Satisfactory academic progress
What is satisfactory academic progress?
To remain eligible for federal financial aid, you must make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) as a student, meaning you need to make good enough grades, and successfully complete enough classes in a timely manner to demonstrate that you are successfully working toward your degree.
Arizona State University measures Satisfactory Academic Progress yearly after the spring semester using three metrics:
You must maintain a minimum ASU GPA according to the ASU Undergraduate Academic Standards, or the ASU Graduate Academic Standards. Students on academic disqualification are not eligible for financial aid.
Undergraduate minimum cumulative GPA: 2.00
Graduate student minimum cumulative GPA: 3.0
Watch video explaining SAP minimum GPA
If you’re not meeting this standard, here’s how you can submit a review.
You must pass at least 67% of your total attempted ASU credit hours in your current degree program. You may need to consider reducing your course load in order to improve your cumulative pace rate. All courses must apply to your degree program.
Passed credits do not include courses with grades of E, EU or W. A passed course, if retaken, will be considered passed only once, yet attempted twice. Audited courses, ungraded courses, remedial no-credit courses and courses with a grade of Z are excluded from this measurement.
See example.
Watch video about SAP pace rate
If you’re not meeting this standard, here’s how you can submit a review.You must not exceed the maximum attempted credit hour limit for your degree program. This standard applies to all programs, including minors, dual majors, dual/concurrent degrees, and prior degrees. All transfer credit hours accepted by ASU are included in this measurement. Audited courses are excluded from this measurement.
If you are approaching your Max Credit Hour limit, ASU will send you an email notification so you can work with your advisor and make a plan to successfully complete your degree without exceeding your maximum credit hours.
Watch video explaining SAP Max Credit Hour Limit
If you’re not meeting this standard, here’s how you can submit a review.
Important things to know about how SAP is measured
If you are not meeting SAP you can still register for classes. To remain eligible for federal and state aid programs, you must meet ALL ASU SAP standards regardless of whether or not you have received financial aid in the past. These standards apply to your entire academic record at ASU (including transfer credit hours accepted by ASU). Not all financial aid programs require students to meet the SAP standards outlined in this policy. For example, many scholarships and private loans have other eligibility requirements. Students must contact their scholarship program and/or private lender to determine if their SAP status impacts the receipt of the scholarship or private loan.
Next steps for a SAP review
If you are no longer eligible for federal or institutional financial aid because you didn’t meet SAP standards, ASU offers resources to help you get back on track. You can submit a review explaining why you weren’t able to meet SAP, and request to have your aid reinstated for one probationary term.
Watch video: Submitting a SAP review
- Submit a review explaining the following:
The extenuating circumstances that kept you from meeting SAP.
What has changed that will allow you to meet SAP standards at your next evaluation. - ASU will notify you of the outcome via your ASU email
If this review is approved, you will be placed on financial aid PROBATION and will be eligible to receive financial aid for one term while you work toward getting back into good standing.
Important things to know about the SAP Review
- Submitting a SAP review does not guarantee your aid will be reinstated.
- The outcome of this review will depend on the nature of the extenuating circumstances, the quality of the documentation you provide, and how well you have demonstrated the ability to complete your degree within a reasonable time period.
- All documentation submitted is confidential.
- All decisions are final and cannot be reviewed.
- University employees reviewing financial aid forms are mandatory reporters. Specific information related to acts of sexual harassment, which includes sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, and stalking, committed by an ASU student or employee, or that happened on ASU property, or in an ASU program or activity, must be reported. Information about campus resources, including advocacy assistance and confidential counseling, can be found at https://sexualviolenceprevention.asu.edu/resources. For more information about mandatory reporting at ASU, review the FAQs here.
Your SAP Status and how to review
Your SAP status is listed in the Finances Tab of My ASU, in the Financial Aid and Scholarships box.