Satisfactory Academic Progress

Your academic performance impacts your aid eligibility

All IU Fort Wayne students are required to make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in an eligible degree or certificate program to be eligible for financial aid. Federal regulations require that your entire Indiana University academic record be reviewed for SAP, including semesters in which you did not apply for or receive financial aid.

In some cases, the academic progress standards for financial aid recipients may be stricter than for other students in the same programs who are not receiving federal student aid.

Looking for the SAP Appeal Form?

By going to the qualtrics form below you can submit a SAP Appeal Form.

SAP Appeal form

Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements

We review your academic progress at least once a year. It’s determined by your enrollment in all previous terms (including those in which you withdrew completely from classes), whether or not you received financial aid.

If you are a non-degree student who is eligible for financial aid, you are expected to meet the same standards as an undergraduate student in order to keep your aid.

You must meet the following requirements to make satisfactory academic progress (SAP):

You must maintain a cumulative program GPA of at least the minimum required by your academic program. Transfer hours from outside of the IU system do not count toward the program GPA.

Transfer credit hours from outside the IU system don’t count toward your program GPA.

In order to meet SAP requirements, you have to successfully complete no less than 67 percent of your total attempted credit hours.

For SAP purposes, the calculation goes to 3 decimal points and is then rounded.  For example, if you take 9 credit hours but successfully complete only 6, that is a completion rate of 66.667% and you would not be meeting the 67% requirement.

Hours successfully completed include those with grades of A, B, C, D, P, R, and S.

If you received a grade of W, F, FX, or I in a course, you did not successfully complete that course. Hours from these courses are included in the total hours attempted in the formula above.

Attempted hours may include:

  • Hours accepted for transfer
  • Repeated coursework
  • Coursework in which a student is granted academic forgiveness
  • Consortium coursework Courses that are noncredit, remedial, or enrichment
  • English as a Second Language courses Coursework completed in the Passport Program between

Transfer credit hours are counted as both attempted and completed. Audited courses are not included in the calculation.

You must complete your degree requirements within 150 percent of the published credit hour length of your academic program. For example, if your degree requires 120 credit hours for completion, you must be on track to complete your degree requirements before attempting 180 credit hours (120 credit hours X 150 percent).

We are required to select students at the point in time we determine they cannot meet the 150 percent requirement. We begin to select students when they have attempted 125 percent of the published credit hour length of their academic program. For example, if your degree requires 120 credit hours for completion, you will be selected for SAP when you have attempted 150 credit hours (120 credit hours X 125 percent).

Changes in major, pursuit of a second degree, and transfer hours may impact eligibility based on number of hours attempted.

How we monitor your academic progress

Your eligibility will be reviewed on an annual basis. Each spring after final grades have been posted, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships reviews each undergraduate and graduate financial aid application for satisfactory academic progress. If you do not have a FAFSA on file at the time of our annual review, you will be evaluated after you submit your FAFSA or after you apply for a private loan. You may also request a SAP review at the end of any semester you’re enrolled.

Students enrolled in eligible certificate programs that are shorter than 24 credit hours are monitored for SAP compliance at the end of each payment period. For these programs, we review after fall semester before spring aid is awarded, after spring semester before summer aid is disbursed, and after summer before fall aid is awarded.

What happens if you don’t make satisfactory academic progress?

You must meet all of the SAP requirements listed above to be eligible to receive financial aid. We’ll notify you if you’re making unsatisfactory academic progress. You can also see your status in One.IU. If you’ve been flagged as making unsatisfactory progress for more than one requirement, you will see multiple items on your To Do List.

If you lose your aid eligibility due to lack of satisfactory academic progress, you have options.

Options for reinstating your financial aid

If you lose your aid eligibility due to lack of satisfactory academic progress, there are two options available to you: Improve your status or submit an appeal.

Improve your status

You can successfully complete coursework that improves your overall program GPA and/or completion rate to meet the SAP requirements. We will evaluate your progress on an annual basis. However, you may request a SAP review at the end of any semester of enrollment.

If you’re nearing the 150 percent maximum timeframe, you can’t improve your status by continuing to take classes. In this case, you must submit an appeal.

Submit an appeal

You can submit an appeal to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships SAP committee. Information on how to submit an appeal is included in the SAP notification email. To help complete your appeal, you should schedule an appointment with your academic advisor in order to develop an academic plan for the upcoming academic year that will enable you to meet the minimum SAP requirements.

A complete SAP appeal includes the following components:

  • Your completed appeal form, including information from your advisor when necessary.
  • A copy of your unofficial transcript.
  • A typed statement explaining the extenuating circumstances that contributed to your unsatisfactory academic progress during all periods of enrollment regardless of whether or not you received financial aid for those terms. Your statement should include details on steps you have taken to be successful moving forward or what you have done to address your extenuating circumstances.
  • Documentation supporting your statement, which may include:
    • For a medical condition: documentation may include a statement from your physician, therapist or medical professional, hospital discharge or appointment summaries, etc.
    • For the death of family member: a copy of the death certificate or obituary.
    • For a divorce or separation: third party who can verify the situation 
    • For military service: official military orders.

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships SAP Committee will review your appeal. Decisions are made after careful evaluation of your unique circumstances, Federal Title IV regulations, and IU Fort Wayne guidelines. You’ll be notified of our decision at your IU email account. You can expect a decision within 15 business days. During this time, you’re responsible for any tuition and fees (including late fees) that are charged to your account.

Appeal forms

Please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at iufw.finaid@iu.edu with questions or to request these forms in an accessible format. 

 2023-24 aid year (fall 2023-summer 2024)

Appeal priority dates

Appeal priority dates:

  • Fall: August 1
  • Spring: December 15
  • Summer: June 15

Submit your appeal form and documentation as soon as possible. Appeals received after this date will be reviewed. However, aid may not be approved for appeals submitted after the end of a term.

Submitted Appeals will be reviewed within 15 business days of receipt.

 

Submitting an academic progress appeal does not guarantee approval or aid eligibility.

If your appeal is approved

Check the Student Center to make sure you have no other financial aid to-do items. If nothing is listed, you can expect to receive a notification of your financial aid package within the next 10 business days.

If your appeal is denied

You must reestablish your eligibility to receive financial aid. Check your email for additional information. If your appeal was denied due to completion rate or GPA issues, you may become eligible by taking classes and paying for them on your own in order to meet minimum SAP requirements.

Regaining eligibility without an appeal

If you complete or take coursework and feel you have regained good academic standing and would like an evaluation prior to our official evaluation date in May, please notify our office.

Learn more about financial aid