Satisfactory Academic Progress SAP Policy
Overview
In order to maintain eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid, a student must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress towards the completion of a degree or its equivalent. This satisfactory academic progress is measured both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Qualitative Measures
Undergraduate
All undergraduate students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0. This GPA is calculated only using those classes taken at NDNU – it does not include transfer GPA if the student enrolls at NDNU subsequent to studies at another institution.
Graduate
Graduate students are expected to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Quantitative Measures
Course Completion Standard
Students are expected to successfully complete the courses in which they enroll within a satisfactory quantity/percentage as defined below.
Successful completion of a cumulative percentage of at least 75% of credits attempted
Maximum Time Frame Standard
Students are expected to complete their academic program within a maximum time frame which encompasses all credits attempted within the duration of the students’ studies at NDNU. The standard set for this maximum time frame is 150% of the credit hours required to complete the degree or its equivalent.
Definitions of Successful Course Completion
Only graded units of A, B, C, and D, and P are considered as completed units.
- F, NP, W, IP, AW and I grades are not considered as units completed. Students who receive I or IP grades must notify the OFA with verification when hours have been completed.
- A student may repeat a course for which a grade of C, D, or F is received but repeats are limited to the number of times specified in the University Catalog. Students may repeat only courses designated as repeatable in the Catalog. Independent Study may not be used to repeat a course. These classes will be included in enrollment status and must be taken for a letter grade.
- Incomplete courses will not be considered as being successfully completed. An incomplete grade will count as credit/s attempted and credit/s not earned until the grades have been changed to a passing grade.
Consequences of Failure to Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress
NDNU evaluates students following Spring Semester in regards to satisfactory academic progress.
Once this evaluation is completed, the process for students failing to maintain satisfactory academic progress:
- The student is immediately disqualified from consideration for all forms of federal, state and
institutional student aid for any future semester(s)of enrollment at NDNU.
- This disqualification status is communicated to the student in writing by the NDNU Office of Financial Aid.
- The disqualified student considers whether to appeal the SAP disqualification if the student has not previously appealed.
If the student decides to appeal, the appeal process consists of these steps:
- Student submits a letter of appeal to the Financial Aid SAP Appeal Committee explaining the circumstances which led to the failure to achieve SAP and how the student’s academic performance will improve in the future.
- Student submits any supporting documentation as to why SAP standards were not met to the Committee.
- The Committee reviews the student’s appeal and renders one of the following decisions:
- Approve unconditional – the student is reinstated on probation without a specific remediation plan.
- Approve conditional – the student is reinstated on probation with a specific remediation plan.
- Deny – the student’s disqualification status remains with no further opportunity for appeal.
NDNU students are allowed one appeal per degree level during their enrollment at NDNU.
Probation Status Review
Students placed on probation status will be reviewed at the end of the student’s next semester of enrollment at NDNU. It is expected that at the end of this next semester of enrollment the student will have met all standards required for SAP. At the end of this next semester of enrollment, the NDNU Office of Financial Aid will place the student in one of the following statuses:
- SAP Cleared – probation status is removed.
- SAP Final Disqualified – student is no longer eligible for federal aid and does not have the right to further appeal.
The results of this probationary evaluation will be communicated to the student in writing by the NDNU Office of Financial Aid.
Withdrawal and Return of Title IV Funds
If you receive federal financial aid during a semester in which you withdraw from all of your classes before the 60% mark of the semester, you are subject to the regulations of the Return of Title IV funds policy. It is important that you understand that a certain percentage of your aid can be returned to the federal government under this policy. Read NDNU’s Return of Title IV Funds Policy