The U.S. Department of Education requires each college to define and administer Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards for students receiving Title IV (Federal) Financial Aid. Ivy Tech Community College’s (ITCC) SAP policy for Title IV students is the same as or stricter than the school’s standards for students enrolled in the same educational program who are not receiving Title IV aid.
Aid recipients must maintain sufficient progress to assure successful completion of their educational objectives as measured by quantitative and qualitative standards. The Financial Aid Office (FAO) is responsible for ensuring that all students who receive federal financial aid are meeting these standards. Central Office Financial Aid Management Policies and Procedures Committee is responsible for conducting annual reviews of its SAP Policy to ensure federal compliance and dissemination to FAOs.
What are the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards?
Qualitative Standard
All students are expected to maintain the academic standards outlined in the college catalog for ITCC.
- Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA)
Non-remedial coursework assigned with a letter grade of A, B, C, D or F contributes to the cumulative GPA. Students who have 15 or more attempted credit hours (excluding remedial coursework) must maintain a minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average measured on a 4.00 scale at the end of each semester.
NOTE: Academic skills advancement classes/remedial coursework do not count in the GPA. Financial aid may be granted for up to thirty (30) credit hours of academic skills advancement classes/remedial coursework as long as the student is meeting all other standards. However, academic skills advancement classes/remedial courses are included in the quantitative calculation.
Quantitative Standard
In addition to maintaining the specified grade point average, a student must complete his/her degree/certificate within a maximum time frame.
- Completion Rate
Students are expected to complete 67 percent of their cumulative attempted hours (including skills advancement courses). Courses assigned a letter grade of A, B, C, D, F, I, S, U, V or W count in quantitative and maximum time frame calculation, as do transfer credits accepted toward degree programs and any repeated coursework. Enrollment status for financial aid is defined based on hours enrolled at the end of the College's 100 percent fee refund period. - Maximum Time Frame
Students are expected to complete all requirements for an Associate Degree or Technical Certificate within a maximum time frame of attempted program hours. A student reaches maximum time frame after having attempted the credit hour equivalent of 150 percent of the program hours required for the current degree or certificate.
What happens if I do not meet the SAP standards?
If a student has not met the minimum GPA requirement and/or has not completed the minimum credit hours, one of the following classifications will be assigned: Probation or Termination.
- Financial Aid Probation
Recipients who fail to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards by the end of the semester will be placed on probation for the following semester. During the term on probation, the student can receive financial aid with the understanding that he/she must meet the Standards of Progress by the end of the probationary term. Students should check their probationary status by logging on to Campus Connect. - Financial Aid Termination
If a student fails to meet the quantitative and/or qualitative measure by the end of the probationary term, or if the student cannot receive a degree in the time frame allowed for the program of study, the student’s aid eligibility is terminated. At this point, a student is not eligible for any aid from the Financial Aid Office, including student loans. Students should check their termination status by logging on to Campus Connect.
What are my options if I am terminated?
If financial aid eligibility has been terminated due to failure to meet qualitative, quantitative, and/or Maximum Time Frame, students may submit an appeal to explain extenuating circumstances that contributed to their failure to meet the expected standards of SAP.
Students wishing to appeal should complete the appeal form, provide a typed narrative explaining the circumstances that led to their not meeting the SAP standards, provide a copy of their unofficial transcript, and provide documentation supporting their narrative (medical/court records, birth/death certificates, police/traffic accident reports, etc.). In addition, students appealing maximum time frame must also submit a copy of the program's cirriculum signed by an academic advisor/program chair indicating which courses the student has completed toward his/her degree and which courses are remaining until degree completion.
The appeals are sent to committee to review, and can take up to 20 business days to complete the process. Students will be notified of the committee's decision via their Campus Connect Financial Aid Messages.
In addition to the appeal process, students may be able to increase their GPA/completion rate by successfully completing courses without financial aid. If you bring your cumulative GPA above 2.0 and your completion rate above 67%, your financial aid can be reinstated without an appeal.
Other Situations That May Affect SAP:
- Academic Skills Advancement (ASA)/English as a Second Language (ESL)
Students may receive financial aid for up to thirty (30) credits of academic skills advancement (ASA) coursework. The first 30 ASA credit hours are excluded in determining maximum timeframe and GPA. However, ASA hours are included in the completion rate calculation. English as Second Language (ESL) coursework is also included in the completion rate calculation. - Transfer/Second Degree/ Second Major Credits
Many students transfer to ITCC. Only the credits transferred in count toward completion rate and maximum timeframe; we do not count the grades on those transfer credits toward the qualitative measure.
Many students return to ITCC for a subsequent degree or certificate. In many cases a portion of the earned credits from the first degree(s) count toward the subsequent degree. This transfer of earned credits reduces the number of credits the student will need to earn in order to complete the subsequent degree objective. Consequently, this also reduces the maximum time frame applicable to the subsequent degree.
In order to determine the maximum time frame for the subsequent degree, determine the number of credits in the subsequent degree program and multiply this figure by 1.5. Determine the number of credits from the previous degree(s) that transfer to the subsequent degree. The transferred credits are subtracted from the calculated number (program credits times 1.5) that constitutes 150 percent of the subsequent program. The result is the student’s remaining maximum time frame eligibility for the subsequent degree. - Consortium Coursework
Many students attend multiple institutions under a consortium agreement. When a student’s program includes attendance at multiple institutions, it is the responsibility of the college that provides federal student aid to track the student’s satisfactory academic progress. - Summer Semester
Coursework taken during the Summer semester is treated as any other semester and is counted in the qualitative (GPA), quantitative (completion rate), and maximum time frame standards along with the Fall and Spring semesters. - Academic Amnesty
Courses from a previous semester that are excluded from the GPA are not excluded in the quantitative calculation. - Audited (AU) Coursework
Audited coursework is not counted in the SAP evaluation.