Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) - Undergraduates
Want to Keep Receiving Your Financial Aid?
Be Sure You Are Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Students who receive financial aid at Winston-Salem State University must maintain satisfactory academic progress as a condition to continue receiving financial aid.
The purpose of the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy is to:
- Encourage students to complete their degree or certificate programs within a reasonable timeframe.
- Comply with federal and state requirements.
How SAP Is Measured
A student’s SAP is reevaluated every semester.
- Grades: GPA of 2.0 or higher
- Pace: Complete at least 67% of attempted courses.
- Timeframe: Complete degree within 150% of the program’s credit requirements.
Please visit the SAP Calculator page to measure your progress.
Detailed Descriptions of How SAP Is Measured
Levels of SAP Status
- Good Standing: Meeting all SAP standards = eligible for aid.
- Warning: Not meeting one or more standards but allowed one semester to improve.
- Unsatisfactory Progress: Not meeting SAP after the warning period = not eligible for financial aid.
How Standards are Reviewed and Assessed
- SAP standards are reviewed and assessed based on the student’s official academic record.
- The student’s official record is maintained by the Office of the Registrar.
- Students who have failed to meet one or more of the SAPFA standards are not eligible for financial aid.
Ways that Financial Aid Eligibility May Be Regained
The student raises their cumulative GPA to the required minimum at WSSU.
- The student’s credit hour completion rate has been increased to 67% or greater.
- A SAPFA appeal has been approved by committee.
The qualitative standard is the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA).
Undergraduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00.
The quantitative standard (pace) is the number of overall credits earned in relation to those attempted.
All students must complete at least 67 percent of all courses attempted at any college attended. The completion ratio is measured by dividing total hours earned by total hours attempted.
Grades of F, W, WF, I, or U do not count as passing grades. Grades of IP are not considered passing for undergraduate students as it is assigned only for thesis or project research or similar courses to indicate that a grade is pending until the sequence of courses is completed. Repeated courses do not count toward the overall earned credit hours if no credit toward graduation is awarded the semester the course is repeated.
The timeframe standard refers to the maximum time frame allowed to complete the academic program. A student is eligible to receive financial aid for a maximum number of overall attempted hours. Completion of a degree must be accomplished within a maximum timeframe. Students can receive financial aid for up to 150% of the credit hours required for degree completion. All credit hours attempted (including transfer credits) are counted.
Most undergraduate programs require 120 credits to earn a degree. Students can receive aid for up to 180 credits.
Student Status/Type and Provisions Related to the Standards
+ First Baccalaureate Degree
- Most undergraduate academic programs require 120 earned credits to complete. The maximum timeframe provided to a student pursuing their first bachelor’s degree is 180 attempted credits.
- Exceptions are made for programs requiring more than 120 credits to complete.
- If it is determined that a student cannot earn a degree within the maximum timeframe, financial aid is suspended.
+ Second (Or Beyond) Baccalaureate Degree
- As the average of post baccalaureate undergraduate programs require the student to earn 30 additional credits to complete, the maximum timeframe provided to a student pursuing an additional post baccalaureate undergraduate degree is 45 attempted credits.
- Exceptions may be made for cases where the revised maximum timeframe has been extended as a result of the SAPFA appeal process.
+ Certificate Programs: Students enrolled in eligible certificate programs may receive financial aid only for those courses that are required to complete the certificate program.
+ Study Abroad
- Students who participate in study abroad will be evaluated for SAPFA at the end of the term for which they were enrolled in the program.
- Each academic year study abroad students must earn a minimum of 67% of the credit hours registered for (locked hours) at the end of schedule adjustment and meet the GPA requirement.
