The Department of Education requires schools to review Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to ensure that students successfully progress toward their degree requirements. Both a qualitative and a quantitative review are necessary to determine academic progress. As a result, academic progress is reviewed at the end of each semester (including summer) here at Salem State University.
The Financial Aid SAP policy may differ from the Salem State University School of Graduate Studies' Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
Students are expected to meet all the guidelines below to maintain Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP):
- Earn at least a 3.000 (B) cumulative grade point average (qualitative review).
- Successfully complete at least 67% of attempted graduate-level coursework cumulatively (quantitative review).
- Remedial credits are not calculated in the qualitative review but are calculated in the quantitative review. Remedial credits are evaluated to ensure successful completion by the School of Graduate Studies.
- Withdrawal credits are not calculated in the qualitative review but are calculated in the quantitative review.
- Incomplete grades will not be counted in the qualitative review until the subsequent scheduled academic progress evaluation when the coursework has been completed and a grade has been assigned. A grade of Incomplete will be counted in the quantitative review.
- Transfer credits are not calculated in the qualitative review but are calculated in the quantitative review.
- Repeat credits may only be taken with approval from your Program Coordinator and the Dean of the Graduate School. Credits from the course (original and repeat) will be calculated in the quantitative review, but only the repeat grade will be calculated in the qualitative review.
- Students with an approved program change will have their previous coursework excluded from their satisfactory academic progress review as long as all prior coursework is not counted towards the new degree. Financial Aid will only allow one approved program change for financial aid satisfactory academic progress purposes.
- Students have no more than six years from the date of acceptance to complete their degree requirements (some programs have seven years).
- Students who, mathematically, cannot complete their degree requirements within six years, or seven years where applicable, will become ineligible for federal financial aid. Students may appeal the time period requirement to the Graduate School.
Financial Aid Probation and Appeal Procedures:
Students will be notified via their SSU email when they fail to meet the Graduate Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and their financial aid will be suspended. Students who become ineligible for financial aid may appeal this decision by completing and submitting the following documents:
- Graduate Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Request
- To be completed by the student and submitted to the Graduate Financial Aid Administrator in the Financial Aid Office. The student must explain why they failed to maintain financial aid satisfactory academic progress and what has changed to allow them to meet progress by the end of the next enrolled semester.
- School of Graduate Studies Academic Improvement Plan
- To be completed between the student and their Program Coordinator, explaining how the student will regain good academic standing during their probationary period. The completed document must be submitted directly to the School of Graduate Studies at graduate@salemstate.edu after the Program Coordinator has signed it.
Students will receive notification of their appeal decision via their SSU email.
If the student's SAP appeal is approved, the student will be placed on Probation and may continue to receive financial aid for one to two additional semesters while improving their academic standing. Probation is generally granted for one semester but may be granted for up to two semesters if the student successfully follows their Academic Improvement Plan.
Students granted an appeal are expected to be in good academic standing by the end of their probationary period or risk losing financial aid for additional semesters.
Students may forgo the appeal process and complete courses without federal financial aid assistance. In doing so, a student may be able to regain financial aid eligibility by the next evaluation period if the student has reached a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and has successfully completed 67% of their cumulative attempted credits.
If, at any time, a student is dismissed by the University, their financial aid will immediately be canceled.
Students are generally eligible for one Graduate Financial Aid SAP Appeal (unless extreme circumstances are present) during their graduate studies at Salem State University.