Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal and state regulations governing student financial assistance require that an institution develop standards to measure academic progress toward a degree. Students applying for financial aid will be monitored for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) whether or not financial aid was applied for or received during any academic period in which the student was previously enrolled. Students who do not meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements will not be eligible for financial aid. The Financial Aid & Scholarships Office monitors SAP at the end of each term. Students must meet the minimum standards for SAP by the end of any given enrollment period at UNT to maintain financial aid eligibility.

GPA Requirements

Students must maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) that demonstrated progress toward earning their degree or credential.

• The minimum cumulative UNT GPA for undergraduate students is 2.00.
• The minimum cumulative UNT GPA for graduate students is 3.00. SAP will be measured according to graduate student classification.

Course Completion Rate

Students must maintain a course completion rate that demonstrates progress toward earning their degree or credential

• The minimum required Course Completion Rate for undergraduate students is based on the number of attempted hours reflected in the below table.

• The minimum required Course Completion Rate for graduate students is 66.67%.

The Course Completion Rate is calculated by dividing a student’s total earned hours by their total attempted hours.

Attempted hours include:

• all graded coursework at UNT

• including non-passed and repeated coursework

• all withdrawals at UNT
• all transferable coursework from other colleges, including dual credit
• all articulated test credit

Maximum Hour/Timeframe Limit

Students must complete their degree or credential within a maximum timeframe to remain eligible for financial aid.  All terms of enrollment within a degree or certificate program are counted toward the maximum timeframe, whether federal, state, or institutional aid is received or not.

• The maximum timeframe for undergraduate students is 150 percent of the hours required to complete their degree program.

For example, if a degree requires “120 hours”, the maximum timeframe is 150% of 120 hours, which is “180 attempted hours". For a graduate degree program (master's or doctoral), the maximum timeframe cannot exceed the published length of the program measured by the number of years at UNT.

Postbaccalaureate and Graduate Academic Certificate programs will be monitored for maximum timeframe based on their twelve month or twenty-four month period of aid eligibility.

• All transfer credit and/or test credit applied to a student’s record and hours attempted while pursuing a degree program or credential count toward a student's maximum timeframe.
• Any hours excluded under the UNT Admission's Academic Fresh Start option are included as attempted hours for financial aid purposes.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) - Terms and Statuses

• SAP:  This is the acronym for "Satisfactory Academic Progress". 
• Course Completion Rate: An ongoing measure that ensures students are on track to complete their program in the maximum timeframe.  This is also sometimes referred to as "pace of progression".
• Meets SAP: Status assigned to students who are meeting all SAP requirements.
• Financial Aid Warning: Status assigned to students who failed to meet SAP requirements (minimum GPA and/or course completion rate) in a single term of enrollment. Students are allowed to receive financial aid during a "Financial Aid Warning" status if they meet all other eligibility criteria.
• Financial Aid Suspension: Status assigned to students who did not meet SAP requirements (minimum GPA and/or course completion rate) in two consecutive terms and/or have met their maximum hour or timeframe limit. Students are not eligible for financial aid at this status. 
• SAP Appeal: The process for students on Financial Aid Suspension to petition for a reconsideration of financial aid due to extenuating circumstances.
• Financial Aid Probation: Status assigned to students for one-term who have successfully appealed a Financial Aid Suspension status. Students are allowed to receive financial aid during a "Financial Aid Probation" status if they meet all other eligibility criteria.
• Financial Aid Academic Plan: Status assigned to students on Financial Aid Probation who have had an additional appeal approved. This is developed in cooperation and agreement with financial aid and an academic department/advisor.

Appeals

Students who fail to meet SAP requirements and are placed on Financial Aid Suspension may submit a written appeal with supporting documentation for reinstatement of financial aid eligibility if they experienced an extenuating circumstance which impacted their ability to meet the requirements of SAP.  

Students on Financial Aid Suspension who meet the criteria to appeal should do so as soon as possible. Please be advised – per federal regulations, a SAP appeal cannot be approved after the last day of the applicable term. Appeals submitted with complete documentation by the below listed priority date will guarantee a review and final decision before the end of the given term.

Fall: November 1
Spring: April 1
Summer: June 1

Please see the following page for information regarding the SAP Appeal requirements and process:

SAP Appeal Process

Repeated Coursework

Per Federal Regulation, a student is not eligible for Title IV (federal) financial aid for any course they repeat more than once if they have previously passed the course (i.e., earned a D or better).

For example, a student took BIOL 1301 in the fall and earned a D. The student can retake the course once and receive financial aid for that course. If the student attempts to retake the course again, no federal financial aid funds can be used to help pay for the class.