Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Students must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in a program of study that will lead to a degree or certificate to qualify for and receive financial aid.
SAP Calculator
What does Satisfactory Academic Progress mean?
To qualify for and receive financial aid, students must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in a program of study that will lead to a degree or certificate and must be in good academic standing at the University. View our full SAP policy here.
Completion Rate
Students must satisfactorily complete 67% of their total attempted credits. Satisfactorily completed credits include letter grades of D- grades or higher. Satisfactorily completed credits do not include grades of F (Failing), W (Withdrawal), I (Incomplete), NB (No Basis) and NS (Not submitted).
UAF defines total attempted credits as all credits a student is enrolled in after the add/drop period for the term, including transfer credits accepted by UAF.
Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)
Undergraduate students must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. Graduate students must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
All UA courses are counted in the GPA. Transfer credits are not calculated in the GPA.
150% Rule (Maximum Timeframe)
Total attempted credits are calculated based on 150% of your enrolled degree program’s required credits.
Example: a bachelor's degree requires 120 credits to complete. 120 credits x 150% = 180 total attempted credits.
Students total attempted credits must not exceed the following credit limits.
- Occupational Endorsements: 24 credits
- Certificates: 45 credits
- Associate degrees: 90 credits
- Bachelor's degrees: 180 credits
All attempted credits including transfer credits are counted in the maximum timeframe calculation. The calculation also includes credits attempted when aid wasn’t used.
Financial Aid SAP Evaluation and Statuses
At the end of every semester, all students are assigned one of the following financial aid statuses.
You can view your status for the current aid year, or any aid year you were enrolled, at UAOnline (link) by going to UAOnline —> Financial Aid —> Eligibility —> Academic Progress.
Students who fail to meet the minimum SAP requirements are notified by email and on Nanook Navigator shortly after SAP is evaluated.
Students who are eligible for financial aid have maintained Satisfactory Academic Progress with both GPA and completion rate. They haven't attempted more than 150% of the credits required for the current degree program they're enrolled in.
Students who don't meet the cumulative GPA and/or cumulative completion rate SAP requirements are placed on financial aid warning for their next term of enrollment. At the end of the warning period, students are reviewed for SAP eligibility criteria. If they meet SAP, they continue to be eligible to receive financial aid for the following term. If the student does not meet SAP during their warning period, they become ineligible for financial aid.
Students who’ve attempted 150% of the credits needed for their degree program do not go on warning and instead immediately become ineligible for financial aid (see Ineligible — 150% Rule (Maximum Timeframe)).
Students who've successfully appealed a Satisfactory Academic Progress violation are put on financial aid probation. Students on financial aid probation receive financial aid while following the academic plan they've created with their advisor to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress. If students on probation don't meet the terms of their academic plan (due to receiving below a 2.0 cumulative GPA, D-, NB, AU, F, W or I grades), they become ineligible for financial aid.
Students who're ineligible for financial aid have not met one or more the financial aid eligibility criteria and are not making Satisfactory Academic Progress towards their degree.
Students who are ineligible for financial aid due to the 150% Rule (Maximum Timeframe) have total attempted credits exceeding 150% of the credits required for their degree program.
- Occupational endorsements: 24 credits
- Certificates: 45 credits
- Associate degrees: 90 credits
- Bachelor's degrees: 180 credits
Financial Aid Appeal Process
Fall/Spring Semester
Deadline: Withdrawal Deadline
Summer Semester
Deadline: June 30
Regaining Financial Aid Eligibility
You can regain financial aid eligibility by meeting your SAP original requirements
through bringing your cumulative GPA up to 2.0 for undergraduate students, or 3.0
for graduate students and have a completion rate of 67% or higher.
You also have the option to appeal your financial aid status. If approved, you’ll
be on financial aid probation and can receive financial aid for the term for which
your appeal was approved.
Appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Some appeals may not be approved.
How to submit an appeal
Eligible Circumstances
UAF students are able to submit an appeal if they're ineligible to receive financial aid due to not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress and are experiencing unusual or extenuating circumstances such as:
- Death of a relative
- Illness
- Injury
- Suddenly becoming a caregiver of a dependent
- Loss of childcare
- Loss of internet access (distance education students)
- Family divorce
- Other extenuating circumstances beyond their control
Apply for Admission If Not Already Admitted
You must be admitted to a degree program prior to submitting your financial aid appeal. If you're already admitted and in a degree program, then you don’t need to reapply.
Contact the Office of Admissions at uaf-admissions@alaska.edu or 907-474-7500 to speak with an Admissions Counselor if you have any questions or would like assistance applying to a degree program.
Meet With Your Academic Advisor
Discuss courses that are required for your current degree program and the credit load that you'll be able to successfully complete while on an academic plan.
Submit Your Appeal Form
Write your signed statement explaining the circumstances that led to you not meeting the condition of SAP, and how your circumstances have changed to allow for your success in your courses going forward.
- If you're ineligible due to the 150% Rule (Maximum Timeframe), explain why you’ve attempted over 150% of the credits required for your degree, and your plan to successfully complete your courses to obtain your current degree.
View your financial aid offer information and complete any other financial aid requirements for the term. Keep a copy of your completed appeal and academic plan to meet all conditions of any approved financial aid appeal.
Check Your Email and SAP Status on UAOnline
UAOnline —> Financial Aid —> Eligibility —> Academic Progress
Appeal Decisions
Completed appeals are reviewed within 7 business days. Students are notified of the appeal determination by email. You'll see an appeal status in UAOnline that's specific to your situation.
If your appeal is approved you'll see one of the following statuses on your UAOnline:
- Probation with 1st Academic Plan
- Probation with 2nd Academic Plan
- Probation Final Academic Plan
- This is the final appeal that will be approved by the Financial Aid Office
- Committee Approved
- Approved by the Financial Aid Appeal Committee
The above approved statuses place you on financial aid SAP probation. Those on probation are able to receive financial aid for one semester. All academic plan and appeal conditions are required to be met while on probation status.
If your appeal is denied you'll see the following status on your UAOnline:
- Appeal is Denied
In this case you can work on regaining financial aid eligibility on your own by successfully completing courses and increasing your completion rate and cumulative GPA.
If your appeal is denied and you've attempted 150% of the credits for your degree program, then you must work towards completing your degree on your own without financial aid.
A period of non-enrollment is insufficient to re-establish eligibility.
Discuss financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements with all new and returning students.
- Assist the student in identifying needs and strategizing specific steps to help them return to eligibility.
- Select the number of credit hours a student can successfully complete to meet the conditions of an academic plan each semester.
- List at least two semesters on the academic plan.
- Include a statement on whether or not you believe the student can be successful in the plan you’ve outlined for them.
- Notify students that they must only enroll in courses that are degree applicable.
No, specific courses are not required. In fact, if specific courses are added to the academic plan it can make it more difficult for the student to follow. The student must follow the academic plan exactly to meet the conditions of their appeal.
Advisors can view a SAP status as a student case in Nanook Navigator.
No. Students who can mathematically become eligible after one semester only need to submit an appeal for review.
- When there is a change in the student’s schedule before the add/drop deadline that isn’t reflected on the current academic plan.
- When a student did not meet the conditions of their previous appeal.
- When a student did not list enough semesters on their prior academic plan to bring them to eligibility or degree completion.
If the student meets all of the conditions of their previous appeal then they do not need to submit a new appeal.
Additional Information
All credits a student is enrolled in after the add/drop period for the term, includes transfer credits accepted by UAF.
Courses that are not completed by the end of the term of enrollment.
SAP is not recalculated for incomplete courses. You must meet SAP by the end of the term you were enrolled in.
Courses that have been attempted previously and then retaken.
Indicates withdrawal from a course after the semesters add/drop deadline.
Credits transferred into the University of Alaska system (all transfer credits count as attempted credits and completed credits) .
A status assigned to a student who is failing to make SAP and who has successfully appealed. Eligibility for financial aid may be reinstated for one semester.
For one semester only. A status assigned to a student who is failing to meet satisfactory academic progress. The University reinstates eligibility for financial aid for one payment period and may do so without a student appeal.
A status assigned to a student who was academically disqualified from their program and has an ineligible SAP status due to not meeting the completion rate and/or GPA requirements.
A status assigned to a student who did not meet conditions of their approved academic plan by the end of the term they were on financial aid probation.
You must take courses that are required for your primary degree program.
Submit a copy of your updated academic plan. You and your academic advisor must sign the update prior to the appeal deadline for the enrolled term.
A C- letter grade is acceptable if you have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 for the term.
Grades below a C- will automatically make you ineligible for financial aid. Only undergraduate students can earn a C- while having a probationary SAP status.
All college coursework is evaluated in the SAP process. High school students who were dually enrolled in college can become ineligible if they did not meet the minimum SAP standards during their dual enrollment.
You can enroll in the next immediate semester based on the courses listed on your initial academic plan for the term.
If it has been longer than one semester since you attended, you must submit an updated and signed academic plan.
All courses must be required for your degree program. If you only have one course remaining to complete your degree, then you're only eligible for financial aid for that course.
It means the Financial Aid Office doesn't have the information needed to review your appeal. Check your UAOnline to see what you need to submit.
Non-attendance and time do not remove the SAP requirement. You may need to submit an appeal or work towards regaining eligibility on your own without financial aid.
All attempted courses are counted in the SAP calculation. If you retake a course and did well it can improve your cumulative GPA. The repeated course will not replace your previous grade for SAP purposes.
No, only your graduate level courses count in your SAP calculations. However, you must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA and complete 67% of the courses you attempt.