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To check your Satisfactory Academic Progress in OASIS:

• Login to OASIS
• Choose "Financial Aid"
• Choose "Check My Eligibility"
• Choose "Check My Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress"

Be aware of renewal criteria!

Familiarize yourself with and adhere to the renewal criteria for each of the scholarship and other aid programs from which you are receiving funds.

Check Financial Aid Programs At-A-Glance to view the renewal criteria for each program (or check with the organization which provided you with the funds).

Understanding the Requirements
 

Federal regulations require all schools participating in Title IV federal financial aid programs to have a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy. The requirements of this policy apply to all students as one determinant of eligibility for financial aid.

All schools are required to include specific components in their SAP policy and adhere to guidelines in how SAP is calculated, however SAP policies may differ in specific requirements among schools.

• It is important for you to be aware that the requirements of SAP are not the same as the academic requirements for continued enrollment and for earning a USF degree; a completion ratio and maximum timeframe are required in the financial aid policy.
• Your satisfactory academic progress status is based on your cumulative academic record from the point you first attend USF, regardless of whether you received financial aid or not.
• Your SAP status will be calculated after each semester you attend, after grades for that semester have been posted to academic history by the registrar. If you have late posted grades or grade changes that take place after the calculation, they will not be automatically recalculated, but you may submit a written request to have your record recalculated after you have confirmed with the registrar that the grade change has been posted to your academic record.
• Be sure you check your status each semester! You are responsible for checking your satisfactory progress status in OASIS, each semester after grades are posted to academic history; this is normally one week after the last day of final exams.

The SAP policy has two required components that are calculated each semester using your entire academic record from the point you first attended USF in any status, including non-degree. Credits taken prior to your first attending USF are not considered.

1. Quantitative Component

   The quantitative component sets a maximum time frame and requires a completion ratio for all students.

    

   • You must earn your degree within a maximum time frame, measured by all attempted credit hours after you first enroll at USF.*

   • You must earn (receive passing grades i.e. no drops, failing grades, incompletes, or repeated courses for better grades/repeat waivers) a minimum percentage of all attempted credit hours.

Undergraduate Students

Maximum timeframe: Once you first attend USF in any status, including non-degree status, all credits attempted at any school, and all credits by exam, from that point on apply toward your maximum timeframe. Federal regulations stipulate that the maximum time frame for an undergraduate student cannot exceed 150% of the published length of the academic program, that is, 150% of the minimum credit hours required for the degree. Your admissions classification determines your maximum time frame as an undergraduate student.

• If you entered USF as a first-time freshman (FTIC), the maximum time frame is 180 attempted credit hours.

• If you transferred to USF classified at the freshman or sophomore level, the maximum time frame is 135 attempted credit hours.

• If you transferred to USF classified at the junior or senior level, the maximum time frame is 90 attempted hours.

Once you have reached your maximum time frame, your eligibility for financial aid as an undergraduate student is cancelled.

• Your maximum time frame is not increased for changes in major, double majors, or adding a minor in another subject area.
• If your degree program requires more than 120 credits to attain the degree, a case by case adjustment can be considered with a petition and documentation from the USF department.
• Remedial courses, non-credit courses, courses taken while classified as non-degree, and audited courses all count as attempted hours in the calculation, but may be considered for adjustment by petition.

Completion Ratio:The required completion ratio for all undergraduate students is 67% of all credit hours attempted after you first start at USF. Note: The completion ratio is determined using cumulative credit hours including all USF attempted credit hours and all credits attempted at another school after you first attended USF.

 

Graduate Students

Maximum timeframe: You must earn your graduate degree within the time limitations set by the Graduate School for your graduate program.

Completion ratio: The required completion ratio for all graduate students is 50% of all USF credit hours attempted at each graduate degree or degree level.

2. The Qualitative Component
   The Qualitative component requires that you maintain a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) for the degree level at which you are classified.

Note: Whenever CGPA is referred to; it pertains to the CGPA used to determine your USF academic status.

Undergraduate: You must meet the CGPA required by the University for continued enrollment to earn a USF degree.

Graduate: You must meet the CGPA requirements specified by the graduate school for continued enrollment to earn a USF graduate degree.

WHEN AND HOW SAP IS EVALUATED:

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS:

When you reach the Undergraduate Maximum Time Frame (maximum attempted credit hours) your financial aid eligibility will be cancelled.

• An email warning notice will be sent when you first come within 24 attempted credits hours of your maximum time frame.
• There is no warning status for reaching the maximum time frame.

When you do not meet the required Completion Ratio there are warning statuses before you lose eligibility.

• Warning Status - The first time you fall short of meeting the required completion ratio, your status will be warning. In this status, you retain your eligibility for financial aid.
• Probation Status – After attending one semester on Warning status, if your completion ratio is not the required 67%, your status will be Probation. When your status is Probation, you retain your eligibility for financial aid.
• Final Probation Status – After attending one semester on Probation status, if your completion ratio is not at the required 67% of all attempted classes, you are considered on Final Probation Status. When your status is Final Probation, you retain your eligibility for financial aid.
• Cancellation – After attending one semester on Final Probation status, your completion ratio must be at least 67% of all attempted classes or your eligibility for financial aid will be cancelled.

Regaining Eligibility After Cancellation

Petition – If you reach Cancelled status and you believe that extenuating circumstances prevented you from meeting the requirements, you may file a SAP Petition. The petition requires you to provide information and documentation of extenuating circumstances for specific terms of study.

Note: Petitions should be submitted within 30 calendar days of the first day of classes. Although petitions received late are reviewed, your eligibility for some aid programs may not be reinstated (varies by program), if the petition is approved.

Change in status from Undergraduate to Graduate – If you reach Cancelled status as an undergraduate and then are admitted to a Graduate program, you will be eligible to receive financial aid as a graduate student and must meet the satisfactory progress requirements as a graduate student. If your undergraduate degree is not recorded at the time of the end of term calculation, you will need to petition after your degree is recorded by the registrar, to have your degree status verified and your SAP status changed.

Second baccalaureate degree – If you graduate and return classified as a 2nd BA student (level 5B) to earn a 2nd undergraduate degree, you may petition to have your undergraduate maximum time frame extended to cover only the required courses for the 2nd degree. This is a one-time option and does not apply to multiple baccalaureate degrees.

Attach to your petition, a signed typewritten statement from your academic advisor that clearly specifies the required courses and credit hours for you to earn the 2nd BA degree.

If you apply for a 2nd BA after earning a graduate degree, you must petition and explain the necessity for a 2nd undergraduate degree after earning the higher degree, to be considered for additional undergraduate eligibility.

ACADEMIC CIRCUMSTANCES TO KEEP IN MIND

• Incomplete Grades, Missing Grades, Failing Grades, Course Withdrawals – all reduce your completion ratio, because they are counted as attempted, but not earned credits.
• Repeated Courses - count each time taken, reduce your remaining eligibility in terms of your maximum time frame, and also reduce your completion ratio.
• Academic Amnesty/Renewal Credits – Credits for which you applied and were granted academic amnesty/renewal are counted toward your maximum time frame and also count as attempted but not earned credits, reducing your completion ratio. These credits can only be adjusted by petition.
• Transfer Credits--including credits taken while cross-enrolled, study abroad, on an exchange program or as transient study - count toward your maximum timeframe and when your completion ratio is calculated.
  Note: These credits will be counted as attempted, but not earned, until your official transcript is reviewed and processed by the USF registrar (remember - only passing grades count as earned). Depending on your previous status, this could delay your financial aid for the next term if you reach cancelled status and must petition to have your eligibility recalculated.
• Courses taken for pass/fail grades or on an audit basis, non-credit courses, and remedial transfer courses – all count against both your maximum time frame and your completion ratio.

updated: jkrez - 5/12/08/mpj