Financial Aid Impact
What does my SAP status mean for my financial aid?
W-GPA/W-COM%/W-%GPA
This is a WARNING status for GPA and/or completion rate. When you fall below minimum SAP standards (2.0 GPA / 67% completion rate), you are put on Warning for one semester. During this one semester, you are allowed to use financial aid to increase your GPA/completion rate back into good standing. At the end of the Warning semester, if you are at a cumulative 2.0 GPA or higher AND a cumulative 67% completion rate or higher, then you are back in good standing and your SAP status will be updated to OK. If either your GPA is below 2.0 OR your completion rate is below 67%, then you will be terminated from financial aid.
There is nothing you need to do when on a warning status except do your best academically.
T-GPA/T-COM%/T-%GPA
If this is your SAP status, then you have been TERMINATED for GPA and/or completion rate. You will have finished your Warning semester, and your GPA is still below 2.0 OR your completion rate is still below 67%. You have two options:
- Attend without using financial aid until you have raised your GPA to 2.0 or higher AND your completion rate to 67% or greater; or
- Submit a SAP Failed Warning Appeal (this could be a link to the information on how to file a SAP Failed Warning appeal) to the Office of Student Financial Aid. Learn more about How to File an Appeal.
PROBAT
If your SAP status is PROBAT, then you have already finished a Warning semester and have been Terminated for GPA and/or completion rate. You have submitted a SAP Appeal and it has been approved. You now have one semester of Probation to improve your cumulative GPA and/or completion rate. Probation is on a semester-by-semester basis, with your progress re-evaluated at the end of each semester (Fall / Spring / Summer).
The below requirements must be met during each probationary semester –
- Enroll in no more than 12 credit hours each term until you are back in good standing unless you have written approval from your advisor;
- Earn at least a 2.000 term GPA;
- Earn a passing grade in all transcripted courses (A, B, C, D, or P);
- No withdrawals after the 100% refund period; and
- Repeat courses that are major, minor, and general education requirements that have received low grades.
If you meet these conditions at the end of the one-semester probationary period, your probation will carry forward to your next enrolled semester and you will continue to be eligible for financial aid.
If you do not meet these requirements at the end of the one-semester probationary period, your probation will be Terminated for Failed Probation, and your financial aid will be canceled for the next semester. You would need to file a new SAP Appeal addressing the one semester of failed probation, along with new circumstances and third-party supporting documentation. (See the T-FLP section for more information.)
T-FLP
Terminated for Failed Probation is a status assigned to a student who had an approved appeal and then failed to meet the requirements to remain on Probation. Your financial aid has been terminated, and you must submit a new SAP Appeal to see if it can be reinstated. Learn more about How to File an SAP Failed Probation Appeal.
T-MAX
When a student reaches 150% of the published length of their declared program, their financial aid is Terminated due to Maximum Hours. This is a limit set by the Department of Ed. For example – You have a declared major in Public Health. The published program length for a degree in Public Health is 120 hours. You are allowed to use financial aid for up to 180 hours to earn this degree. 120 hours X 150% = 180 maximum hours allowed to use financial aid. When you reach the 150% hour threshold for your major, your aid is terminated. You have two options:
- You can pay out of pocket or use alternative loans to finish your degree; or
- You can submit a Grad Plan Appeal Form. Grad Plan appeals are entirely based on math. Learn more about How to File an Appeal.
GRDPLN
This status is used for students who were Terminated for Maximum Hours, submitted a Grad Plan appeal to have their hours recalculated, and had the Grad Plan appeal approved. A status of GRDPLN will be assigned for each semester that was part of the approved academic plan, through the student’s graduation. The approved class plan is verified against enrollment each semester and any deviation from the approved plan will cause aid to be terminated. If this happens, a new Grad Plan appeal must be submitted for review. Changes to the class schedule could be approved in advance if a new plan is submitted before the end of the previous semester. If that is done, an entire new Grad Plan appeal wouldn’t be necessary.
With a status of GRDPLN, the only things you need to do is enroll according to the approved class plan and do well in your classes.
INELIG
You are not eligible for financial aid if your SAP status is INELIG. This is usually because you are a graduate student who is not enrolled in a program, or an undergraduate student who has a prior bachelor's degree but has not declared a new (different) major. The Department of Education will allow students to use federal aid to earn a degree, but aid will not be allowed to be used after a degree has been earned unless a new major is declared (you are pursuing a different degree). To be eligible for financial aid as a graduate student, you must be accepted into a program (working towards a degree). They will not permit the use of aid to enroll in random classes.
To become eligible for federal financial aid, a student with a SAP status of INELIG will need to:
- be accepted into a graduate-level program (have a graduate-level major declared);
- if an undergraduate student with a prior degree (“Senior with Degree”), declares a major of anything other than what your prior degree was; or
- if taking required undergraduate prerequisite classes for admission to a graduate or second bachelor’s program, submit a GUNCL Appeal Form.
NOTE – GUNCL Appeals are only valid for three consecutive semesters – ONE calendar year. After the third consecutive semester has passed – any additional classes must be paid for out of pocket or using alternative financing, until you have been accepted into your new program.
PREREQ
This is the SAP status assigned to students who have an approved GUNCL request for no more than three consecutive semesters (one calendar year). You will be eligible for financial aid during these semesters as you take prerequisite undergraduate-level classes for admission to a Graduate level program or a second Bachelor's level program. Your enrollment on the GUNCL form will be verified against the approved class schedule, and any deviations from the approved plan will result in aid termination.
CERT
This is the SAP status assigned to students who have a Senior with Degree – undeclared major status and are taking undergraduate classes to obtain a Teaching Certificate. The TCERT status is assigned when your request has been approved, for the classes/semesters detailed by your advisor on the TCERT form. You will be eligible for financial aid during these semesters as you take the approved classes. Your enrollment on the TCERT form will be verified against the approved class schedule, and any deviations from the approved plan will result in aid termination.
TCERT Request Form - Use the drop-down menu to select the correct year’s “Appeals Forms”, then open the TCERT form. This form needs to be completed with your program advisor and submitted to the Office of Student Financial Aid.
