Scottsdale Community College
Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
for Financial Aid Eligibility

Federal regulations (CFR 668.32(f) and 668.34) require a student to move toward the completion of a degree or certificate within an eligible program when receiving financial aid. Specific requirements for academic progress for financial aid recipients are applied differently than Scholastic Standards. Federal regulations state that Academic Progress Standards must include a review of all periods of enrollment, regardless of whether or not aid was received. The student must meet the following minimum standards in order to receive financial aid.

I. Evaluation of Financial Aid Eligibility

A. Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) are applied once per year, beginning on or  

     about June 1st to determine the eligibility for the following academic year.

B. The evaluation period will be based on attendance in the immediate prior Spring, Fall, Summer

     term (example: for 2008-2009 academic year, academic progress will be evaluated on Spring

     2008, Fall 2007, and Summer 2007).

C. Credits evaluated will include credits attempted at the evaluating school and courses funded

    through consortium agreement.

D. Students who do not meet the SAP will be notified. The student may follow the appeal process or

     the reinstatement procedures as outlined in V and VI.

II. Eligibility

A. Students must meet the following criteria:

1. Students who have attempted at least 6 credit hours in the last evaluation period must complete

    with a passing grade 2/3 of all    

    credits attempted within that evaluation period, OR

2.  Students who have NOT attempted at least 6 credit hours in the last evaluation period must

     complete with passing grades 2/3 of ALL credits attempted at SCC.

                                                                                                AND

B.       All students must meet the following minimum credit hour/cumulative GPA requirement 
                                                  Credits Attempted*                     Min GPA

                                                                    12-15                                     1.60

                                                                    16-30                                     1.75

                                                                    31-45                                     1.90

                                                                    46 +                                        2.00 

*for which grade points are computed.

Note: Grades of F,I,N,W,X,Y,Z, and courses not yet graded are considered attempted but not meeting progress standards for the purposes of financial aid. Students who do not successfully complete at least one credit in the Summer may be subject to suspension in Fall. Students who do not complete at least one course in the Fall semester may be subject to suspension or delayed disbursement in Spring.

III. Maximum Timeframe Eligibility

A. Students who have attempted more than 150% of the credits required for their program of study

     are not considered to be making Satisfactory Academic Progress and therefore, are ineligible for

     financial aid funds.

B. All evaluated transfer credits will be included when determining maximum timeframe eligibility.

C. A student with a Bachelor's degree or higher will be considered to have exhausted maximum

    timeframe eligibility.

D. A student may appeal maximum time frame.

IV. Repeated, Audited, Consortium, Remedial Courses, Summer

A. Financial aid may be used to cover the cost of repeated courses.

B. Audited courses, non-credit courses, credit by examination, and any credit for prior learning option

    (as outlined in the catalog) are excluded when determining eligibility for financial aid.

C.  Courses funded through a consortium agreement are included in determining academic

     progress.

D.  All attempted remedial credits will be included when evaluating SAP. (A maximum of 30 remedial

     credit hours, excluding ESL courses may be funded.)

E. Enrollment in any or all Summer sessions within the same calendar year will be considered one

    term.

V. Appeal Process

A student who has lost financial aid eligibility due to extenuating circumstances may appeal.

A. Extenuating circumstances that may be considered include: personal illness or accident, serious

     illness or death within immediate family, or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control

     of the student.

B.  All appeals must be in writing to the Financial Aid Office where the student is applying for aid and

     include appropriate documentation.

C.  Examples of documentation could include an obituary notice, divorce decree, or a letter from a

     physician, attorney, social services agency, parole officer, etc.

D.  The condition or situation must be resolved which will allow the student the ability to complete

     course work successfully or an appeal will not be granted.

E.  The outcome of an appeal may include approval, a probationary period, or denial.

F.  A student will be notified in writing of the results of the appeal and of any restrictions or conditions

    pertaining to their appeal.

VI. Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility

A. A student who has lost financial aid eligibility may be reinstated after the student has taken

    (without federal funds) at least six  credit hours in a semester, passed all attempted credit hours,

    and meets minimum cumulative GPA requirements.

B.  If the student attempts more than six hours, the student will be evaluated on all attempted credit

     hours within that term.

C. Classes taken at other colleges will not be taken into consideration for reinstatement purposes.

D. It is the student's responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office when this condition has been met.

For additional information, please contact the Financial Aid Office. PH: 480-423-6549.