Maximum Time Frame
Degree requirements must be completed within a maximum time frame. Federal law requires a maximum time frame of no more than 150 percent of the published length 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 payment period. The cumulative academic record at Lindenwood University is considered when SAP is evaluated regardless of whether the student received financial aid. Students who are not successfully completing courses at the pace and GPA outlined are placed on Financial Aid Warning for the following payment period and will be notified by the Office of Student Financial Services. If SAP is not still being met after the warning period, then the student will receive notification from the Office of Student Financial Services that the student is no longer eligible to receive financial aid and will need to be meeting SAP before Financial Aid is offered again. This evaluation will include a measurement of student’s progress set forth in the qualitative standards (GPA) and quantitative standards (credits).
Financial Aid Warning
Students may receive financial aid during the semester they are on warning. If the student fails to meet SAP at the end of their warning payment period, the student will be ineligible for financial aid.
After the warning period, any student not making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid will receive a letter from the Office of Student Financial Services stating that the student is no longer eligible to receive aid from any program.
At this point, that student will have two options.
- Attend Lindenwood using the student's own financial resources and without federal financial aid, until the minimum requirements of the Institute's Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress policy have been met.
- Submit an appeal stating the reason(s) why they have not met the minimum standards along with any supporting documentation that verifies the circumstances that affected their ability to meet the minimum standards. Additional information on the appeal process is provided below.
Appeal Process
A student may submit a written statement of appeal for additional federal assistance if the student feels that their special circumstances prevented them from meeting the minimum standards of Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress. Note that a student may only submit up to two SAP appeals during their academic career at Lindenwood.
Reasons for appeal might include:
- Medical, family, or emotional difficulty
- Documented learning disability
- Other special significant or unusual circumstances (poor time management is not a significant or unusual circumstance)
Students must submit the following to the Office Student Financial Services:
- The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Request Form
- A detailed statement of their reason for not meeting SAP standards
- What has changed that will enable them to meet SAP standards
- Third party documentation supporting their statement such as, but not limited to:
- Letter from doctor, minister, counselor, or instructor Hospital records
- Death certificates
The SAP Appeals Committee will review the request, the written statement, and any other submitted documentation to determine if the student can meet SAP standards by the end of the next semester in tandem with the Office of Academic Services. If the committee determines that the student cannot meet the required standards after completion of one semester, the student will need to agree to an Academic Plan for Improvement.
All students will be notified in writing of the Appeals Committee's decisions. Please note that if approved, only one semester of financial aid eligibility can be offered without an approved Academic Plan for Improvement. The student must meet the minimum standards of SAP by the end of the approved semester to retain eligibility. If the student does not improve the deficiencies within the approved semester(s), the student will no longer be eligible to receive financial aid. Students will continue to be ineligible for financial aid until the minimum requirements are met or an Academic Plan for Improvement is approved.