Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP) POLICY
To be eligible for any federally funded financial aid (including student loans) students must initially and continually meet the following measures for satisfactory academic progress (SAP).
GRADE POINT AVERAGE
Undergraduate: All undergraduate students must maintain the following cumulative GPA:
- 1 to 12 hours - minimum 1.50
- 13 to 59 hours - minimum 1.75
- 60 or more hours - minimum 2.00
- 60 or more hours - minimum 2.50 for education majors and alternative teacher certification students
Graduate: All Master's or Doctoral students must maintain a 3.00 cumulative GPA.
PACE
Undergraduate and Graduate (including Doctoral) students are required to complete 70% of all hours attempted. Pace is determined by dividing the total number of credit hours earned by the total number of credit hours attempted. Attempted hours include hours from which the student withdrew (W), received a grade of no credit (NC), incomplete (I) or in progress (IP), and repeated courses. English as a Second Language courses (ESL) and remedial courses are also included. Audit grades (X) are not considered when calculating a student's pace rate.
MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME
Undergraduate: Students are eligible for financial aid for a maximum of 150% of the required length of the program. No additional hours are provided for students seeking a second bachelor's degree.
Graduate: Graduate students are eligible for financial aid for a maximum of 150% of the required length of the program. No additional hours are provided for student's seeking a second master's degree and all previously attempted graduate hours are included when calculating the 150% maximum timeframe. Doctoral students may attempt up to 150% of the hours required for the first doctoral degree.
The 150% threshold for LSUS degrees are as follows:
| Bachelor's Degree: | 180 hours |
| TeachLSUS: | 237 hours |
| Graduate Degree: | varies (multiply the number of hours for your degree by 150%) |
When calculating a student's SAP status, the following is considered:
- All hours attempted at all schools attended, regardless of whether financial aid was received.
- All hours attempted for previous programs and/or major changes regardless of whether a degree was received.
- All hours attempted regardless of whether those hours are considered towards your current program/degree.
Terminal Degree: If a student possesses a terminal degree, doctorate in any field or a jurisprudence degree, they are not eligible for federal financial aid.
Academic Bankruptcy: Academic bankruptcy only impacts a student's academic record. For financial aid purposes, all coursework including those in academic bankruptcy are used to calculate GPA, Pace, and 150% maximum timeframe.
MONITORING PROGRESS
At the conclusion of each spring semester the student's SAP is reviewed. If the student is not making SAP they are notified in writing. A student not making SAP is placed on financial aid suspension. A student on financial aid suspension cannot receive financial aid until they pass enough hours to meet or exceed the measures listed above. If an appeal is granted (see re-establishing eligibility) the student is placed on financial aid probation. An undergraduate student on financial aid probation continues to receive financial aid as long as they earn grades of "A", "B", "C", or "P". A graduate student on financial aid probation continues to receive financial aid as long as they earn grades of "A", "B", or "P" Earning grades of "C" (graduate only) "D", "F", "NC" (no credit), "W" (withdrawal), "X" (audit), "I" (incomplete), or "IP" (in progress) places the student on financial aid suspension again and they cannot receive financial aid.
RE-ESTABLISHING ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID
A student may take courses at their own expense until meeting the minimum eligibility requirements. Students exceeding their maximum timeframe cannot regain eligibility on their own. Any student who does not meet SAP requirements and who has mitigating circumstances may appeal his/her case in writing to the Student Financial Aid and Scholarship Committee. The student is required to submit an appeal form, (available in the Financial Aid Office or on the LSUS website at Financial Aid Forms ), a typed letter of appeal and supporting documentation to the Financial Aid Office. The student is notified of the result of their appeal in writing or by calling the Financial Aid Office.
Here is the current Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy