University of North Alabama Student Financial Aid

Policies and Procedures Regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Effective November 2024

Qualitative and Quantitative Components

• Hours Completed/Hours Attempted Comparison- Students must complete at least 67% of all coursework, including institutional AND transfer hours (completion rate or pace). Pace= total hours completed/ total hours attempted.
• Incompletes, course failures, withdrawals, repeat/recomputed coursework, repeated coursework will affect completion percentage rate (See chart below).

• Grade Point Average (GPA) - Students must meet the university's minimum academic GPA requirement for the student's respective academic class level. The institutional GPA minimums are as follows:
  • Minimum Cumulative Institutional Financial Aid Grade Point Average (GPA) for Undergrad programs: 2.0
  • Minimum Cumulative Institutional Financial Aid Grade Point Average (GPA) for Graduate programs: 3.0

• Maximum Time Frame- Student financial aid is available for up to 150% of the number of hours required to complete degree requirements. Students are allowed a maximum of 180 hours to complete first undergraduate degree requirements. The number of hours allowed to complete associate and graduate degree requirements varies by program and the number of hours required to complete degree requirements. Students are allowed a maximum of 224 hours to complete a second undergraduate degree (combination of first and second undergraduate degree hours).
• Changing Majors- Students who change majors during the academic year are strongly encouraged not to withdraw from any classes as they must complete 67% of all hours attempted. Students who change majors or degree programs are at risk of exceeding the maximum timeframe allotment before obtaining a degree. Students who are considering dropping classes in order to change majors should talk to Student Financial Aid first.
• Repeat Courses- All repeated courses and their grades will be included in the 67% and 150% totals. (See Repeat/Recompute in chart for additional information).
• Incomplete Courses- Students must notify Student Financial Aid when a final grade is received.
• Additional Bachelor’s Degree- Students pursuing a subsequent bachelor’s degree will be eligible for an additional 45 hours of eligibility after earning their first undergraduate degree. The 67% completion standard still applies.
• Academic Re-Admission- University approval of Academic Re-Admission does not take the place of Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. A student that has been readmitted to the university may not be eligible for Title IV federal student aid.

Frequency of Evaluations and Student Notification

Students must meet ALL requirements (completion rate, GPA and timeframe) in order to be eligible for Title IV Federal Student Aid.

• Satisfactory Academic Progress will be checked at the end of each academic period of enrollment (Fall, Spring and Summer).
• Students will be notified via UNA Portal email and Self-Service if they have not met the eligibility requirements for Title IV Federal Student Aid.
• The Student Financial Aid Office will cancel any Title IV Federal Student Aid that has been previously awarded to a student if that student is not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Loss and Reinstatement of Title IV Federal Aid Eligibility

• Students not making Satisfactory Academic Progress will be placed on financial aid warning following the first semester in which they fail to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. If the student is meeting the completion rate and GPA requirements at the end of the financial aid warning semester, the student will be eligible for Title IV Federal Student Aid for the next payment period, with the exception of those students who are over maximum timeframe. Students who fail to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements at the end of the financial aid warning period of enrollment will be suspended from Title IV Federal Student Aid eligibility.
• To regain Title IV Federal Student Aid eligibility, students must improve their completion percentage rate and/or GPA by taking courses paid for without the benefit of Title IV Federal Student Aid. Note-Students cannot take additional courses to improve maximum timeframe. Title IV Federal Student Aid can also be temporarily reinstated through the successful approval of an appeal.

Appeals of Loss of Eligibility

• Students may appeal the loss of Title IV Federal Student Aid eligibility by submitting a written or electronic appeal once a semester. You must submit an appeal within two (2) weeks of the start of the semester. Submission of an appeal does not guarantee approval. Appeals may take up to two (2) weeks to process. If a student enrolls in classes before an appeal is reviewed, they are responsible for payment of tuition and other education expenses out-of-pocket. Appeals submitted after the final payment deadline will be reviewed at a later date and considered for the next semester.
• Students should cite the mitigating factors that impacted their academic performance in the respective semester(s) of poor academic performance as well as the dates of these occurrences.
• Acceptable appeal criteria include (but are not limited to) the following: death of a student’s relative, injury or illness of the student, or other special circumstance warranting reconsideration of the student’s Title IV Federal Student Aid eligibility.
• The student SHOULD NOT address financial need or the impact of not receiving financial assistance in the written appeal. The need for financial assistance will not be considered by the Appeals Committee in evaluating whether the student should be approved for continuation of Title IV Federal Student Aid eligibility.
• The appeal must address why the student has failed to make Satisfactory Academic Progress, and what has changed in the student’s situation to enable him or her to demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress at the next evaluation.
• To approve an appeal, the Student Financial Aid Office must determine that the student should be able to make Satisfactory Academic Progress during the next payment period and meet overall SAP requirements by the end of that payment period.
• If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on financial aid probation status and Title IV Federal Student Aid eligibility is reinstated for the next payment period. If the student is not meeting SAP the student will lose Title IV Federal Student Aid eligibility again.
• All approved Satisfactory Academic Progress appeals are only for the one (1) semester for which the appeal is approved. The appeal probation term will include an academic plan which consists of minimum standards the students must meet for the probation term. After the end of term review, if the student is meeting all Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements, their financial aid status will update to Passing. However, after the end of term review, if the student is still below the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements but they met the terms of the academic plan stated in their appeal, they may submit another appeal for the next semester of attendance. If that appeal is approved, they would continue the probation period under the academic plan. After the end of term review, if the student is still not meeting all Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements and they did not meet the terms of their academic plan, their financial aid status will update to failing.
• Students may appeal again if they fail to meet the requirements of their financial aid appeal, however, all students are encouraged to have an alternative method of payment in case their appeal is denied. Other methods of payment may include the university’s payment plan or private loans.

The outcome of the appeal is FINAL and is not subject to debate or further review.

It is strictly the student’s responsibility to:

• Check with Student Financial Aid regarding the impact of dropping classes or receiving low grades on completion rate and/or GPA;
• Contact Student Financial Aid regarding the impact of transfer work on completion percentage rate;
• Check his or her UNA Portal email and Self-Service for current Satisfactory Academic Progress status at the end of each payment period;
• Notify Student Financial Aid of a grade change.