Satisfactory Academic Progress
Maintaining Eligibility
To maintain financial aid eligibility, you must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward obtaining a degree. SAP will be monitored at the end of each academic term whether or not you have received financial aid. This policy applies to all federal, state and university funded grants, along with some private loans. SAP is reviewed each term for all students enrolled, including students who are not receiving financial aid or are enrolled less than half-time.
GPA
Undergraduate Qualitative Measure (Cumulative GPA)
Undergraduate students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 at the end of each academic term.
Graduate minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA)
Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Pace of Progression
Quantitative Measure (Pace of progression to ensure completion within the maximum time frame)
Pace of progression is determined by dividing the cumulative number of credit hours successfully completed by the cumulative number of credit hours attempted, including transfer hours that have been accepted.
Undergraduate students must maintain a pace of progression of 67% for all course work attempted, including transfer credits.
Maximum Timeframe for Completion
Undergraduate
Federal regulations require that the student complete their degree within 150% of the credits required for their program. For example, a student pursuing a bachelor's degree requiring completion of 161 credits must meet the degree requirements within 241 attempted credits.
Attempted credits include all earned, unearned, repeated and transfer credits. All attempted credits count toward this limit even if financial aid is not received or there are extenuating circumstances for not completing credits.
A student's record will be evaluated to determine if they are able to complete a degree within the maximum time frame allowed. When it is determined a student will not complete their program within the 150% credit limit, the student will be suspended from receiving financial aid.
Graduate
Graduate students are required to complete their programs of study within six (6) consecutive years.
Course Credits
- Credits Attempted - All classes for which a student receives a passing grade (“D” or better), or an “F”, “W” or “I”.
- Credits Completed - All classes for which a student receives a passing grade of “D” or better.
- Audit Credits - Do not count as credits attempted or completed.
- Repeated Courses - Count as credits attempted during each term the student is enrolled in the course; however, they will be counted once as credits completed the first time a passing grade is received for the course.
- Transfer Credits - Credits transferred to Kettering University from another institution count toward attempted and earned credits.
Course Withdrawals and Incompletes
- Withdrawals - All withdrawal grades are considered to be not successfully completed and negatively impact satisfactory academic progress. This includes official withdrawal grades W and WN, which are not calculated in the grade point average.
- Course Incompletes - Incomplete grades are considered to be not successfully completed until the final grade is submitted.
Changing Majors
Students changing majors will be limited to financial aid for up to 150% of the number of credits required for their new program, including all previous credit hours attempted, regardless of the major declared at the time.
Additional Degrees
Students pursuing additional undergraduate degrees are required to maintain a 2.0 GPA and complete (earn) 67% of the remaining courses for the additional degree. Maximum time frame will be calculated based on 150% of the remaining requirements to complete the additional degree.
Repeating Courses
- A student may receive aid when repeating a course for the first time (course was previously failed or passed first time).
- A student may receive aid when repeating a course that was previously failed, regardless of the number of times the course was attempted and failed. (Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy still applies.)
- A student may receive aid to repeat a previously passed course one additional time.
- Once a student has completed any course twice with a passing grade, he/she is no longer eligible to receive aid for that course.
- The federal regulation change applies whether or not the student received aid for earlier enrollments in the course.
Leave of Absence
In accordance with applicable financial aid regulations, under certain conditions, such as personal, military service, illness or health, employment, humanitarian or church service, family responsibilities, and financial obligations, students may request a leave of absence from the university. A leave of absence will allow the student’s status to remain as “in school,” making the student eligible for a deferment on student loans during the approved time while not actively registered with the university.
A student who takes an approved leave of absence is not considered to have withdrawn from the school. For federal financial aid programs, a leave of absence must meet the following guidelines:
- The student has made a written request for the leave of absence
- The leave of absence does not exceed 180 days
- The school has granted only one leave of absence to the student in any 12-month period
- The school does not charge the student for the leave of absence
If a student's leave of absence is not approved, the student is considered to have withdrawn from the school, and the federal refund requirements apply.
A student who takes an unapproved leave of absence or fails to return to school at the end of an approved leave of absence is no longer enrolled at the school and is not eligible for an in-school deferment of his/her loans.
Financial Aid Warning/Probation/Suspension
Students who fail to meet the minimum standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress at the end of the academic term will be placed on Financial Aid Warning. A student may continue to receive financial aid for one semester while on Financial Aid Warning. Your progress will be monitored at the end of each academic term. If you enroll in back to back academic terms, please check with the Financial Aid Office prior to starting the second consecutive term.
If, at the end of the financial aid warning period, the student is meeting the minimum requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress, the financial aid warning is lifted.
Students who fail to make Satisfactory Academic Progress after the financial aid warning semester will be ineligible for financial aid. You may appeal this status. If your appeal is approved, your financial aid eligibility will be reinstated, and you will be placed on Probation for one term. If your appeal is denied, your financial aid will be suspended for the next academic term.
If, at the end of the financial aid probation period the student is meeting the minimum requirements for satisfactory academic progress, the financial aid probation is lifted.
Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress after the financial aid probation semester will be ineligible for financial aid and placed on Financial Aid Suspension, and you will not be eligible to receive aid for your next period of enrollment.
Appeal
If extenuating circumstances exist that caused a student to fail to meet one of the above standards, a written appeal may be submitted. Examples of extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to: unexpected death or major hospitalization of an immediate family member, extended hospitalization or medical condition of student, house fire, or other special situation. The appeal should address and document these extenuating circumstances and include:
- Why you failed to make Satisfactory Academic Progress
- What has changed that will allow you to make Satisfactory Academic Progress during your next academic term
The appeal form is available on the Financial Aid Website. The appeal form must be turned into the Financial Aid Office three weeks prior to the start of the term you are appealing. Appeals must include supporting documentation. Incomplete appeals or those missing adequate documentation are typically denied.
Those suspended due to attempting more than the 150 percent of the program credits are not eligible for appeal.