Student Handbook — Office of Student Financial Aid

Student Handbook


Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

When students accept financial aid, they also accept responsibility for making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). This section is designed to help students understand the requirements for satisfactory academic progress associated with receiving financial assistance.

Please read all of this information carefully. You are responsible for understanding these requirements.

Information about Satisfactory Academic Progress is also available in the Student Handbook and on the Web at www.finaid.wsu.edu/sap.htm.

If you have questions regarding the requirements as outlined here, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at 360-546-9559 or finaid@vancouver.wsu.edu.

What is SAP?

Federal financial aid regulations require that recipients of federal and state aid make satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of a degree. This means that the Office of Student Financial Aid will monitor your academic progress each term and notify you of any deficiencies that could jeopardize receipt of future aid.

Requirements

Students applying for financial assistance must be in compliance with the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP) as a condition of initial or continuing eligibility.
  • Financial aid will be denied to students who fail to maintain progress under the policy.
  • At the end of each term a review will be made to ensure compliance with the grade point average (GPA), maximum time limit, and minimum hour requirements of the policy.

First-time aid applicants who have previously attended WSU must also be in compliance with the policy even though aid has not been received during periods of prior attendance.

Credit hour requirements:

  • Full-time students (12 or more credit hours) must complete at least 12 credit hours in that term.
  • Three-quarter-time students (9-11 credit hours) must complete at least 9 credit hours in that term.
  • Half-time students (6-8 credit hours) must complete at least 6 credit hours in that term.

GPA requirements:

  • Academic standing policies require that all students maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
  • Grades of A, B, C, D, S, or Pass are acceptable.
  • Grades of F, W, X, Audit, or I are NOT acceptable and may cause students to be put on probationary status or lose eligibility for financial aid.

Maximum time frame:

  • Financial aid may be received for up to six (6) full-time years to obtain an undergraduate degree at Washington State University. Credit hours transferred from other institutions will count toward the maximum time frame.
  • Part-time enrollment (less than 12 credits) will be counted as one-half or three-fourths of one term. For example, at the end of the first year, students should have at least 24 credit hours completed and at the end of the second year, at least 48 credit hours completed. Part-time students will be expected to complete a minimum number of credit hours for each term of enrollment. All terms of enrollment at WSU will count toward the maximum time frame, even if no financial aid was received. Summer enrollment is also counted in this time frame.

Second bachelor's degree students:

  • Students obtaining second bachelor's degrees (classified as 5B students) are eligible for financial aid for three (3) full-time years at Washington State University. Students must maintain at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA each term enrolled.

Limits and Restrictions

Not for Credit Courses

Not for credit courses (for example, Math 91, Math 92, Math 99, Math 100, Math 101) will count toward minimum credit hours completed. Not for credit and remedial credits courses will only be counted for one academic year. Not for credit courses are monitored by the SAP system.

  • Repeated courses count once in the calculation of minimum hours completed. Therefore, a repeat of an "A", "B", "C", "D", "Pass" or "S" will not count as additional credits unless otherwise noted in the WSU Time Schedule. Students repeating a course in which an "I" or "X" was previously received will not be funded except on a case-by-case basis. Students may be required by their college to repeat courses with a C- or lower but will not be funded nor counted as credits completed by the OSFA.

Probation/Denial

If a student fails to make satisfactory progress during any term, the student will be placed on probation or have aid denied. The following criteria are used for determining status:

Probationary status occurs when the student fails to complete the minimum number of hours required, based on individual enrollment. Students are allowed one probationary term to complete the minimum credit hours needed.

5 credits or less enrolled = all must be completed
6 credits enrolled = 6 completed
7 credits enrolled = 6 completed
8 credits enrolled = 6 completed
9 credits enrolled = 9 completed
10 credits enrolled = 9 completed
11 credits enrolled = 9 completed
12 credits enrolled = 6-11 completed

Probationary status also occurs when the student fails to achieve a 2.0 semester GPA after one term of enrollment.

Students whose only problem is receiving less than a 2.0 cumulative gpa for a term will receive a probationary letter that must be signed and returned.

Criteria for denial of financial aid funds

Denial of financial aid funds occurs when students:

  • Fail to complete at least 50% of the minimum number of hours required, based on individual enrollment.
  • Have less than a cumulative 2.0 GPA at the end of the second term of enrollment.
  • Have received less than a 2.0 term gpa in two consecutive semesters not including summer.
  • Have been placed on denial status.
  • Failed to complete the number of enrolled credits during probationary period.

SAP Appeal Procedure To Top

Overview

Appeals will not be reviewed for any student who has not filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and is seeking a loan from a private lender. A list of lenders who do not monitor academic progress is available on our web site at http://www.finaid.wsu.edu/preflndAlt.htm. You have the right to appeal the denial of financial aid. The appeal must be submitted no later than the midpoint of the term for which you are enrolled or it will be denied. Appeals will not be reviewed until all requested information has been received. ALL infractions must be appealed to the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Committee. Students who fail two consecutive SAP contracts must file a written appeal and schedule an interview with the SAP committee. Students who fail 3 contracts are not eligible to file an appeal until they are in compliance with the SAP policy. Only under extreme circumstances will an appeal be accepted for review. Examples of these circumstances are: death of an immediate family member; medical emergency, such as surgery or hospitalization by student or immediate family member.

Appeal Instructions

Write an appeal describing the circumstances that led to this situation.

Please cover the following points in your appeal:

  1. The circumstances that occurred which led to my deficiency are ...
  2. My plan to resolve my deficiency includes the following...
  3. I plan to take ... (# of credits) during the ... (term).
  4. [If you are not currently enrolled] I will take ... (list courses/numbers) during the ... (term).
  5. My anticipated graduation date is ... (month/year).
  6. I can be contacted for additional information at ... (phone number) and my e-mail address (if available) is ...

Submit supporting documentation to show why an exception should be made. It is YOUR responsibility to demonstrate how circumstances justify making an exception to the policy.

If the reason for the appeal is due to a medical condition, and you have sought treatment you MUST supply a letter from your health care provider stating whether or not they feel you are sufficiently well enough to return to college with your appeal. DO NOT SEND US YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS.
If the reason for the appeal is due to maximum time frame, you must provide a letter from your academic advisor confirming your anticipated graduation date with your appeal.
If the reason for the appeal is due to cumulative grade point average (cgpa) below a 2.0 or 2 consecutive terms with below a 2.0 term gpa, you must submit a copy of your reinstatement conditions with your appeal.

Send the completed appeal, including documentation to the Office of Student Financial Aid. (Do not forget to sign the appeal.) You do not need to sign if submitted electronically.

The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Committee will notify you if any additional information is required.

Appeal Process/Results

Review. The SAP Committee will review your appeal for reinstatement of aid. Their decision will be based on the strength of your appeal, the documentation submitted, and your academic record.

Notification. You will be notified by mail or may be notified by e-mail (if provided) of the committee's decision.

Appeal Approved. If your appeal is approved, you will be sent a contract stating the conditions you must meet by the end of the term to retain eligibility. You MUST SIGN AND RETURN THE CONTRACT. Your financial aid will be held until the signed contract is returned. If the contract is not returned within two weeks and your aid had already been delivered, the aid will be cancelled and a bill created.

Appeal Denied. If your appeal is not approved, you will not receive financial aid until you have met the SAP requirements. You will have one opportunity to schedule an appointment directly with the SAP Appeals Committee to discuss any additional information or documentation you may have in regards to your appeal. Those students who must meet with the SAP Appeals Committee for failing two consecutive contracts will only have that one opportunity to present their case. You may re-appeal after you have met the SAP conditions.

Other Policies. All decisions of the SAP Committee are FINAL. If financial aid was delivered in error for the current term, the aid will be reversed and you will be required to repay the funds to the University.

Other Academic Policies

See University Reinstatement Rules 37, 38, 39.

Students who are deficient under Rules 37, 38, or 39 (as listed in the catalog), must also have approval for reinstatement certified by the academic department or the Office of Student Affairs. NOTE: Reinstatement by the academic department or the Office of Student Affairs IS NOT the same as reinstatement from the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Notification. You must provide a copy of your academic reinstatement conditions with your financial aid appeal.

More Information. Consult your academic advisor, the Office of Student Affairs, or the current University catalog.

CONSORTIUM AGREEMENTS

A Consortium Agreement is a written formal agreement between two colleges eligible to participate in Title IV Federal funding programs. The Consortium allows a student to enroll in courses at another college, while working toward a degree from Washington State University.

  • To be eligible you must be registered for at least six (6) credits (but less than 12 credits) at WSU Vancouver, and be concurrently enrolled at Clark College or Lower Columbia College. Other colleges are considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • A Consortium agreement will only be utilized for those students who are attending less than full time at WSU Vancouver in order to receive the maximum in grant eligibility.
  • A Consortium Agreement is only for courses that are not offered at WSU.
  • Financial aid is based on the total combined credits you are taking at both colleges.
  • You may not receive financial aid from both colleges.
  • You must sign a Consortium Agreement at the beginning of each WSU semester. Your WSU advisor also signs this form, and there is a section for the community college to fill out and sign.
  • You are responsible for registering at the community college (be sure and submit a copy of the registration form to the Office of Financial Aid when you bring in your signed Consortium Agreement) and for tuition payment. WSU does not make payment on your behalf to the community college.
  • College transcripts must be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid within two (2) weeks after the end of the community college's quarter/semester. Failure to submit your grades will result in financial aid being withheld for the following semester.
  • Students pursuing a spring quarter Consortium will NOT be eligible for summer funding from WSU due to overlapping enrollment periods.

More About Financial Aid

For more information about Satisfactory Progress or other eligibility information please visit the Office of Student Financial Aid.