UC BERKELEYSTAY DAY 2013

Jennifer FrenchCarlos Perez

Yolanda Smith

Progressing Towards Graduation: What Students Need to Remain Eligible for

Financial Aid

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF “SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS”?

To be aid eligible, students must meet certain minimum standards of academic progress known as “Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP)

SAP requirements represent the academic

standards that must be met for a student to retain financial aid eligibility.

Federal, state and UC financial aid eligibility are all guided by this requirement.

ANNUAL SAP REVIEW

Each continuing student’s SAP status is reviewed annually, prior to the start of the new academic year.

Meeting SAP standards: Student is eligible for aid for the full academic year (assuming other non-SAP eligibility requirements also have been met).

Not meeting SAP standards: Student is not eligible for aid for the upcoming academic year.

I. PROGRESSION OF UNITS

A student must be progressing toward their degree at a satisfactory pace.

Continuing students must complete at least the number of units shown on the following schedule:

12 units by the end of 0.5 years 24 units by the end of one year (and up to two years) 48 units by the end of two years (and up to three years) 72 units by the end of three years (and up to four years) 96 units by the end of four years (and up to five years)

Note: DSP students certified for reduced course load and

taking reduced course load have separate standards.

PROGRESSION OF UNITS (cont.)

The total units on the Cal transcript, minus any AP or IB units, is the official number used for measurement.

Transfer units earned in high school are counted in the transfer unit total.

Students must complete the minimum number of units required for their years of enrollment to meet SAP standard.

II. Cumulative GPA

GPA requirement:

Cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 at the time of the SAP review on the Cal transcript

III. MAXIMUM TIME FOR FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY

The maximum time of enrollment allowed for financial aid eligibility is 5 years

Exception: Students certified for reduced enrollment by the DSP Office and enrolling in reduced units based on that certification.

The progression of units standard is linked to the maximum time for financial aid eligibility.

COUNTING YEARS FOR PROGRESSION OF UNITS AND MAXIMUM TIME FOR AID

To calculate the number of years a student has completed for SAP purposes, the following are measured:

Each 30 transfer units, not counting AP or IB units, is counted as one year and each 15 transfer units are counted as .5 years.

Units and terms completed at Cal, including Fall Program for Freshmen and other terms at UC Extension

Semesters showing as withdrawal or as status lapse on the transcript (counted as a semester of enrollment for aid purposes)

DISABLED STUDENTS PROGRAM

DSP certifies students and determines if an accommodation for a reduced study load is warranted.

DSP students on an approved reduced study load may have an extended time for financial aid eligibility. The time is determined by the following:

When the  student was first certified  for a reduced study load.   If the student is certified at½ time or ¾ time enrollment The number of attempted units as reflected on the transcript

Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 units to be considered full-time for financial aid purposes, even if the student is certified for a reduced course load.

FAILURE TO MEET SAP STANDARDS

Students must meet all of the SAP standards at the time of the annual SAP review process to be eligible for federal, state, or institutional financial aid for the upcoming academic year.

Students that do not meet SAP requirements can regain financial aid eligibility in one of two ways:

Improve their academic performance and meet the SAP progress standards at the next annual review

Submit a SAP Appeal for consideration

SAP APPEALS

Students may appeal for reinstatement of aid based on extenuating circumstances that have hindered their academic performance.

Appeals must include the following: Explanation of extenuating circumstances that prevented satisfactory academic

progress Documentation of their extenuating circumstances Explanation of how circumstances have changed that will allow them to be

successful and make satisfactory progress An approved academic plan signed by an academic advisor

If the appeal is approved: Financial aid is approved on a semester by semester basis Students are informed of the conditions required to maintain aid eligibility Academic performance will be monitored at the end of each term to confirm

that the student is meeting the conditions for continued aid eligibility.

SAP APPEALS (cont.)

Students on an approved appeal who do not meet the conditions become ineligible for future aid.

Students with new extenuating circumstances (different from those submitted in their original appeal) that prevented them from meeting the conditions for continued aid eligibility may submit a new appeal.

There is no guarantee that appeals will be approved. Students should plan for the possibility that they may not be eligible for aid in

the upcoming semester(s). Encourage students to submit the appeal as early as possible and be aware of

all deadlines (i.e. appeal submission, registration, refunds, etc.)

There is no SAP appeal process for the summer term.

PARTNERING TO FOSTER STUDENT SUCCESS

Setting students up for academic success

Role of the academic plan

Collaboration – working together to identify options

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

Cal Student Central120 Sproul Hall

In person: Monday – Friday: 9 am – 4 pm

Phones:Monday – Friday: 9 am – 12 pm, 1 pm – 4 pm

510.664.9181

Financial Aid & Scholarships: fao_ugr@berkeley.edu