Regulations & Policies

Academic Affairs - Financial Aid

I. OBJECTIVE & PURPOSE

To provide information concerning the policy utilized by the UNF Office of -Student Financial Aid in administering the federal satisfactory academic policy.

II. STATEMENT OF POLICY

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires institutions of higher education to establish and apply standards of academic progress that all students must meet to qualify and remain eligible for assistance from the Title IV student financial aid programs. Therefore, to maintain satisfactory academic progress to be eligible to receive financial aid, students must maintain specified grade point averages and proceed through the program at a pace leading to completion within a specified time frame. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be measured at the end of each semester. All students placed on Financial Aid Warning or Financial Aid Suspension will be notified of their Satisfactory Academic Progress status in writing at the conclusion of each semester.

Institutional categorical and merit / talent scholarship aid may be exempted from the SAP policy and in instead based on each individual award's criteria. Florida Bright Futures in exempt from this policy and is instead based on criteria established by the State of Florida. For athletic aid, student-athletes must maintain Progress-Toward-Degree requirements in accordance with the NCAA's Division I Manual (Policy 14.4.3.3) as detailed in the UNF Student-Athlete handbook.

Required \ Pass Rates (Pace):

Students are required to earn a minimum of 67% of the hours they attempt overall cumulatively. Pace is measured by dividing the overall cumulative number of credit hours earned by the overall cumulative number of hours attempted. Pass Rates/Pace will follow standard rounding rules (e.g. 66.66% will be rounded to 67%).

Required Grade Point Average:

All Undergraduate and Post Baccalaureate students must achieve a minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.00at the end of each semester. Certain programs of study may be held to a stricter standard (e.g. most Education majors must earn an overall cumulative GPA of 2.5 at the end of each semester).

Graduate students must achieve a minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 3.00 at the end of each semester.

UNF grade point averages are calculated unrounded. A GPA of 1.999 is calculated as 1.99 not 2.00. For more information on how to calculate your GPA, click here.

Requirement of Maximum Time Frame:

Students are required to complete their degree within 150% of the published length of their program. In accordance with federal regulation, students will be suspended for exceeding the maximum time frame when it has been determined that they cannot mathematically complete their degree program within the allowable time frame.

Undergraduate Students (including post-baccalaureates and student pursuing dual degree, double majors, and/or minors) - 180 attempted credit hours

Graduate Students (including students pursuing second master's degrees)- Total attempted credit hours must not exceed 150% of the published hours require to complete the program.

Students who violate the maximum time frame requirements may be placed in SAP suspension without being given a SAP Warning.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Procedures:

A student who achieves all Satisfactory Academic Progress standards is considered in Good Standing and may continue to receive Federal Student Aid.

A student in Good Standing who fails to meet any of the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards will be placed on Financial Aid Warning and may continue to receive Federal Student Aid for one semester.

A student on Financial Aid Warning who fails to meet any of the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and is ineligible for Federal Student Aid.

A student on Financial Aid Suspension may submit an appeal. If a student on Financial Aid Suspension does not submit an appeal, or such a student submits an appeal and the appeal is denied, the student will remain on Financial Aid Suspension and is ineligible for Federal Student Aid.

If an appeal for a student in Financial Aid Suspension Status is granted, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation for one semester and may continue to receive Federal Student Aid for one semester. If at the conclusion of the Financial Aid Probation semester Satisfactory Academic Progress standards are not met, as outlined above or according to his or her academic plan, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and is ineligible for Federal Student Aid.

A student who exceeds the maximum time frame requirement and is granted a Graduation Contract must uphold the requirements of the Graduation Contract and Satisfactory Academic Progress in general order to once again be placed on Financial Aid Probation the following semester.

A student on Financial Aid Probation may be required to fulfill specific terms and conditions (e.g. taking a reduced load or enrolling in specific courses) according to their academic plan.

A student on Financial Aid Suspension (for reasons other than violating the maximum time frame) may re-establish their Satisfactory Academic Progress status to Good Standing without appeal by following the Re-establishing Eligibility without Appeal process.

Policy for Student Appeals:

If a student is ineligible for Federal Financial Aid based on the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements, the student may appeal this decision by completing the Satisfactory Progress Appeal Form. The student will be advised in writing of the decision. If an appeal is denied at this level, the student may appeal to the Enrollment Services Appeal Committee.

The following steps are required when submitting an appeal:

1. Submit the Satisfactory Progress Appeal Form signed by you and your academic/program advisor.
2. Attach a signed statement explaining extenuating circumstances beyond your control that affected your academic performance.
3. Provide official, supporting documentation to validate your statement.
4. Identify the steps you have taken to ensure that you will not fall below Satisfactory Academic Progress standards in the future. Be sure to specifically address how your extenuating circumstances have changed/improved.
5. For students who have exceeded the maximum time frame requirement, a Graduation Contract signed by the student and the academic/program advisor must be attached to your Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form.
6. Sign and date your appeal.
7. Submit completed appeal and supporting documentation to One-Stop Student Services.

Some examples of extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to:

1. A student's serious illness or accident that must be documented from a medical or mental health professional.
2. Death in the student's family that must be documented by providing a copy of the death certificate or obituary.
3. Other unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of the student that directly impacted their academic performance.

Appeal Deadline

All appeals must be submitted by the Friday prior to the official last day of the term for which the student is attempting to establish eligibility. It is the responsibility of the student to decide when an appeal is appropriate and to initiate an appeal before the specified deadline. Students who plan to appeal are encouraged to do so as soon as possible after receiving the notification in order to ensure a determination of eligibility prior to becoming fee liable for the following semester.

Re-establishing Eligibility Without Appeal

If the student chooses not to appeal Financial Aid Suspension or a Financial Aid Suspension appeal is unsuccessful for Grade Point Average or Completion Rate credit hours earned, the student may re-establish eligibility by taking coursework at UNF and achieving all Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. Eligibility may not be re-established without an appeal when Maximum Time Frame (150% rule) standards are violated.

Subsequent Degree Programs

Satisfactory Academic Progress status is typically calculated for all students after the posting of grades each semester and prior to the start of the following semester. As a result, some students beginning a new degree program in a subsequent semester, such as a second bachelor's degree or a master's degree, may be placed on Satisfactory Progress Warning or Suspension for exceeding 150% of the attempted hours needed to receive a degree, based on total hours they have attempted.

Concurrent Enrollment, Study Abroad, and Exchange Agreements

Hours and grades earned from other institutions as a part of Consortium, Study Abroad and/or Exchange agreements must be evaluated to verify that Satisfactory Academic Progress standards have been met. Students who take courses at another institution through Concurrent Enrollment and/or Study Abroad are required to submit transcripts from the host institution(s). These transcripts must provide final grades for the coursework approved by UNF. The hours and grades attempted and earned in approved courses will be calculated in Satisfactory Academic Progress reviews. Students should submit an official transcript and a Satisfactory Academic Progress Concurrent Enrollment/Study Abroad form to request a reevaluation of their Satisfactory Academic Progress status after transcript evaluation.

Additional Information:

Term Forgiveness

The original grades and hours taken during a term in which "term forgiveness" has been exercised must be included in all future Satisfactory Academic Progress calculations. This may result in a student's SAP GPA being lower than what is shown on their transcript.

Satisfactory Academic Progress and Repeated Courses

Repeated courses affect a student's grade point average, maximum time frame, and completion rate Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. Each time a course is repeated counts as an attempt and only the first time a passing grade is received counts as completion. Information about repeated coursework may be found at https://unf.edu/financialaid/repeated-coursework.html

Satisfactory Academic Progress and Dual-Degrees

Students in dual Bachelor & Master degree programs will adhere to Satisfactory Academic Progress standards according to their undergraduate or graduate grade-level distinction. For example a fourth year student in a dual-degree program will adhere to undergraduate Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.

Academic Suspension

Students who are placed on Academic Suspension by their college will be placed on Suspension for Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students in Academic Suspension may not be given a SAP "Warning" term.

English as a Second Language and Remedial Courses

English as a Second Language (ESL) and Remedial courses are not included in a student's grade point average, maximum time frame, and completion rate Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.

How are Completion Rate, Grade Point Average, and Maximum Time Frame SAP requirements affected by incompletes, withdrawals, repeated coursework, and transfer credits?

Questions? Contact One-Stop Student Services

If you need additional information please contact One-Stop Student Services at (904) 620-5555 or in person. One-Stop is located in UNF Hall, Building 53, Suite 1700.

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