or re-establish your eligibility on your own. You are not eligible to receive federal student aid for any term in which you have been assigned an Unsatisfactory SAP status.
Financial Aid Probation: You have successfully appealed an Unsatisfactory SAP status, and you are eligible for federal student aid for one term only. After the end of the term, you must meet academic progress plan requirements in order to qualify federal student aid for subsequent terms. You are not eligible to receive federal student aid for those terms for which you are assigned an Unsatisfactory SAP status.
- Financial Aid Programs Subject to SAP Policy
Financial aid programs subject to Wittenberg University's SAP Policy include:
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
- Federal Work-Study & Student Employment
- Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans
- Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
- Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
- Ohio College Opportunity Grant & other State of Ohio Grants/Scholarships
- Wittenberg Scholarships and Grants
- SAP Appeal Policy
If you do not meet the SAP requirements and have an unsatisfactory SAP status, you may appeal to the Office of Financial Aid to be considered for one term of probation.
- SAP Appeal Guidelines
- Only current Wittenberg University students may appeal.
- You may appeal to receive federal student aid for one term only.
- If your first SAP appeal is denied, you may submit a new appeal with updated information and documentation. You only have two chances to submit an appeal for review during any given semester.
- Appeals must be submitted prior to the semester appeal deadline to be considered.
- All appeals are reviewed by the Director of Financial Aid and all appeal decisions are final.
- Incomplete appeals will be denied.
You must check your Wittenberg University email for updates to the status of your financial aid, including your SAP appeal.
- SAP Appeal Criterion
The SAP appeal process will require you to submit the SAP Appeal Form. When completing this form you will be required to supply the following information:
- A statement that explains the circumstance or reason you failed to meet SAP requirements.
- A statement that explains what has changed in your situation that will now enable you to meet SAP requirements.
- Documentation that supports your written statement(s). The documentation must accompany your appeal form. A statement of support such as a letter from an academic advisor must be signed by the person providing the support and must be printed on university letterhead or sent directly to the Director of Financial Aid via Wittenberg Email.
- If you had a mitigating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury, bereavement, etc.) that prevented you from meeting SAP requirements, you are encouraged to document the circumstance. Examples of acceptable documentation include: a statement of support from a physician, counselor, or clergy; court documents; obituaries; job termination, etc.
- If you had non-mitigating circumstances (e.g., return to school after extended leave, change of major, additional degree or teacher certification, transfer hours, etc.), you are required to document what has changed in your situation that will now enable you to meet SAP requirements. Examples of acceptable documentation include: a statement of support from an academic advisor, faculty member, or tutor; academic transcripts from a transfer college; etc.
- In addition, if you failed to meet the Maximum Timeframe SAP requirement (150% Rule), you are required to meet with your academic advisor to complete the SAP Appeal Maximum Timeframe Form.
If you successfully appeal, you will be placed on financial aid probation for one term and must agree to an academic progress plan by the term's academic progress plan deadline in order to receive financial aid for that one term. If you do not agree to an academic plan by the applicable deadline date, your Financial Aid Probation SAP status will be revoked and you will be reassigned to a Financial Aid Unsatisfactory SAP status.
- SAP Appeal Deadlines
The Office of Financial Aid will accept SAP appeals by term based on the following schedule. Though we check your SAP status each semester, you may choose to submit an appeal for a particular term if you plan to sit out a term, or not return to Wittenberg University immediately after your SAP status is calculated as unsatisfactory. In addition, if you are on financial aid probation, you may be required to submit a new appeal by the deadlines below to gain an additional financial aid probationary term.
Term Start Date for Appeals Deadline to Submit Appeals Fall Semester May 20 September 15 Spring Semester October 1 February 1 Summer Term March 1 May 31 - SAP Appeal Form
- SAP Appeal Form (Maximum Timeframe - Undergraduate Program)
- SAP Appeal Form (Maximum Timeframe - Graduate Program)
- Financial Aid Probation
If you successfully appeal, you must agree to an academic progress plan by the appeal term's academic progress plan deadline. You are required to submit an academic progress plan every term you are on financial aid probation.
Term Academic Progress Plan Deadline Fall Semester September 30 Spring Semester February 15 Summer Term June 15 While on financial aid probation, you will only be eligible to receive financial aid during your one probationary term and you must agree to the following academic progress plan.
Undergraduate Students
- Earn at least a 2.0 term GPA during the probationary term
- Earn 67% of their attempted hours during the probationary term
- Must maintain compliance with stipulations outlined by the Board of Academic Standards.
Graduate Students
- Earn at least a 3.0 term GPA during the probationary term
- Earn 67% of their attempted hours during the probationary term
- Must maintain compliance with stipulations outlined by the Board of Academic Standards.
The Office of Financial Aid will determine if you have adhered to your academic progress plan once your grades have posted for your probationary term. If you adhered to your academic progress plan, you will have your financial aid reinstated for subsequent terms. If you did not adhere to your academic progress plan, you will be assigned an Unsatisfactory SAP status and will be ineligible to receive financial aid at Wittenberg University. Your cumulative academic history will be evaluated for SAP requirements at the next annual evaluation.
If you have been assigned a Financial Aid Unsatisfactory SAP status, be it your SAP appeal was denied or you chose not to appeal, you may re-establish your financial aid eligibility on your own. If you are ineligible for financial aid due to a Financial Aid Unsatisfactory SAP status, you may wish to consider applying for other types of financial aid, such as alternative/private loans.
- Wittenberg University Scholarships & Grants
All Wittenberg University scholarships and grants require student recipients to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards as mentioned above. Wittenberg University scholarships and grants are not renewed when students fail to meet one or more of the SAP requirements as outlined above. All Wittenberg University scholarships and grants have set time limits for eligibility- normally 4 years of eligibility in total.