Satisfactory Academic Progress

In order to retain eligibility for financial aid, recipients must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward their declared program of study each semester. At the end of each semester, the following are reviewed.

GPA – Recipients must earn and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average based on the credit hours attempted. Grade point averages will be calculated according to college policy.

PACE – Recipients must also maintain a cumulative successful completion rate of a minimum of sixty-seven percent (67%) of courses attempted.

MAX – Recipients must complete their academic program within a time-frame of no more than one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the number of credit hours required to finish their program without the repetition of any course.

• Recipients’ entire academic history will be evaluated when determining the credit hours that apply toward the maximum time-frame eligible for financial aid.
• Courses attempted and/or completed toward the student’s current program are included when determining the maximum time-frame.
• The maximum time-frame eligible for financial aid will be adjusted for approved academic program changes.
• Rejected transfer hours are excluded from this calculation.

Students in their first semester at SFCC or who were previously in good standing and fail to meet the SAP standard will be allowed one (1) semester of warning, occurring the next semester the student attends. Students are notified of the warning status through their SFCC student email.

1. During the warning semester, students are encouraged and may be required to work closely with their Navigator or other academic support services staff to improve their academic performance.
2. Students who do not meet the SAP standard at the end of the warning semester will have their financial aid eligibility suspended. Students are notified of the suspension through their SFCC student email.
3. Students who fail to meet the SAP standard at the end of the warning semester because of mitigating circumstances, such as illness, incapacitating injury, or death of an immediate family member or other special circumstances, may submit a Financial Aid Suspension Appeal form with documentation to the financial aid office.

If students fail to meet the SAP standards are not eligible to receive financial aid funding.  It can be reinstated in one of two ways: (1) become compliant with SAP standards or (2) successfully appeal and become eligible to receive financial aid on a probationary status.

1. Complete the Financial Aid Suspension Appeal located in mySFCC on the Financial Aid page. Students must provide a narrative explaining why they have not earned the minimum requirements for financial aid eligibility.  The SAP appeal narrative should clearly explain what happened (i.e. why you were unable to maintain satisfactory progress) and what has changed (i.e. what corrective measures you have taken or will take to maintain satisfactory progress). 
2. Gather supporting documentation to submit with the appeal.
3. Schedule a meeting with a navigator to complete an Academic Success Plan. The plan must outline to completion of the current program of study. 

The Financial Aid Appeals Committee review all appeal requests weekly and all appeal decisions will be communicated to students via SFCC student email.

Student appeals that are approved will continue to receive all eligible financial aid funding. Students with an appeal that is denied, may meet with a financial aid advisor to discuss options for funding their education and eligibility criteria for re-appealing in the future. SFCC
allows a maximum of two appeals per academic career.