SAP Appeal Process
Students who are placed on Suspension status because of their cumulative GPA, cumulative course completion rate, or both, have the right to submit an appeal. Additionally, those who do not meet the maximum timeframe requirement for financial aid are immediately ineligible and also have the right to appeal.
The appeal must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office within 30 days of the SAP Suspension Notice using the Financial Aid Appeal Form (PDF). An incomplete appeal form will result in an immediate denial.
What to include on an appeal
Appeals must include the following:
- Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form
- A personal statement explaining the following:
- the extenuating circumstances for which a student could not plan, influence, or avoid that prevented the student from meeting the SAP requirement
- what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow for a higher cumulative GPA, a higher course completion rate, or both by the end of the next SAP evaluation period
- Third-party documentation that supports the information in the student’s written statement (e.g., medical documents, obituary notices, legal documents, police reports). Statements from friends and family cannot be considered.
Qualifying extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to:
- Death of a relative or other significant person during the most recent academic year
- Injury or illness
- Pregnancy or birth of a child
- Homelessness
- Loss or change in employment
- Being a victim of a serious crime
- Natural disaster
- Change of major
- Military orders
- Personal tragedies that are beyond the student’s control and are documented by a third-party professional, i.e., police, courts, medical, or clergy
What will be considered when reviewing an appeal
- Information provided in the appeal
- Documentation submitted
- Student’s prior academic progress
- Financial Aid previously received
- First appeal or repeated
- Student’s use of services provided on campus if applicable
If you have received notice that you have been placed on financial aid suspension due to max timeframe, please submit the Maximum Timeframe Appeal Form (PDF).
What to know after an appeal submission
Appeals must be submitted within 30 days of the SAP suspension notice.
Submission of an appeal is not a guarantee of approval.
If aid is not reinstated, the student may submit an appeal to the Vice President for Enrollment Management. All decisions made by the Vice President for Enrollment Management are final.
If an appeal is approved, the student’s SAP status will change to either Probation or Probation with a Plan.
Probation
When a Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal is approved for a suspended student, the student is placed in Probation status and will be eligible to receive aid during the probationary semester.
Probation with a Plan
A student can remain eligible for aid once they have had an appeal approved with conditions (Probation with a Plan) by the SAP Appeal Committee. If the student continues to meet the conditions of their plan, there is no limit on the number of consecutive terms a student can be on Probation with a Plan status.
Please note:
- SAP Appeal approvals are not guaranteed upon an academic appeal being approved by the SAR Committee.
- SAP Appeal approvals are not guaranteed upon an academic appeal being approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.