Satisfactory Academic Progress

(College of Graduate and Professional Studies)

In order to be eligible for federal sources of financial aid, federal regulations require that students maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) towards their degree. Incremental progress towards degree completion will take place once per year in May. The Federal Government requires that both quantitative and qualitative measurements take place. Qualitative Measure requires the student to maintain an acceptable cumulative grade point average. Quantitative measure requires the student to successfully complete an acceptable percentage of classes attempted. The Student Financial Services Office notifies students who fail to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Students who are not maintaining SAP have the option of satisfying requirements in one of two ways:

  1. Taking courses in subsequent terms (at their own expense) to raise either the credit hour or grade point average requirements, or both.

  2. Requesting a waiver of the requirements due to mitigating circumstances. Students who wish to have the requirements waived due to mitigating circumstances (ie: illness; death of a family member; family difficulties; etc) must submit a letter to the Student Financial Services Office for review. The Student Financial Services Office will communicate a written decision on such requests with copies of the decision forwarded to the Center Director. Any student approved for mitigating circumstances must make satisfactory academic progress during the next incremental period.

Students who are not meeting SAP guidelines and who opt not to satisfy the requirements in one of the two options listed will be considered ineligible for financial aid until such requirements are met.  

Federal Financial Aid Regulations also mandate that students may not receive financial aid for more than 150% of the published length of the academic program. Therefore, Franklin Pierce University
has established that students may not receive financial aid for more than 60 credit hours for Graduate programs; 150 credit hours for BA/BS programs; or 75 credit hours for AA programs. This equates to a timeframe of 125% of the program length and allows for those cases where exceptions may be made in order to remain within federal policy.