Student Aid Reference Desk | Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

To maintain eligibility for federal student assistance, students must maintain progress in their academic programs. Progress has both qualitative and quantitative aspects: that is, the student must be attaining acceptable grades over a limited time period in order to complete his or her academic objective. The school is responsible for establishing the specific requirements for satisfactory academic performance, tracking their students’ progress, and enforcing the consequences of unsatisfactory progress.

Related topics in this Index: Student Eligibility; Administrative Capability

Statutory Authority

U.S. Code, Title 20—Education Chapter 28—Higher Education Resources and Student Assistance Subchapter IV—Student Assistance > Part F—General Provisions Relating to Student Assistance Programs § 1091(c) Student eligibility [HEA § 484(c)]

U.S. Code, Title 20—Education Chapter 28—Higher Education Resources and Student Assistance Subchapter IV—Student Assistance > Part H—Program Integrity, Subpart 3—Eligibility and Certification Procedures § 1099c Eligibility and certification procedures [HEA § 498]

Regulation

34 CFR 668.16(e)

34 CFR 668.32(f)

ED References

See also Subtopics for more specific references.

Federal Register, 9/2/20

Federal Register, 10/29/10 (Final Rule)

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 2

Publications, Articles & Other Resources

Federal Financial Aid Policy Change: The Impact of the 2010 Revised Satisfactory Academic Progress Guidelines on Student Retention (ProQuest Dissertations Publishing)

Monograph #25, Satisfactory Academic Progress (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators)

Pell Grants as Performance-Based Scholarships? An Examination of Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements in the Nation’s Largest Need-Based Aid Program (Research in Higher Education)

Satisfactory Academic Progress AskRegs Knowledgebase Q&As (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators)

Satisfactory Academic Progress Self-Study Guide (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators)

(Un)Fulfilling Requirements Satisfactory Academic Progress and its Impact on First-Generation, Low-Income, Asian American Students (Journal of Critical Scholarship on Higher Education and Student Affairs)

Subtopics

Academic amnesty

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, APP-Q4/APP-A4

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Academic plan

668.34(a)(8)(ii)

668.34(c)(3)(iii)(B), (4)

668.34(d)(2)(iii)(B), (3)

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, ACP-Q1/ACP-A1 to ACP-Q4/ACP-A4

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, R-Q6/R-A6

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Administrative capability requirement and basic policy elements

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 2, Ch. 3

Allowable actions based on frequency of evaluation

See also Timing of evaluations

End of each payment period

Less frequently than each payment period

Appeals

Federal Register, 10/29/10, p. 66886

Electronic Announcement, 3/5/20

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, APP-Q1/APP-A1

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Change of major

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, SAP-Q5/SAP-A5

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Completion of program requirements before receipt of credential

See top list entry for Student Eligibility

Consistent application within categories of students

Consumer information

English as a Second Language (ESL) courses

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, SAP-Q4/SAP-A4

Financial aid probation

668.34(a)(8)(ii)

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, SAP-Q2/SAP-A2

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, PROB-Q1/PROB-A1 to PROB-Q4/PROB-A4

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, R-Q5/R-A5

Financial aid warning

668.34(a)(8)(i)

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, WARN-Q1/WARN-A1 and WARN-Q2/WARN-A2

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, SAP-Q2/SAP-A2

Inclusion of all periods of attendance in SAP assessments

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Incompletes

Electronic Announcement, 5/15/20

UPDATED Guidance for interruptions of study related to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Electronic Announcement, 4/3/20

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Ineligibility due to failure to maintain satisfactory progress

Intellectual disabilities, transition programs

Late notification of grade / grade change / recheck of SAP

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Maximum timeframe

General information

Federal Register, 9/2/20

Federal Register, 10/29/10, p. 66886

Electronic Announcement, 5/15/20

UPDATED Guidance for interruptions of study related to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Mathematically impossible to complete program within 150% of program length

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Notification to students of SAP evaluation results

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Pace

Federal Register, 9/2/20

Electronic Announcement, 5/15/20

UPDATED Guidance for interruptions of study related to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Electronic Announcement, 4/3/20

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, SAP-Q7/SAP-A7

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Qualitative measure (GPA or comparable measure)

General rules

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Grades for credits based on proficiency tests

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Reestablishing eligibility

668.34(a)(9)(i)

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Relationship between standards for Title IV recipients and institutional policy for non-Title IV recipients

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Remedial courses

Federal Register, 10/29/10, p. 66883

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, SAP-Q3/SAP-A3

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Repetition of courses

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress, SAP-Q8/SAP-A8

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Required elements of SAP review

Federal Register, 9/2/20

Electronic Announcement, 5/15/20

UPDATED Guidance for interruptions of study related to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Electronic Announcement, 4/3/20

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress,R-Q1/R-A1

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Summer term

Federal Register, 10/29/10, p. 66882

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Timing of evaluations

See also Allowable actions based on frequency of evaluation

Clock hour programs

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress,R-Q7/R-A7 and R-Q9/R-A9

Nonterm and nonstandard term programs

Federal Register, 10/29/10, p. 66882

Programs equal to or less than one year in length

668.34(a)(3)(i)

Programs longer than one year in length

668.34(a)(3)(ii)

Program Integrity Q&A, Satisfactory Academic Progress,R-Q8,R-A8

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Transfer credits

Federal Register, 10/29/10, p. 66883

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1

Withdrawal from a course

Electronic Announcement, 5/15/20

UPDATED Guidance for interruptions of study related to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Electronic Announcement, 4/3/20

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 1, Ch. 1