Federal regulations require the University of Wisconsin Green Bay Financial Aid Office to establish, publish and apply  Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards consistently to all students (34CFR 668.34.)  Whether or not you are a current aid recipient, it is necessary to assess your academic status and your eligibility each term (summer, fall and spring).  If you apply for aid in a future term and your academic history does not meet the defined standards, you will be considered ineligible and denied financial aid.  The purpose of these standards is to ensure financial aid recipients are adequately progressing toward their degree.  Regulatory changes have made it necessary for all institutions to modify their SAP policies. These standards are distinct and should not to be confused with other academic standards set by the University.

Your SAP status will determine whether or not you are eligible to receive Title IV federal and state financial aid in any term.  All federal grants, federal work study, federal loans as well as state aid are affected if you fail to meet SAP.  University and/or private scholarships may or may not be affected. 

Your SAP status does not affect your ability to enroll in courses, but it can affect your ability to receive aid to help cover course expenses.  Please note that only degree-seeking students are eligible for financial aid. 

Following the US Department of Education requirements, UW-Green Bay’s policy is in effect for evaluating the fall 2011 term and will be used from this point forward.  A baseline SAP status has been established using the student’s last term of enrollment prior to fall 2011.

HELPFUL TERMS

Attempted Credits:    Attempted credits include those successfully completed, as well as transfer, test and repeated credits, failed or incomplete grades, drops and withdrawals.

Alert status:  You are currently meeting SAP standards. However, you should be aware that you may be close to your limit in one or more categories that are being measured.  An alert status at the end of a term would result in an email notice.  No action is needed on your part (other than to resolve any academic issues you may be facing).

Warning status:  You are NOT meeting one or more of the measurements of SAP.  However, per regulation, you are allowed ONE additional term of financial aid to meet ALL SAP standards.  If you do not meet all of the standards after that term, you will lose aid eligibility.  A warning status will result in an email notice to your campus email address.  No action is needed on your part (other than to resolve any academic issues you may be facing).

Ineligible status:  You are no longer eligible for financial aid because you have exceeded the cumulative attempted credit limit or you have not met SAP for two consecutive terms. You will remain ineligible until 1) you successfully appeal for reinstatement of aid or 2) you regain eligibility by meeting all standards and notifying the Financial Aid Office.  If you are ineligible, you will receive a letter to your permanent address (as noted in the Student Information System – SIS).

If you wish to appeal your ineligible status, an Appeal for Reinstatement of Aid Form must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office.

Appeal:  A request for reinstatement of aid eligibility after a student was deemed ineligible based on not meeting the SAP standards.  Students must submit an Appeal for Reinstatement of Aid Form (see below for more information)

Probation:  You are ineligible for aid, BUT you have successfully appealed for reinstatement of aid for that one term.  You will receive aid for one probationary semester.  After that term, you MUST be meeting ALL standards or will once again become ineligible.

ELIGIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL AID

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards for Undergraduate Students

The Financial Aid Office will measure, after each term of attendance, whether or not you are meeting SAP.  The standards measured are as follows:

• Cumulative GPA:  Students must achieve and maintain a minimum cumulative gpa of 2.0 by the end of their 4th term at UW-Green Bay.                   
• Completion Rate:  Students must pass 67% of the credits attempted (see Helpful Terms above) at UW-Green Bay.  Attempts are counted regardless of whether or not aid was received for that term.
• Cumulative Completion Rate:   Students must pass 67% of the overall credits attempted (See Helpful Terms above). Attempts are counted regardless of whether or not aid was received for that term.
• Cumulative Attempted Credit Maximum:  Students must graduate with attempted credits (See Helpful Terms above) within 150% of a published program’s length.  An undergraduate degree at UW-Green Bay requires 120 credits.  Students are limited to 150% of that, or 180 credits.    If any UW Green Bay program has a published length other than 120 credits, the maximum timeframe calculated will be based on that.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards for Graduate Students

The Financial Aid Office will measure, after each term of attendance, whether or not you are meeting SAP.  The standards measured are as follows:

• Cumulative GPA:  Students must achieve and maintain a minimum cumulative gpa of 3.0 after attempting 20 graduate credits at UW-Green Bay. 
• Completion Rate:  Students must pass 67% of the credits attempted (See Helpful Terms above) at UW-Green Bay.  Attempts are counted regardless of whether or not aid was received for that term.
• Cumulative Completion Rate:   Students must pass 67% of the overall credits attempted (See Helpful Terms above). Attempts are counted regardless of whether or not aid was received for that term.
• Cumulative Attempted Credit Maximum:  Students must graduate with attempted credits (See Helpful Terms above) within 150% of a published program’s length.  The Financial Aid Office will begin to alert students when they have reached 30 graduate credits attempted.  At 45 credits, graduate students will need to appeal to have aid reinstated and consideration of program requirements will be made at that time.  If any UW- Green Bay Graduate program has a published length that allows the student to exceed 45 credits, the maximum timeframe calculated will be based on that.

OTHER ELIGIBILITY FACTORS/CONSIDERATIONS

Academic Forgiveness
The University instituted an Academic Forgiveness policy based on a student meeting certain eligibility criteria http://www.uwgb.edu/catalog/undrgrad/ARR.htm.  The SAP policy cannot take forgiveness into consideration when measuring a student’s aid eligibility.  Therefore, although the University may allow you to continue taking coursework through this policy, your aid eligibility is determined based on your full academic record.  A student may still appeal for extenuating circumstances following the appeal procedure outlined below; however time away cannot be the sole reason for submitting an appeal.

Changed/added majors
In some cases students may decide to pursue multiple majors or will decide to change their majors.  Students who attempt to do so will still be monitored for maximum timeframe limitations in the same manner as all students.  Depending on the timing of the change and/or the difference between the majors, length of time may be a problem for students and a loss of aid eligibility may result.  Carefully review your situation to prevent loss of eligibility before the completion of any degree requirements.  It is important to note as well that, per regulation, once it has been determined a student has met the graduation requirements in a degree program, their aid eligibility will cease.  

Consortium Agreements
If you have a Consortium Agreement on file for a given semester, those credits will count as credits attempted but not completed until an official transcript is reviewed by the Registrar’s Office.  Be sure to submit a transcript as soon as your class(es) are finished. Since gpa does not transfer from other universities, grades from Consortium Agreement credits will not affect your cumulative gpa at UW-Green Bay.

Prior Degrees
Once you have completed a Bachelor’s degree, your financial aid options will be limited.  Students who have completed an undergraduate degree at UW-Green Bay are not eligible for aid through UW-Green Bay in order to pursue an additional major.  If, however, you are returning to pursue another degree AND have been admitted into that degree program, you may have limited eligibility before the cumulative attempted credit maximum is reached. The same will apply for students who have their degree from another institution. 

Repeated Coursework
Repeated coursework may have an impact on your SAP status.  In some cases, successfully repeating a course can help raise your cumulative gpa (i.e. to reach the cumulative 2.0 standard noted above).  However, each time you take a course it counts toward your attempted credit limit.  The initial attempt will count as will any repeated attempt.  For some students, multiple attempts and repeats will result in reaching the cumulative attempted credit limit before they complete their degree requirements.  Seeking guidance from a program or academic advisor prior to repeating a course may be beneficial.

In some cases, a student may not be eligible for aid to repeat a course.  You should review the Repeat Policy to help you determine aid eligibility if you are thinking of repeating a course. 

Transfer/Test Credits
All accepted transfer/test credits will be counted as attempted and completed credits when measuring cumulative completion rates and attempted credit maximums.  Transfer students are encouraged to meet with an academic program adviser early in their career at UW-Green Bay in order to ensure proper course selection and to develop a plan for efficient program completion.   SAP standards will remain the same for these students

REGAINING AID ELIGIBILITY

If you have lost eligibility due to not meeting SAP standards, you may be able to regain it by attempting credits on your own (without aid) until you meet all SAP standards.  If you are able to do so, you must notify the Financial Aid Office.  You may also regain eligibility with a successful appeal.

Appeals
If you feel you have extenuating circumstances that have prevented you from meeting the SAP standards, you have the option to appeal. For consideration, students must complete the Appeal for Reinstatement of Aid form.  You may complete the form and submit it using your UW-Green Bay email account, or you can print, sign and submit the form to the Financial Aid Office.

You will be asked for reasons why you failed to meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards and what circumstances have changed to allow you to regain and maintain eligibility after one term. 

Appeals will be reviewed by committee and the committee decision is final.