Office of Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY [ PDF ]

The Higher education Act of 1965, as amended, requires students to maintain satisfactory progress toward their degree in order to receive financial aid. At Lawrence Technological University, these standards are established for students who are receiving or applying for financial aid from one or more of the various federal, state, or institutional grant, scholarship, work, or loan programs.

The Lawrence Technological University Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy for Financial Aid applies to all students who wish to establish or maintain financial aid eligibility. This policy applies separately to each degree program the student pursues, in its entirety, including semesters in which financial aid was not applied for or disbursed.

These standards require that students complete a specific number of credit hours each academic year and maintain the minimum GPA as defined by the standards. These are minimum standards that must be completed. Specific aid programs, college or department standards may vary and/or require more than these minimum standards.

The academic progress of financial aid recipients will be monitored a minimum of once each academic year. All terms, including Summer, are equal and used in the SAP calculation. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid for questions regarding the intent and interpretation of this policy. 

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS APPEAL PROCESS 

When a determination is made by Lawrence Tech that a student has failed to make satisfactory academic progress, the student's financial aid eligibility will be suspended. Students have the opportunity to appeal the determination by submitting the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form, along with an appeal letter and any supporting documentation to the appeal. The appeal letter should explain 1) why the student failed to make satisfactory academic progress and 2) what has changed in the student's situation that will allow the student to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation period.  

Reasons for appeal may include death of a relative, injury of illness of the student, or other special circumstances. Appeals will be reviewed on an individual, case-by-case basis.

REQUIRED COURSE COMPLETION RATE

1. Full- and part-time students must progress toward completion of their degree within a specified time frame. To meet this requirement, a student must successfully complete, with a grade of D or better, at least two-thirds (67%) of their cumulative credit hours attempted, based on the following schedule, or they will be denied aid until the deficient credits are earned at their own expense. Requirements may be satisfied on a cumulative total basis with eligibility terminating upon successful completion of all degree requirements, or when a student has attempted credit hours totaling 150% of the required credit hours for the student's program of study.

Examples

‘Attempted credits’ are defined as any credits you remain enrolled in after the add/drop period each semester, grade include the following

Grades of ‘I’ for incomplete, ‘IP’ in progress (dissertation courses only), ‘DG’ deferred grade, and ‘X’ for audited classes will not count toward your minimum satisfactory academic requirement of 67% of credits completed. Please refer to the section titled ‘Grade Changes’ to see our policy on changes of grade after final grades have processed.

DURATION OF PROGRAM AND FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY

Financial aid eligibility is suspended when credits required for a degree/program are earned or when the student has attempted credit hours totaling 150% of the required credit hours for the student's program of study.

Examples

GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA) REQUIREMENTS (Qualitative Requirement)

Undergraduate  students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00. Failure to achieve this standard will result in the suspension of eligibility until the cumulative GPA is 2.00. Please note that a college or department may require more than a 2.00 GPA to remain in good academic standing with in your program.

Graduate  students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75. Failure to achieve this standard will result in the suspension of eligibility until the cumulative GPA is 2.75. Please note that a college or department may require more than a 2.75 GPA to remain good academic standing with in your program.

Withdrawal Grades

All withdrawal grades are considered ‘attempted hours’ this includes official withdrawal grades W and WN, which are not calculated in the grade point average. This also includes withdrawal failure grades, ‘WF’, which is calculated in the grade point average as an F.

GPA CALCULATOR

Desired GPA Calculator

Enter your values into the yellow shaded rows only . 

NEW STUDENTS WITH TRANSFER CREDITS

Upon admission to the University, all transfer students are considered to be making satisfactory academic progress. Transfer credit from the previous school that applies to the transfer student’s program (major) will be counted towards the student’s maximum-time frame (counted as both hours attempted and hours completed for measurement).

However, transfer credit hours are not included in the calculation of a student’s grade point average.

After admission to the university, courses successfully completed in subsequent terms at another institution that fulfill degree requirements at Lawrence Technological University may be used to achieve satisfactory academic progress compliance. Students must provide documentation to the Office of Financial Aid regarding such credit. This strictly pertains to Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy for Financial Aid and is not in regards to the University Guest or Additional Credit Policy (refer to the Office of the Registrar for more information on these policies ).  

PROGRAM (MAJOR) CHANGE (RESET)/ TRANSFER CREDITS

Students may change their major within another College (i.e. moving from the College of Engineering to the College of Architecture) and have the one-time opportunity to reset their grade point average to 0.00. This option will allow students to begin a new SAP status from the semester the GPA was reset in the new program of study.

Transfer credit from the previous program (major) that applies to the new program (major) will be counted towards the student’s maximum-time (counted as both hours attempted and hours completed for measurement).  

SECOND DEGREE

Students interested obtaining a second degree, will need to have a degree audit performed by the academic department to determine the number of credits needed to complete the second degree. The Office of Financial Aid will then establish a new Maximum Time-frame based off the degree audit.

GRADE CHANGES

After final grades are issued, it is the student's responsibility to notify the financial aid office of any official grade changes.

REPETITIONS

Students may repeat a course in which a passing grade was previously earned to improve their grade, however, each repeat will count towards the number of credit hours attempted.

EVALUATION PROCESS

The Office of Financial Aid will evaluate the progress of each student according to these standards on an annual basis.

Revised 4/2017