Financial Aid and Scholarships Office

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Work Study Program
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
• Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program (subsidized and unsubsidized)
• Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
• Other programs as determined by the Financial Aid and Scholarships office

Grade Point Average Requirement:

• Students must maintain a cumulative 2.0 grade point average.

Credit Hour Requirement:

• Students must successfully complete 67% or more of the credit hours attempted since the first term of enrollment at Sinclair Community College.
• Grades of A, B, C, D, Y, P and S will be considered successfully completed.  Grades of N, W, F, U, I, IP and Z will be considered credit hours not successfully completed.

Maximum Timeframe to Complete the Program:

• Students must complete their program of study within 150% of the published length of the program as measured by credit hours attempted.

Additional Certificates/Degrees:

• Students can pursue an additional certificate and/or degree.  No more than two degrees will be considered for federal aid purposes.  Students must have their Academic Advisor complete a Graduate Appeal form so the Financial Aid office can determine how many credit hours are needed to complete the second program.

Change of Major/Program:

• Students may change their program of study.  However, all credit hours attempted and grades earned will count toward the new program and be included in SAP determination.

Transfer Credits:

• Transfer hours accepted by Sinclair Community College must be evaluated by an Academic Advisor.  Students must have their Academic Advisor complete a Transfer Hour Appeal form to determine how many transfer hours count toward a student's program of study.  These transfer hours will be used in calculating federal aid eligibility.  

 ESL Courses:

• English as a Second Language course work will count towards the student's timeframe and completion rate components of the SAP policy.

Remedial Courses:

• A student is limited to 45 credit hours of developmental course work while receiving federal financial aid.  Federal financial aid programs will not cover any developmental courses taken after reaching the maximum 45 credit hour limit.  Remedial course work will count towards the determination of the SAP policy.

Repeated Courses:

• Students who have failed a class can repeat it and receive federal financial aid for the credit hours.
• Students who have passed a class and want to repeat it for academic purposes can repeat it and receive federal financial aid for the credit hours.
• However, if a student has passed a class more than once and wants to take it a third time, they can repeat it, but the credit hours will not be used in determining the amount of federal financial aid they can receive.  Students in this situation can learn more by contacting the Financial Aid & Scholarships office.  

Warning Status:

• After grades are posted for each term, a student's SAP status will be calculated.  Students who fail to meet the SAP requirements will be placed on warning for one term.  Students will receive written notification informing them of not meeting one or more of the minimum requirements.
  • A student who has not completed at least 67% of the total attempted hours, or is below the minimum 2.0 GPA for credit hours attempted, will be placed on warning.  The student has one term to correct the deficiencies. 

Suspension:

• If the warning requirements are not met, federal financial aid will be suspended.

Appeal Process:

• Students who fail to maintain satisfactory academic progress may appeal the suspension of federal financial aid if they feel they have extenuating circumstances.  These circumstances must be documented and submitted with the appeal which will be reviewed along with academic transcripts by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee.  The committee will also consider appeals for students pursuing additional degrees or certificates.
• Appeals will not be reviewed until after the beginning of the term.  Therefore, if you plan to attend the term, you must be prepared to pay your tuition, fees and books by the payment deadline date.  The FACTS Payment Plan is an option for paying your tuition and fees. 
• Students will be notified by letter of the decision by the Appeals Committee.  All decisions of the Appeals Committee are final.
• If your appeal is approved, it will be effective for the current term if you are registered.  Students may be reimbursed up to the amount of the accepted awards, if any.    Otherwise, the appeal will be effective for the following term.  Once the appeal term is determined, it will not be changed.

Procedures for Reestablishing Satisfactory Academic Progress:

• Students may regain their eligibility for federal financial aid by approval of an appeal or;
• Successfully completing the requirements originally requested under the warning status.  Students must notify the Financial Aid & Scholarships office when they believe they have met the requirements necessary for reinstatement of aid.