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Effective: July 22, 2020
It is strongly advised that appeals and corresponding documents are submitted early, prior to the Friday proceeding with the next week of review. NOTICE: SAP appeals must be submitted electronically, and no faxed copies will be accepted.
Institutional Policy
Students admitted into a course of study leading to a degree, and who receive federal, state, institutional or veterans’ financial assistance have their academic progress reviewed by the Office of Financial Aid at the end of each term. Financial aid recipients must meet several aspects of satisfactory academic progress to maintain their aid eligibility. Federal guidelines state that all periods of attendance will be counted toward the students’ academic progress review, regardless of whether the student received financial aid. Students must meet the following qualitative and quantitative standards to maintain financial aid eligibility at the Texas A&M University-Victoria.
Qualitative Measures of Academic Progress
Grade Point Average:
Incoming freshman or new undergraduate transfer students to the A&M-Victoria will be eligible to apply for financial assistance if they have been admitted to the university.
Undergraduates, including post baccalaureate students, must maintain at least a 2.00 cumulative G.P.A., based on a 4.0 grading scale at the A&M-Victoria.
First-time, first-year, or transfer graduate students will be eligible to apply for financial assistance if they have been admitted to the university.
Graduate students are required to maintain at least a 3.00 cumulative grade point average, based on a 4.00 grading scale at the A&M-Victoria.
The minimum cumulative grade point averages are consistent with the university’s requirements for graduation.
Quantitative Measures of Academic Progress
Pace of Progression
Undergraduates, including post-baccalaureate students, receiving financial assistance must complete at least 67% of the cumulative credit hours attempted at the A&M-Victoria in order to maintain eligibility. Transfer hours are included in the calculation.
All graduates receiving financial assistance must complete at least 67% of the cumulative credit hours attempted at the A&M-Victoria in order to maintain eligibility. Transfer hours are included in the calculation.
Maximum Timeframe
Undergraduates are expected to complete their degree or certification within a maximum of 180 attempted credit hours. If a student changes plans, he or she must still receive his or her bachelor’s degree or certification within a maximum of 180 attempted undergraduate credit hours. No limit is set to the number of times a student may change his or her plan; however, all attempted undergraduate hours at A&M-Victoria and transfer hours will be included in the SAP maximum timeframe determination.
Post-Baccalaureate students are expected to complete their degree or certification within a maximum of 45 attempted credit hours. A total of 225 attempted undergraduate credit hours is the combined maximum timeframe for a student to complete his/her bachelor’s degree and post-baccalaureate program.
Graduate students are expected to complete their degree or certification within a maximum of 68 attempted graduate credit hours. If a student changes plans, he or she must still receive his or her master’s degree within the 68 attempted graduate credit hour limitation. No limit is set to the number of times a student may change his or her plan; however, all attempted hours at A&M-Victoria and transfer hours will be included in the SAP timeframe determination.
Transfer Work
Credit hours transferred to the A&M-Victoria will count as both attempted and completed hours in the pace of progression and maximum timeframe determinations.
Treatment of Grades
Withdrawals (W), Satisfactory (S) and unsatisfactory (U) grades are not figured into a student’s grade point average. Withdrawals and unsatisfactory grades are considered attempted hours in the pace of progression and maximum timeframe quantitative measures. Incomplete grades are also considered attempted courses.
Repeated courses are considered attempted hours only in the pace of progression. The most recent grade of a repeated course will be included in the GPA calculation.
Remedial class(es) and ESL classes are not included in the quantitative and qualitative measures.
Courses dropped prior to the term’s census date will not be considered in the SAP calculation.
Monitoring of Academic Progress
The cumulative grade point average, pace of progression, and maximum credit hour limitation are monitored each term. Financial Aid Specialists monitor graduate students who are within 9 hours of the maximum time frame and undergraduate students who are within 20 hours of the maximum time frame limits. The FA Specialist will notify the student’s academic advisor to determine how many hours the student has remaining to complete his/her degree program. If the student will not be able to complete his/her degree withing the maximum time frame, the student will be placed on SAP suspension.
If any student fails to meet one of the SAP quantitative or qualitative measures, the student will be placed on financial aid warning for one term. If the student does not meet the measures at the end of the following term in which the student was on warning, the student will be placed on financial aid suspension. Students on financial aid suspension will not be eligible to receive any form of financial assistance. Records used to monitor satisfactory academic progress will be filed in the student’s financial aid electronic folder. Students will be able to view their Satisfactory Academic Progress in their Self Service account.
Appeal Process
All students not meeting the satisfactory academic requirements will be notified by mail stating that they have been placed on financial aid suspension. The letter will contain the website link to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and navigation to the SAP Appeal Form. Students who have questions or concerns about the situation are welcome to speak with the Financial Aid Specialist who monitors SAP, or they may appeal the suspension.
Students who have mitigating circumstances may submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal (located in student Self Service) Financial Aid section along with pertinent documentation within two months of receiving the letter of suspension. Examples of mitigating circumstances are a relative’s death, an illness or injury to the student, or other special circumstances. The deadline to submit the SAP Appeal form is one month prior to the end of the term in which the student is applying for aid.
The student must provide the following:
- The circumstances which caused their suspension and what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow the student to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation.
- The student’s plan to correct the circumstances (e.g. planned usage of the Student Success Center).
- Intended future enrollment plan including the number of hours remaining before receiving degree.
- Any other pertinent documentation regarding mitigating circumstances (i.e., letter from physician).
If the student receives a favorable decision from the Office of Financial Aid, the student will be placed on financial aid probation. Financial aid eligibility will be granted for the probationary period. A student on financial aid probation may receive aid for one payment period or A&M-Victoria may develop an academic plan for the student, and if allowed, will ensure the student is able to meet the institution’s SAP standards by a specific point in time. The student will need to fulfill specific terms and conditions such as meeting the terms of a Financial Aid Academic Plan, such as taking a reduced course load, enrolling in specific courses, no drops or withdrawal of classes, and/or achieve a specific term GPA. At the end of one payment period on financial aid probation, the student must meet A&M-Victoria’s SAP qualitative and quantitative measures or meet the requirements of the academic agreement developed by the institution in order to receive financial aid funds for the subsequent payment period.
The Office of Financial Aid will provide an initial review and response to the student’s appeal. An email will also be sent to the student via GT eForms notifying him or her of the results of the appeal. A copy of the letter will also be filed in the student’s folder. If the student is concerned about the outcome, the student can make an appointment to visit with the Financial Aid Director. A maximum of two appeals per career may be submitted. With upper management approval, additional appeals may be submitted.
A student may receive grants, scholarships, and work study for the payment period in which the student regains eligibility. For Federal Direct Loans, a student who does not meet satisfactory academic progress standards at the beginning of a period of enrollment but who meets the standards later in that period is eligible for the entire period of enrollment in which he or she met the satisfactory academic progress standards.
Disbursement of Policy
Students are notified of the SAP policy in the A&M-Victoria Catalog online. In addition, copies are available as a handout in the OFA. The policy is also mailed to students not meeting academic progress.
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