Federal SAP Policy - Graduate
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the process used to determine if a student is making acceptable progress toward a degree or certificate. At the end of each payment period (semester), a review of a student’s progress is conducted. A student’s failure to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards (for all terms enrolled, not just those terms that aid was received) may result in loss of federal aid eligibility.
An electronic notification detailing the student’s SAP status will be sent to the student’s Buffalo State College email address; if unavailable a hard copy notification will be mailed to the permanent address on file.
The following Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards must be met:
1. Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) - Qualitative Component
a. A student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (BSC’s GPA only).
2. Minimum Pace rate (formerly known as Completion rate) for Attempted Credit Hours - Quantitative Component
a. A student must complete at least two-thirds (66.67%) of all cumulative attempted credit hours.
b. The following designations are considered to be attempted credit hours but are not considered to be successfully completed: I, N, X, W, U, E and F grades.
c. Transfer credit hours posted to the official transcript record will be counted as attempted credit hours.
d. All courses removed through the academic clemency process will be counted as attempted credit hours. On a case-by-case basis, academic clemency may be subject to appeal.
Repeated Courses
Courses that are repeated to improve a grade are counted as attempted each time they are taken but are only counted as completed once.
Readmission to the college after an absence does not automatically mean reinstatement of aid eligibility.
Financial Aid Warning
A student who fails to maintain cumulative GPA or meet Pace requirements is placed on Financial Aid Warning as long as it is mathematically possible to recover in one payment period. There is no action required by the student; federal aid eligibility continues for one payment period/semester.
Appeal Process for Special Circumstances
If the student is still not making satisfactory academic progress after the Financial Aid Warning semester, he or she is ineligible for federal financial aid until the required standard is achieved.
A student has a right to appeal the loss of federal financial aid eligibility if mitigating circumstances (events totally beyond the student’s control) existed). All Federal SAP Appeals and supporting documentation should be submitted to Academic Standards, Twin Rise 100, by the deadline indicated on the form. Incomplete appeals or those without supporting documentation will be denied. Students may seek help to complete the appeal form by calling Academic Standards at (716) 878-5222. A committee will review all federal SAP appeals notify the student in writing of the determination.
Financial Aid Probation
A student who fails to maintain the cumulative GPA and/or meet the Pace rate standard is placed on Financial Aid Probation only if the student has successfully appealed. The student will continue to receive federal financial aid for one payment period/semester. The student must meet SAP at the end of the probationary period or comply with the requirements of an Academic Plan (a contractual agreement designed to ensure that the student will make SAP by a specified point in time).
If the student is still not making Satisfactory Academic Progress or fails to meet the Academic Plan requirements after the probationary period, he/she will become ineligible for federal financial aid until all SAP standards are successfully met.
