Federal SAP Policies
Federal SAP - Undergraduate Students
The Higher Education Act of 1965
The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by Congress, mandates that institutions of higher education monitor the academic progress of students who receive federal financial aid. Recipients of both federal (Title IV) and state financial aid funds must maintain Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward their degrees in order to remain eligible for financial aid assistance.
Federal Financial Aid SAP is defined both qualitatively and quantitatively. Federal regulations state that the SAP standards for students receiving Title IV aid must be the same as or more strict than the school’s standards for a student enrolled in the same educational program who is not receiving Title IV aid.
WPI’s Academic SAP standards differ from its Federal Financial Aid SAP standards. For more information on WPI’s Academic SAP policies, please visit the WPI Registrar's Office page.
WPI has established the following minimum standards to be eligible for and continue to receive federal and state financial aid. This policy reflects the changes to federal regulations that are effective as of July 1, 2011.
In order to assist the student, parents, and the academic advisor in determining whether a student is making federal financial aid satisfactory academic progress, WPI has adopted the following guidelines: Federal Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be reviewed at the end of the academic year (term D) and is based on the student meeting qualitative and quantitative criteria.
Students need to meet all three criteria listed below in order to maintain Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
1) Qualitative Requirement - maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA
- Students must maintain a 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA, which will be reviewed at the end of each academic year.
- NR grades are not included in the GPA
2). Quantitative Requirement - # credits earned vs. # credits attempted
Students must earn a cumulative minimum of 66.67% of the cumulative credits they attempt at the end of each academic year (term D).
3). Quantitative Requirement – 150% maximum timeframe
- Students must complete their degree program within a 150% of the published program length.
- For federal aid purposes, students who do not attain their WPI Bachelor's Degree after 202.50 credits (150% x 135 credits) will no longer be eligible to apply for federal financial aid funding.
Treatment of course work
Withdrawals, NR grades, incomplete courses, and transfer course work are not counted towards the qualitative portion of the SAP review. Quantitative - A grade of A, B, C, and SP, transfer coursework, courses taken during the summer term, and repeated courses (only allowed once) are counted towards classes passed (earned).
Withdrawals, NR grades, incomplete courses, repeated courses, course taken during the WPI summer term, and transfer course work are counted towards attempted hours in the Federal Financial Aid SAP review
Transfer Credits
- Courses transferred to WPI are counted as both passed (credits earned) and attempted classes when measuring pace (quantitative measure). These classes are not counted as part of the qualitative SAP measure
- Counted in next evaluation period following receipt and review of transcript
- Admitted transfers are considered SAP eligible initially
Remedial Coursework
WPI does not accept remedial transfer credit hours and does not include remedial coursework in # classes passed.
Incomplete Grades
- Incomplete grades will be considered as an NR grade when calculating the GPA for qualitative component of the SAP and as attempted classes when calculating the Pace component of Federal Financial Aid SAP.
- If/when incomplete grades are assigned a grade of A, B, C, or SP, the SAP measures will be adjusted for the term in which the class was taken.
- It is the student’s responsibility to notify the WPI Office of Financial Aid of any grade change after the review period.
Repeating Classes (does not apply to Graduate students)
- Students may repeat a passed course only one time to improve the grade. This repeated class will be included in the Federal Financial Aid SAP review.
- A passed course that has been taken more than once to improve the grade will not count in the enrollment status for federal financial aid purposes and will not be included in the Federal Financial Aid SAP review.
Dropped Classes
- After the add/drop period has ended for each term, any class in which a student no longer attends (and receives an NR grade) will be counted as attempted classes in determining Federal Financial Aid SAP.
Withdrawing From the University (officially and unofficially)
- Federal Financial Aid SAP regulations do not recognize any provision for academic amnesty. All academic course work must be included in determining Federal Financial Aid SAP taken anytime a student is enrolled at WPI.
- When a student officially or unofficially withdraws from WPI, all classes showing as attempted will be included in the Federal Financial Aid SAP review.
Federal Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
At the end of the academic year (end of term D), if Financial Aid SAP standards have been met, students will be eligible to apply for financial aid funds for the upcoming academic year.
Financial Aid Suspension
At the end of the academic year (end of term D), if Federal Financial Aid SAP standards have not been met, students will be sent notification by the WPI Office of Financial Aid informing them they have been placed on Federal Financial Aid Suspension due to not meeting Federal Financial Aid SAP standards.
The notification will include information concerning the loss of federal and state financial aid for the upcoming enrollment period (academic year) due to failure to meet the Federal Financial Aid SAP minimum standards as well as explain the financial aid appeal process.
Federal Financial Aid Appeal
If the student is placed on Federal Financial Aid Suspension, an appeal process is available for those students who had a personal injury or illness, death of a relative, or believe they had other mitigating circumstances that affected their ability to meet Federal Financial Aid SAP standards. Students can obtain the SAP Financial Aid Appeal Form by visiting the WPI Office of Financial Aid or downloading the form from the WPI Office of Financial Aid Forms page.
Appeal process
Step One: Students who choose to follow the appeal process must:
- Submit SAP Financial Aid Appeal Form to the WPI Financial Aid Appeal Committee (mail to WPI Office of Financial Aid) by the stated deadline date
- Student must state why he or she was placed on Federal Financial Aid Suspension (i.e. failed to meet Federal Financial Aid SAP requirements).
- Student must state what has changed so that he or she will improve his/her academic performance (i.e. meet Federal Financial Aid SAP at the next review).
Step Two: WPI Financial Aid Appeal Committee will:
- Review the SAP Financial Aid Appeal Form
- Send results of appeal decision to the student
- Approved appeals include:
- Approval and terms of reinstatement of federal financial aid eligibility
- Requirement to meet Federal Financial Aid SAP in next enrollment period (semester) or requirement to follow an academic plan over an extended period of time
- Consequences for not meeting terms of approval
- Approved appeals will result in federal financial aid being awarded for the enrollment period
- Denied appeals include:
- Reasons for denial
- What the student must do to meet Federal Financial Aid SAP
- Denied appeals will not be awarded federal financial aid until Federal Financial Aid SAP is met
Step Three: Students must continue to meet terms, as established, until Federal Financial Aid SAP is met in order to continue receiving federal financial aid on a probationary basis. Once Federal Financial Aid SAP is met, students are no longer considered to be on Federal Financial Aid Probation. Failure to maintain Federal Financial Aid SAP in a subsequent semester will result in the student being placed on Federal Financial Aid Suspension for the upcoming enrollment period (semester).
The U.S. Higher Education Act require universities participating in federally funded financial aid programs to make certain information about the institution is available to current and prospective students and other interested parties. This page aggregates links to a wide range of such information available online from a variety of sources on campus. This list is still a work in progress and links will be edited and updated as information becomes available.
Federal Financial Aid Probation
Students who have their SAP Financial Aid Appeal approved are placed on Federal Financial Aid Probation and may apply for federal financial aid funding for the semester in which they are on Federal Financial Aid Probation. Continuation of federal financial aid while on Financial Aid Probation is contingent on the student successfully meeting Federal Financial Aid SAP standards and/or an academic plan of action provided with the approved appeal.
Federal SAP - Graduate Students
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy for Graduate Students
Federal regulations require students who are receiving financial aid to make deliberate and measurable progress toward your degree in order to continue to receive financial aid. This requirement is referred to as Satisfactory Academic Progress or SAP.
WPI will monitor your academic progress to ensure that you maintain a minimum cumulative GPA and make steady progress toward degree completion. This policy applies to federal and state aid. Students who do not meet the SAP requirements may lose their financial aid eligibility. If extenuating circumstances led to your noncompliance, you may submit an appeal to the Office of Financial Aid.
Only students with a current year FAFSA on file will be evaluated. If you do not have a current FAFSA on file, you will not be evaluated until a FAFSA is received for the upcoming academic year. The SAP review is based on the entire academic record, even if you did not receive financial aid for previous semesters of enrollment.
Qualitative and Quantitative Standards
WPI measures your academic performance, in relation to financial aid, based on three standards: grade point average (GPA), pace, and maximum timeframe.
Refer to the WPI Registrar’s page for the school’s academic standing definitions and policies.
To be eligible for financial aid, Graduate students must comply with the following requirements:
Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)
Maintain a 3.0 minimum cumulative grade point average. In the event that your program of study requires a higher GPA, it will supersede the minimum in this policy
Completion Rate (Pace)
Students must earn a cumulative minimum of 66.67% of the cumulative credits they attempt at the end of each academic year (term D).
Maximum Time Frame
Earn your degree within the timeframe and maximum credits established in the Academic Regulations and Policies as specified in the graduate catalogue.
Evaluations and Notifications
Satisfactory academic progress is evaluated annually in June. Students who fail to meet the minimum SAP standards will be notified electronically via your WPI email account.
The SAP policy applies to financial aid eligibility; it does not impact registration or academic standing. It is separate from the academic standard required by the University for continued enrollment.
Appeal Process
Students not meeting the minimum SAP requirements have the right to petition the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Committee to have their aid reinstated when extenuating circumstances exist. Circumstances which are considered extenuating are those which are unusual or unforeseen at the beginning of the enrollment period such as death of a relative, injury, illness, family or financial difficulties. An appeal may not be based upon the need for assistance or lack of knowledge that assistance was in jeopardy. The committee will review the appeal and notify the student of their decision in writing at your WPI email account.
- Graduate student SAP Appeal Form
- Appeals must be in writing using the form above and include an explanation of why you were unable to meet the SAP requirements, and the circumstances that have changed which would allow you to make SAP at the next evaluation. You may include supporting documents.
- You must also meet with your academic advisor to create an academic plan. This plan must demonstrate that, if followed, you will be meeting SAP standards at the next evaluation or by a specified point in time. This plan must be presented with your appeal letter.
- Written appeals must be filed within 30 days of notification or prior to the last day of add/drop for the semester in which aid is desired, whichever comes first.
- Appeal documentation can be scanned and emailed to finaid@wpi.edu.
Students should not assume that a SAP appeal will be approved and must accept responsibility for paying tuition and fees if the appeal is denied. SAP Appeals Committee decisions are final and may not be appealed to another source. Students may submit one appeal.