Satisfactory Academic Progress
Federal and state regulations governing student financial aid programs require the institute to ensure that each student who is receiving financial aid maintains Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward his or her degree.
The SAP check occurs after grades are posted at the end of each term. Failure to meet the standards of satisfactory academic progress may disqualify a student from additional federal, state, and institutional financial aid. A student can appeal the non-satisfactory academic progress status and be placed on warning, probation or continued on probation for financial aid purposes.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements
Freshmen are considered not to be making satisfactory academic progress
- if they have accumulated 24 or more units of E or F, exclusive of PE;
- if they have accumulated three or more course grades of E or F, exclusive of PE;
- if, in any term of their freshman year following a reinstatement, they obtain six or more units of E or F, exclusive of PE.
Undergraduate students, except first- and second-term freshmen, are considered not to be making satisfactory academic progress
- if they fail during any one term to obtain a grade-point average of at least 1.4, or if they receive 27 or more units of E or F, exclusive of PE, during any one term;
- if they fail to obtain a grade-point average of at least 1.9 for the academic year, or if they accumulate 45 or more units of E or F, exclusive of PE, over the academic year (students who have completed at least three full terms of residence at the Institute and have been registered for their senior year shall no longer be subject to the requirement that they make a grade-point average of at least 1.9 for the academic year-seniors must, however, receive a grade-point average of at least 1.4 and receive fewer than 27 units of E or F each term);
- if they have completed fewer than 36 units in the previous term and fewer than 99 units in the previous three terms in residence;
- if, once reinstated, they fail to complete a full load of at least 36 units in the following term with a grade-point average of at least 1.9.
Financial Aid Warning
With the implementation of this new SAP policy starting Fall 2011, students who are found not to be making satisfactory academic progress at the end of an academic term will be placed on financial aid warning. A student may continue to receive financial aid for one term while on financial aid warning status. Students should use this opportunity to re-establish SAP.
Financial Aid Probation
Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress after their term of financial aid warning will be ineligible to register and ineligible for financial aid. Students may appeal this status as outlined in the Catalog.
Ineligible freshmen must petition the UASH Committee for reinstatement if they wish to continue as students and continue to receive financial aid. The dean of students or associate dean may act on a petition if (i) it is the student's first ineligibility and (ii) the student has received fewer than 42 units of E or F, exclusive of PE. For other petitions, action must be taken by the UASH Committee.
Undergraduate students, except first- and second-term freshmen, may submit a petition to the UASH Committee for reinstatement, giving any reasons that may exist for their previous unsatisfactory work and stating any new conditions that may lead to better results. Each such petition will be considered on its merits. For the first such ineligibility, the petition may be acted on by the dean of undergraduate students, after consultation with the student and examination of the record. At the dean's discretion, such cases may be referred to the UASH Committee for action. All subsequent reinstatements must be acted upon by the Committee.
Students who are reinstated as a result of their appeal/petition for reinstatement will be placed on financial aid probation and may receive financial aid for an additional academic term.
Continued on Financial Aid Probation
Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress after a term on financial aid probation will be ineligible to register and ineligible for federal and state financial aid. These students may appeal this status as outlined above and in the Catalog.
Students who are reinstated as a result of their appeal/petition for reinstatement will be continued on financial aid probation. These students will be ineligible for federal and state aid. They will continue to be eligible for up to three additional terms of institutional aid but their scholarship eligibility will be reduced in each term the student is continued on financial aid probation.
Financial Aid Suspension
Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress after being continued on financial aid probation for three additional terms will be ineligible for federal, state, and institutional financial aid, even if they are subsequently reinstated by the UASH Committee, until such time as they make satisfactory academic progress.
Maximum Time Frame for Receiving Aid
A student has a limited time frame to complete all degree requirements and remain eligible for financial aid. As defined by federal regulations, the maximum time frame is 150 percent of the published program length for degree completion.
To qualify for a Bachelor of Science degree, students must complete a minimum of 486 units (515 units for chemical engineering) 486 x 150% = 729 maximum attempted units (515 x 150% = 772 maximum attempted units for chemical engineering)
An "attempted" unit is defined as any unit that a student remains enrolled in AFTER the Add Period, including units the student withdraws from each term. Units that a student is retroactively enrolled in after the Add Period are considered attempted units.
Important Note: This new policy supersedes the Financial Aid SAP Policy on page 170 of the 2011-2012 Caltech Catalog.