The document summarizes UNT's new Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy which will monitor student progress at the end of each term rather than annually due to recent federal regulation changes. It outlines the qualitative and pace requirements including warning statuses, appeals processes, and maximum credit hour limits. Examples are provided to demonstrate how maximum credit hours are calculated for undergraduate and graduate programs.

1. Presented By:
Dena Guzman-Torres, Assistant
Director

2. Based on new federal regulation
changes, UNT will begin monitoring
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
at the end of each term instead of on a
yearly basis.
• This is a result of the Higher Education Act and the
final rules that were passed in Fall 2010

3. Pace of Progression
o The rate at which a student is progressing toward the
completion of a degree, certificate or certification.
Meets SAP
o A status assigned to a student in good standing and
meeting all SAP requirements.
Warning
o A status assigned to a student who failed to meet SAP
requirements (qualitative and/or pace of progression). A
student will still be allowed to receive financial aid during
a warning status.

4. (cont.)
Not Meets SAP
o A status assigned to a student who is not meeting SAP
requirements (qualitative, pace of progression and/or
maximum hours). Students are not eligible for financial
aid with this status.
Appeal
o The process for a student who failed to meet SAP
requirements to petition the school for a reconsideration
of financial aid.
Financial Aid Probation
o A status assigned to a student who failed to maintain SAP
but who successfully appeals, permitting the student to
receive financial aid for a specified amount of time.

5. Academic Status
(Set by Registrar)
Financial Aid Status
Semester Status
Semester Status Freshmen
Fall Meeting Fall Good Standing
Spring Warning Spring Academic Alert
*Summer Not Meeting Summer Probation
Fall Not Meeting Fall Suspension
Spring Suspension
* Summer is no longer considered a
All Other Students
free term for financial aid.
Fall Good Standing
Spring Probation
Summer Suspension
Fall Suspension

6. To meet SAP, UNT requires minimum
cumulative UNT grade point
averages, shown below.
Minimum Cumulative UNT
Grade Point Average
Undergraduate Students 2.00
Graduate Students 3.00

7.  Student Financial Aid and Scholarships will
determine the number of hours a student
must complete by Total Minimum Earned,
the end of each Registered
Hours
Completed & Passed
Hours
term based on the 1 1
total registered 2 2
3-5 3
hours at UNT. 6-11 6
o See Chart for Required 12-15 9
Completed Hours 16-19 12
20-23 15
24+ 18

8. Example:
• Eva is an undergraduate student who is meeting the
SAP requirements at the beginning of Fall. She
registers for 12 hours and only successfully
completes 7 hours with a 2.2 GPA. Since she did not
complete the required amount of hours she is at a
Warning status for the Spring semester and will still
receive financial aid for that semester.

9.  Students must not have registered for, earned or
attempted more than a specific cumulative
maximum of semester hours as an undergraduate
student.
• The current maximum is 150% of the student’s required
degree plan. Equation provided below:
o _______ x 150% = _______ Maximum hours allowed for
financial aid degree plan hours
 If a student exceeds the maximum number of
hours allowed by their degree plan their financial
aid will be canceled. This can result in the loss of
pending aid and the potential of students being
dropped from their classes.

10. What hours are included in this
limit?
• All hours registered for, earned or attempted at
any institution of higher education.
• It also includes hours that have been
dropped, withdrawn from, failed, duplicated or
never completed.
• This limit includes all of the above hours
whether or not financial aid was applied for or
received during any academic period.
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and
some military hours are subject to review.

11. (Example #1)
 Sarah is a continuing student with 145
earned/attempted hours with a degree plan
that requires 124 hours to complete. Her
eligibility would be calculated as follows:
o 124 hours (per her degree plan) x 150% = 186 hours of
financial aid eligibility
o Sarah is under her maximum hours allowed for
financial aid and remains eligible for aid as long as all
other requirements are met.

12. (Example #2)
 Gavin is a new transfer student with 191
earned/attempted hours with a degree plan
that requires 120 hours to complete. His
eligibility would be calculated as follows:
o 120 hours (per his degree plan) x 150% = 180 hours of
financial aid eligibility.
o Gavin is over his maximum hours allowed for financial
aid and is not eligible for financial aid.

13.  For a graduate program (master’s or
doctoral), the maximum timeframe cannot
exceed 150% of the published length of the
program measured by the number of terms at
UNT. Please note, this includes Fall, Spring
and Summer terms of enrollment.
• Examples:
o A Master’s program may require 18 terms (6 years) to
complete. When calculated: 18 terms x 150% = 27 terms (9
years) of financial aid eligibility.
o A Doctoral program may require 30 terms (10 years) to
complete. When calculated: 30 terms x 150% = 45 terms (15
years) of financial aid eligibility.

14. In addition, each post-baccalaureate
program has specific aid eligibility
guidelines for maximum timeframe and
are monitored accordingly.

15.  If a student fails to meet Satisfactory
Academic Progress and had mitigating
circumstances an appeal may be filed.
• Mitigating Circumstances include:
o Serious injury of the student and/or the student’s
immediate family
o Serious extended illness of the student and/or the
student’s immediate family
o Learning Disability
o Death of the student’s relative
• Appeal forms are located in our office and on
our website: http://financialaid.unt.edu

16. Based on new federal regulations,
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
will be reviewed at the end of each term
beginning Fall 2011.
Summer will no longer be considered a
free term for financial aid beginning
Summer 2012.
Any Questions?

17. Dena Guzman-Torres, Assistant
Director
Dena.Guzman-Torres@unt.edu