Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP)
For a student to receive financial aid, regulations require that he/she maintain satisfactory academic progress toward a degree. The following are the satisfactory academic progress standards for students seeking federal or institutional financial aid at Fairfield University.
Standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress
For students to be eligible for federal, state or university need-based financial aid, they must be in good academic standing and must make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward a degree. SAP is measured at the end of each academic year and is based on both pace of enrollment and academic performance at the time of measurement. Pace is determined by the total number of credit hours completed as a proportion of those attempted. Incomplete grades, repeated courses and course withdrawals that occur after the drop/add period are counted in the credit hours attempted. If the student has transfer credits, the credit hours are counted in both the credit hours completed and attempted.
Academic performance is measured by GPA including grades earned only in Fairfield University courses. In order to make SAP, students advancing from the first year to the sophomore year are expected to have a weighted cumulative GPA of 1.80 or better. At the end of the sophomore year, students are expected to have a weighted cumulative GPA of 1.90 or better. At the end of junior year, students should have an overall weighted cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better. For the purposes of both pace and academic performance, summer courses will be included as the trailing term of the academic year.
Students who lose eligibility for financial aid as a result of failure to make satisfactory academic progress may appeal to be placed on financial aid probation. This appeal must include the reasons for the lack of progress and the student's anticipated steps for improvement. In order to consider the appeal, the Office of Financial Aid will need to receive from the student and academic advisor an academic plan that will lead to achievement of SAP thresholds. If during the probation period the student has not successfully achieved satisfactory academic progress, the student may appeal with a modified academic plan. Probation may last for up to one academic year, unless there are extraordinary circumstances. While on probation, a student's progress will be monitored at the end of each semester.
*Effective: July 1, 2011
Notification
The Office of Financial Aid will notify the student if he/she fails to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students will be notified of their SAP status only via StagWeb e-mail.
Reinstatement of Financial Aid
To have financial aid eligibility reinstated, a student may make up the credit hour and/or grade point index deficiencies in a subsequent term without receipt of financial aid for that term. University aid is only offered (if the student maintains eligibility) for eight semesters.
Appeal Process
A student who believes his/her failure to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards was due to extenuating circumstances beyond his/her control may appeal in writing to the SAP Committee. Some examples of extenuating circumstances are:
- A student's serious illness or accident
- Death or serious illness in the student's family
- Cancellation/discontinuance of a class by the University
- Other unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of the student that caused the student to fall below the satisfactory progress standards
Students requesting reinstatement of financial aid must submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form for the financial aid year in which they are appealing, and all applicable supporting documentation, to the Office of Financial Aid.
2011-2012 SAP Appeal Form (September 2011-May 2012)
Deadlines
Appeals must be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid by July 1. If reinstatement of aid is sought for summer sessions, the appeal must be submitted prior to the first day of classes for that term. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate an appeal before the specified deadline.