Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations require that all recipients of student financial aid make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward a degree or certificate program. Students applying for assistance for programs that require completion of a Free Application of Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must meet SAP requirements for current and continuing eligibility of financial aid. Even though all institutions administering financial aid must have an SAP policy, requirements may differ from one institution to another. In addition, SAP requirements to maintain financial aid eligibility and SAP requirements to maintain eligibility to register at UCO vary in some aspects. Please refer to the UCO catalog for SAP requirements to maintain enrollment eligibility.

How Academic Progress is Measured for SAP

The Financial Aid SAP Policy includes the following standards that comply with federal regulations:

Qualitative Standard

Students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA for all credit hours attempted, including all coursework taken at other institutions, regardless of whether financial aid was received for credits taken.

Quantitative Standard

Students are required to complete (pass) a minimum cumulative percentage of all the hours attempted, including coursework taken at other institutions, regardless of whether financial aid was received for credits taken.

Maximum Timeframe

Students are expected to graduate from their program of study in a timely manner within 150 percent of the published length of the program of study. All credits attempted are counted including change in majors, credits from other institutions and whether or not financial aid was received for credits taken. 

SAP Standards, Cumulative Requirements Chart

 These standards and cumulative requirements are summarized in the following chart:

SAP Treatment of Grades

For financial aid purposes, passing grades are A, B, C, D, S and P.  Grades of F, I, U, X, T or W indicate the course was attempted but not passed or completed. 

Note: Grades of F, I, U, X, T or W do count as credits hours attempted for the purposes of meeting SAP standards for completion rate and maximum time frame requirements. 

Repeated Courses

For financial aid eligibility, courses may be repeated one time. Failed courses that are required for program completion may be repeated until the course is passed. This does not apply to courses where the content is spread across multiple terms, i.e. piano courses for a music degree in the School of Music. (Please refer to the undergraduate and graduate catalog for the repeated coursework academic policy.)

Dropped Courses During 100% Refund Period

Courses dropped within the 100-refund deadline, (drop and add) period of each semester or courses taken as an audit will not be counted in the credits hours attempted and have no bearing on SAP since financial aid is not processed, or, if processed, will be returned.

Special note: If financial aid funds were received (refunded or credited to the student’s account) and based on:

• Enrollment that included courses later dropped as "No Record";
• Courses that were later changed to “Audit”; or,
• Courses assigned an administrative withdrawal (AW) due to the student never attending the class;

 The student may owe a repayment of a portion or all of funds received by the student. 

Academic Reprieve Policy

Federal student aid regulations make no provisions to exclude courses from the cumulative GPA or completion rate/pace. Therefore, for purposes of evaluating SAP financial aid eligibility, all coursework applicable to the student’s major is a part of the SAP evaluation, including coursework excluded from a student’s academic record due to the UCO reprieve policy addressed in the undergraduate catalog, unless the courses fall under the UCO repeated course policy.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Evaluation

Evaluation of SAP occurs at the end of each term once grades are posted.

Students with previous coursework from other institutions will need to submit official transcripts to the Records Office. Upon posting of grades, SAP evaluation will take place for consideration of financial aid eligibility. Students with a poor academic history/SAP may be ineligible to receive financial aid.

All coursework attempted is evaluated whether or not financial aid was received for credits taken.

Students not meeting the above SAP Standards and Cumulative Requirements chart for cumulative GPA and/or the cumulative completion rate/pace will receive notification of the following SAP statuses:

Warning Status

1.    Students who failed to meet SAP requirements as stated on Chart 1, SAP Standards and Cumulative Requirements at the end of an enrollment term will be placed on a "Warning" status (not to exceed one term) for the next term of enrollment. Students at a "Warning" status are eligible to receive financial aid.

2.    Students who meet the cumulative GPA and cumulative completion rate/pace requirements by the end of the "Warning" term per SAP Standards and Requirement Chart will go off the "Warning" status.

3.    Students not meeting cumulative GPA and cumulative completion rate/pace requirements by the end of the "Warning" term will be sent a Denial Notification and may not receive financial aid for the next term of enrollment. Students have the opportunity to submit an appeal of the denial. See the appeal process in this section.

Exceeding Maximum Timeframe-Excessive Hours

SAP standards require that students complete their program of study in a timely manner within 150 percent of the published credit length of the program. Students who have attempted credits exceeding the 150 percent maximum but have not graduated will receive notification for denial of financial aid due to excessive hours.

Credit hours attempted includes all hours attempted at UCO regardless of change in majors and all other institutions attended regardless whether financial aid was received for coursework. The 150 percent maximum timeframe allowed will be reduced for students working on their second bachelor or second masters degree. Students on an excessive hour denial have the opportunity to submit an appeal of the denial. See the appeal process in this section for procedures.