Maintaining Financial Aid Eligibility
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for Financial Aid
Graduate Students
Students wishing to apply for and receive Title IV assistance must meet specific academic progress requirements in order to maintain Title IV financial aid eligibility. Satisfactory academic progress requires a student to accumulate a minimum number of credit hours over a maximum time frame and a minimum cumulative grade point average for each period of attendance.
Satisfactory Academic Progress is determined bythe following criteria:
- Quantitative Measurement:
- Pace of Progression (Credit Hours)
- Qualitative Measurement (GPA)
- Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average
Students must complete attempted hours according to the following (Quantitative Measurement):
- Completion of 67 percent of cumulative hours attempted (see table). *i.e., 12 hours attempted, 8 hours must be completed (8/12 = 67 percent).
- Grades of “I,” “W,” or “F” are considered attempted hours.
- Transfer credit hours accepted by Lindenwood University will count as both attempted and completed hours.
- Once a student completes coursework for an “I” grade, or a grade is changed, academic progress will be reviewed again.
Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (Qualitative Measurement).
Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)
- 0-13.9 Credits Attempted /2.5 Minimum CGPA
- 14-27.9 Credits Attempted /2.6 Minimum CGPA
- 28-36.9 Credits Attempted /2.7 Minimum CGPA
- 37-44.9 Credits Attempted /2.9 Minimum CGPA
- 45+ Credits Attempted /3.0 Minimum CGPA
Completion Rate:
- 0-40 Credits Attempted /66.67% Completion Rate
- 40.1+ Credits Attempted/66.7% Completion Rate
Maximum Time Frame Allowance
Degree requirements must be completed within a maximum time frame.
- Federallaw requires a maximum time frame of no more than 150 percent of the published lengeth of the graduate program.
- Hours earned at Lindenwood University and accepted transfer hours are included in this time frame.
SAP Monitoring
A student’s SAP will be evaluated at the end of each course and at the end of each pay period. All periods of attendance will be included in this evaluation regardless of whether the student received financial aid. This evaluation will include a measurement of student’s progress set forth in the qualitative standards (GPA) and quantitative standards (credits).
Academic Warning
SAP Warning is the first academic hold. Students are given a payment period to return to good academic standing. In SAP Warning students are still eligible for Federal Financial aid/title IV funding. If a student does not return to good academic standing at the end of their warning period, they move into probation.
Academic Probation
SAP Probation is the second academic hold. Students have to appeal to continue to take courses. Students are no longer eligible for Financial aid during the SAP Probation hold. However, in the case a student had a documented extenuating circumstance that occurred during their SAP Warning period they can appeal their Financial aid eligibility (It’s important for students to plan for alternative financing during this time). If approved to continue to take courses in SAP Probation students are given a payment period to return to good academic standing. If a student does not return to good academic standing at the end of their probation period they move into suspension.
Academic Suspension
SAP Suspension is the third and final academic hold. When a student moves into SAP Suspension they are required to take a break for a payment period. Students can then submit an appeal request to continue to take courses. In this academic hold students are not eligible for Federal Financial aid (It’s important for students to plan for alternative financing during this time). If approved to continue to take courses students are given a payment period to return to good academic standing. This academic hold is the last opportunity in which a student has to return to good academic standing.
Financial Aid Suspension Reinstatement
If a student fails to meet the minimum requirements as stated in the qualitative and quantitative section, and do not return to good academic standing within 1 payment period, the student will be placed on financial aid suspension and will not be eligible for financial aid reinstatement until the minimum cumulative requirements of the policy are attained. A student can appeal the financial aid suspension.
- Students placed on financial aid suspension will have their Lindenwood University Institutional Aid reevaluated.
- Withdrawal from the university has no effect on the student’s satisfactory progress upon re-entering.
Academic Plan
An academic plan will be completed between the student and academic advisor. The plan must include benchmarks that students will meet to ensure they are making progress to their degree and will render the student eligible for aid again under SAP rules (Qualitative and Quantitative measures).
Re-establishing Financial Aid Eligibility without Appeal
If the student is allowed to attend Lindenwood University academically, they may continue at their own expense to attempt to improve completion rates and/or GPA issues. Once a student is back into compliance with SAP, they may contact the Office of Global Student Financial Services for review of reinstatement of their financial aid.