Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy

UW-Stevens Point students must demonstrate “Satisfactory Academic Progress” (SAP) in all three areas of GPA, Pace (67% Rule), and Maximum Timeframe (150% Rule) in order to receive federal financial aid. Students who are not eligible to receive federal financial aid due to lack of Satisfactory Academic Progress may appeal to have their financial aid eligibility reinstated.

Note: SAP Probation for the purpose of financial aid eligibility is separate and distinct from academic probation/suspension. Students in good academic standing can continue to enroll in courses at UWSP, even though they are ineligible to receive financial aid.

Appeals must be received and reviewed (with a decision made) by the Office of Financial Aid and Veteran Services before the last day of the term of your enrollment. Per federal regulations, any appeal received after the last day of the term of enrollment will not be reviewed and eligibility for financial aid for that term can no longer be considered.

Evaluation Process

The GPA, Pace and Maximum Time Frame requirements are evaluated by the Financial Aid and Veteran Services office after every term (Summer/Fall/Spring), once grades are posted. A student who does not meet the GPA, Pace, or Maximum Time Frame requirement(s) will be ineligible to receive financial aid.

Student Options

Choose to continue to enroll in classes without financial aid until they earn an academic standing that meets the minimum criteria for financial aid purposes, i.e. bring the cumulative GPA up to at least a 2.0 for undergraduate students or 3.0 for graduate students and/or successfully complete 67% of accumulative attempted credits. Once the student has corrected the SAP deficiency of Pace/GPA, it is possible for aid to be reinstated.
Provide documentation to the Financial Aid and Veteran Services office to correct any errors made, and/or
Submit an appeal that explains the extenuating circumstances that prevented successful Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and specific steps on how they will reach SAP by the next evaluation period, or the student’s academic plan ensures meeting SAP by a specific point in time. This appeal requires the development and submission of an academic plan.

SAP Forms

SAP Appeal Process

A student who did not meet SAP for financial aid and is currently ineligible to receive financial aid may appeal for reinstatement of eligibility by completing the SAP Appeal Form. This form must include a clear explanation of why the student failed to meet SAP and specifically, what steps the student plans to take to meet SAP by the next evaluation. Additional supporting documentation confirming the appealed situation may also be required.

All appeals must also include an academic plan identifying dates by which the student will meet all aspects of the SAP policy. If the appeal is approved, the student is subsequently placed on Academic Plan Status for one term, after which, the student must be meeting SAP or be following their approved academic plan. If the student is not meeting SAP and/or not following their approved academic plan at the next evaluation, the student will not receive Financial Aid until they are once again in compliance.

Complete the SAP Appeal Form found on our SAP Forms webpage and
Meet with your Academic Advisor or Department Chair (or their designee) to develop an academic plan and
Electronically submit the Appeal Form (and the academic plan) to the Office of Financial Aid and Veteran Services for review and possible approval.

Students with extenuating circumstances that prevented them from making SAP have the right to appeal their situation to the Financial Aid Office. Extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to, student injury or illness, death of a student’s relative or other reasons resulting in undue hardship to the student. Students must submit the Appeal for Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility form, a copy of their Degree Progress Report (DPR), an Advisor/Chair (or designee)-approved academic plan, and any other related documentation that supports the appeal (see additional information on supporting documentation). Per Federal regulations, an appeal may only be approved if the student shows that they will be able to meet SAP by the next evaluation, or the student’s academic plan ensures meeting SAP by a specific point in time. The authorized Financial Aid officer(s) will serve as the final arbiter of appeals and will inform the student of the decision regarding their appeal and the status of their financial aid eligibility. All decisions are final and are not subject to further appeal.

If denied, the student may attend UWSP, without financial aid, and re-appeal when all components of SAP are met. If the appeal is approved, the student is placed on Financial Aid Probation Status for one term, after which, the student must be meeting SAP or be following their approved academic plan. If the student is not meeting SAP or following their academic plan at the next evaluation, they will be ineligible to receive financial aid until they are in compliance.

Academic Plan

All appeals require an academic plan identifying dates by which the student will meet all aspects of the SAP policy. Students with an undeclared major should meet with an academic advisor in the Academic and Career Advising Center (ACAC) and students who have declared a major should meet with the Chair (or their designee) of their academic area to create their own individualized academic plan. Whoever the student meets with and who makes the decision on the appeal, must sign off on this.

SAP Statuses

Grade Point Average (GPA):

All undergraduate students receiving financial aid must maintain a minimum 2.0 UWSP cumulative GPA (all coursework transferred in is considered into this cumulative GPA), while graduate students receiving financial aid must maintain a UWSP minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Note: Standards of satisfactory academic progress for financial aid are different from the University’s probation/suspension requirements listed in the UWSP Catalog. Additionally, academic bankruptcy is not counted when calculating SAP.

Pace (67% Rule):

All full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate students at UWSP who receive financial aid must stay on pace to graduate on time. Pace is calculated by dividing the total credits a student completed per term by the number of credits they have attempted per term. When this calculation falls below 67%, a student is no longer on pace to graduate on time and is ineligible to receive financial aid. Transfer credits are considered within this pace calculation as credits attempted and credits earned. Pace Chart.

Maximum Time Frame (150% Rule):

An eligible undergraduate, graduate, or second degree-seeking student can receive federal financial aid while attempting up to, but not exceeding, 150% of the university’s degree completion length. Credits transferred to UWSP and any credits attempted at UWSP, with or without the benefit of financial aid, must be taken into consideration. For example, a student who is required to earn 60 credits to graduate with an associate degree, the maximum time frame is 90 credits (60 x 150% = 90); a student who is required to earn 120 credits to graduate with a baccalaureate degree, the maximum time frame is 180 credits (120 x 150% = 180).