UTB/TSC monitors academic progress every Fall and Spring semester to identify enrolled students who are experiencing difficulty achieving their academic goals. Academic Standing evaluates the grade point averages and course completion rates. The Maximum Hours evaluation is used to measure a student's progress within a degree program.

Both SAP evaluations include all undergraduate credits for which a student is registered for on the official record date (according to the published Academic Calendar) during any period of credit-hour enrollment offered at UTB/TSC, including mini sessions and summer terms, and all accepted transfer credits, even for courses taken during periods when the student was not receiving financial aid and periods of dual enrollment. Earned hours are those credits for which a student receives a passing grade (according to Grade Standards published in the Undergraduate Catalog).

Courses with grades of A, B, C, D, P, S and CR are considered as attempted and earned credit hours. Courses with grades of F, G, U, W, WC, WF, WM, WP, NR, DF, DP, and DR are considered as credit hours attempted, but not earned. Incomplete courses (with grade of I) are considered as attempted hours until a final grade is posted. Students are required to request a re-evaluation, after successful completion of an incomplete course. Repeated course hours (designated as R) are included as attempted hours, but excluded from earned hours, regardless of course grade. Withdrawn courses are considered attempted credits, but are excluded from earned credits, regardless of reason for withdrawal.

The components of the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards for Undergraduate (UG) students are:

•  Academic Standing
•  Maximum Hours

UG Academic Standing

UG students interested in receiving financial aid consideration must maintain Good Standing, as defined in the Institutional SAP policy available online at http://blue.utb.edu/vpaa/sap/default.htm. Students in Probation status may also receive financial aid consideration. However, students entering or returning from Suspension status, must have an approved appeal from the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs in order to receive financial aid consideration.  

UG Maximum Hours

The standard for maximum hours evaluates the number of cumulative attempted credits against the maximum hours allowed for the program of study. In order to receive financial aid consideration, students may not exceed 150% of the minimum credits required to complete the program of study.

Enrolled students with attempted credits totaling at least 85% of the maximum hours for the program of study after the Fall and/or Spring semester will receive a Maximum Hours Alert . Students with attempted credits equal to or exceeding the maximum hours enter Maximum Hours Suspension and may no longer receive financial aid for the active program of study.

For example, if a student is pursuing an associate degree requiring 64 credit hours, no financial aid consideration would be available after attempting 96 credit hours, even if the student has not yet earned the associate degree and meets all other satisfactory academic progress standards. ( 64 X 150% = 96 )

Two appeal options are available to students entering or returning from Suspension status:

•  Academic Standing Appeal – administered by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs

•  Maximum Hours Appeal – administered by the Financial Aid Office

UG Academic Standing Appeal

To appeal an Academic Standing Suspension, students must submit a written appeal with supporting documentation and a current UTB/TSC unofficial transcript to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs .

The appeal must explain and documentation must support the unusual circumstances that prevented the student from meeting required academic standards. Unusual circumstances may include: death of a close family member, extended illness, personal injury, or other extraordinary circumstances. Supporting documentation may include: death certificate, physician's statement, police report, etc. During the appeal process the student must be prepared to pay his/her own expenses, such as tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc. without expectation of financial aid reimbursement. A decision by the Academic Standing Appeal Review Committee will be rendered within two weeks; the decision is final.

UG Maximum Hours Appeal

To appeal a Maximum Hours Suspension, students must submit to the Financial Aid Office an approved degree plan with an analysis by the academic advisor indicating the total remaining hours required for program completion.

Students may appeal to the Financial Aid Office if the maximum hours limit is met or exceeded due to developmental hours, changes in majors, degrees, or if pursuing a second degree or certificate. During the appeal process the student must be prepared to pay his/her own expenses, such as tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc. without expectation of financial aid reimbursement. A decision by the Financial Aid Maximum Hours Appeal Review Committee will be rendered within two weeks and is final.

UG Financial Aid Consideration

The student is responsible for paying his/her own expenses, such as tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc. and will not be reimbursed for period(s) of Suspension. Students returning to Good Standing (cumulative 70% completion rate and cumulative 2.0 GPA) or Probation (70% term completion rate and 2.0 term GPA) status after period(s) of Suspension and without exceeding maximum hours for their active degree program are eligible for financial aid consideration.

Graduate Satisfactory Progress

The Graduate Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards for Financial Aid (FA) include quantitative and qualitative measures and are applied to financial aid recipients at the end of each Fall and Spring semester. Students applying for financial aid are also subject to the standards at point of financial aid application and/or prior to financial aid disbursement.

The standards used for measuring GR Satisfactory Academic Progress are:

•  Quantitative: Completion Rate

•  Quantitative: Maximum Attempted Credits

•  Qualitative: Cumulative Grade Point Average

The evaluation includes all graduate credits attempted during any period of credit-hour enrollment offered at UTB/TSC, including mini sessions and summer terms, and all accepted transfer credits, even for courses taken during periods when the student was not receiving financial aid and periods of dual enrollment.

Courses with grades of A, B, C, D, P, S and CR are considered as attempted and earned credit hours. Courses with grades of F, U, W, WC, WF, WM, WP, NR, DF, DP, and DR are considered as credit hours attempted, but not earned. Incomplete courses (with grade of I) are considered as attempted hours until a final grade is posted. Students are required to request a re-evaluation by the Financial Aid Office, after successful completion of an incomplete course. Repeated course hours (designated as R) are included as attempted hours, but excluded from earned hours, regardless of course grade. Withdrawn courses are considered attempted credits, but are excluded from earned credits, regardless of reason for withdrawal.

Students failing either the quantitative or qualitative measures are placed on Financial Aid Probation or Suspension as appropriate.

GR Quantitative Measure

Attempted and earned credit hours are used in the quantitative measure which includes two standards: completion rate and maximum attempted credits. Attempted hours are those credits for which a student is registered for on the official record date (according to the published Academic Calendar) for each semester, including mini sessions and summer terms. Earned hours are those credits for which a student receives a passing grade (according to Grade Standards published in the Graduate Catalog).

The completion rate standard for financial aid consideration is calculated by dividing the cumulative credit hours earned by the cumulative credit hours attempted. To remain in good standing, students are expected to successfully complete at least 90% of the course work attempted. Students falling below the minimum completion rate of 90% are placed on Financial Aid Probation or Suspension as appropriate.

For example, a student earning 6 of 9 attempted graduate credit hours would enter Financial Aid Probation. ( 6 / 9 = 67% )

The standard for maximum attempted credits for financial aid consideration is measured by dividing the cumulative credit hours attempted by the hours required to complete the program of study. To remain in good standing, students may not exceed 150% of the credit hours required for the educational program. Students exceeding the maximum attempted credits immediately enter Financial Aid Suspension status.

For example, if a student is pursuing a graduate degree requiring 36 credit hours, no financial aid consideration would be available after attempting 54 credit hours, even if the student has not yet earned the graduate degree and meets all other satisfactory academic progress standards. ( 36 X 150% = 54 )

Students are required to notify the Financial Aid Office of changes in majors, degrees, or if pursuing a doctoral degree. The notification must include an approved degree plan, an analysis by the academic advisor indicating the impact to maximum attempted credits, and may also require a financial aid suspension appeal.

GR Qualitative Measure

For financial aid consideration, students remain in good standing when they maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher . Students falling below the minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and the minimum last term GPA of 3.0 are placed on Financial Aid Probation or Suspension as appropriate.

GR SAP Status

Good Standing: The Good Standing status is awarded when a student is maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, and a cumulative completion rate of 90% or higher, and has not exceeded the maximum attempted credits for the declared program of study.

Probation: If at the end of the initial evaluation the student is not meeting the minimum completion rate (90%) or cumulative grade point average (3.00), the student enters Financial Aid Probation status. During probation period(s), the student has the opportunity to continue to receive financial aid while attempting to regain financial aid satisfactory progress standards. The student may be referred to academic advisors for further guidance and evaluation.

Suspension: If at the end of the second evaluation the student is still not meeting the minimum completion rate (90%) or cumulative grade point average (3.00), the student enters Financial Aid Suspension status. Financial aid will be suspended until the student successfully meets the completion rate and cumulative grade point average standards without exceeding the maximum attempted credits. The student is responsible for paying his/her own expenses, such as tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc. and will not be reimbursed for period(s) of financial aid suspension. The student may be referred to academic advisors for further guidance and evaluation.

Students in probation or suspension status who improve their academic performance to the required completion rate and cumulative GPA without exceeding maximum attempted credits will return to good standing and are eligible for financial aid consideration.

Students exceeding the maximum attempted credits immediately enter Financial Aid Suspension status and may no longer receive financial aid for the declared program of study. If a change in program of study is being considered, the student must submit a financial aid suspension appeal that includes an analysis by the academic advisor indicating the impact to maximum attempted credits.

GR Financial Aid Suspension Appeals

To appeal suspension from financial aid, students must submit a written appeal with supporting documentation to the Financial Aid Office (where instructions and cover sheet are available).

The appeal must explain and documentation must support the unusual circumstances that prevented the student from meeting required academic standards. Unusual circumstances may include: death of a close family member, extended illness, personal injury, or other extraordinary circumstances. Supporting documentation may include: death certificate, physician's statement, police report, etc. During the appeal process the student must be prepared to pay his/her own expenses, such as tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc. without expectation of financial aid reimbursement. A decision by the Financial Aid Appeal Committee will be rendered within two weeks; the decision of the committee is final.