Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

When students accept financial aid, they also accept responsibility for making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). This progress is based on the number of credits students enroll in per semester, their term and cumulative grade point average(s) as well as the length of enrollment at Saint Martin's University in additional to any transfer courses accepted by the university.

Please read all this information carefully. You are responsible for understanding these requirements.

Students applying for financial assistance must be in compliance with the SAP policies as a condition of initial or continuing eligibility.

Financial aid will be denied to students who fail to maintain Academic Progress as defined by the SAP Policy (GPA, MTF, Credit Hours).

At the end of each term, a review will be made to ensure compliance with the grade point average (GPA), maximum time frame limit, and minimum credit hour requirements of the policy.

First-time or returning aid applicants who have previously attended Saint Martin's must also be in compliance with the policy even though aid has not been received during periods of prior attendance.

Undergraduate students SAP requirements

GPA

Undergraduate students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative/term G.P.A.

Maximum Time Frame (MTF)

All terms, including summer, Running Start credits, Advanced Placement (AP), or IB credits in which a student is enrolled count toward the maximum time frame and minimum credit hours completed requirement, even if the student completely withdraws from the University.

Terms of enrollment in which no aid is received will count towards the maximum time frame limit. This includes transfer credit hours for which no aid was received as well as Running Start credits, Advanced Placement (AP), or IB credits.

Undergraduate students are allowed a maximum time of:

  • 192 attempted credit hours
  • 204 attempted credit hours for engineering students

Attempted credit hours

To be eligible for financial aid, you must complete at least 67 percent of your overall attempted credits, which includes any additional credits transferred to Saint Martin's.

Credits enrolled/Credits that must be completed:

  • 12-15 credits: minimum of 12 credits completed
  • 9-11 credits: minimum of nine credits completed
  • 6-8 credits: minimum of six credits completed
  • Five or less credits: minimum of all credits attempted

Graduate student SAP requirements

GPA

Graduate students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative/term G.P.A.

Maximum time frame (MTF)

Maximum time frame requirements for individual degree programs are outlined below:

  • Master of Business Administration (MBA): 54 attempted credit hours.
  • Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MAC): 72 attempted credit hours.
  • Master of Education (MED): 60 attempted credit hours.
  • Master in Teaching (MIT)
    • Elementary Education: 92 attempted credit hours.
    • Secondary Education: 76 attempted credit hours.
    • Special Education: 110 attempted credit hours.
  • Master of Engineering Management (MEM): 45 attempted credit hours.
  • Master of Civil Engineering (MCE): 45 attempted credit hours.

Attempted credit hours

Graduate students are required to complete 67 percent of the courses they originally enroll in. See above.

Additional information

Satisfactory course completion/Pace to Degree (PTD) completion

Passing grades are courses with grades of: "A", "B", "C", "D", "P" are considered passing for PTD requirements.

Unsatisfactory completion: "F", "I", "W", Audits or no grade are not considered passing for PTD requirements.

Not for credit courses

Not for credit courses will count toward minimum credit hours completed (not for credit and remedial courses will only be counted for one academic year). Remedial credits are monitored by the SAP system.

Repeat courses

Courses count once in the calculation of minimum hours completed. Therefore, a repeat of an "A", "B", "C", or "P" will not count as additional credits unless otherwise noted.

Students repeating a course in which an "I" was previously received will not be funded.

Students repeating courses in which a "C-" or below was received can only repeat the course once and be eligible for funding for that course.

Students repeating previously withdrawn "W" courses are only eligible for funding one additional time for that course.

Appeal process

Warning status

If you do not meet SAP requirements, you will be placed in warning status for the next term of enrollment. If you are in warning status, you will be eligible to receive available financial aid for one term. After your warning term, disbursements may be delayed while your academic progress is reviewed. If you do not achieve good standing by the end of your warning term, you will be placed in suspended eligibility status.

Suspended eligibility status and appeals

Students placed in suspended status are not eligible to receive federal, state or institutional financial aid. In addition, some alternative loan and scholarship programs require students to be in good standing under SAP guidelines.

If you are in suspended status, you may submit an appeal to the Office of Student Financial Services, which documents special or unforeseen circumstances that interfered with the completion of your coursework or in meeting any other part of the policy.

Submitting an appeal

Appeals must be submitted by the mid-point of the term. Appeals submitted after the deadline will be reviewed but late petitions may result in the loss of funding for the term. If an appeal is approved, you will be placed in Probation status and will be eligible to receive financial aid.

You may be required to submit an academic plan for each term of probation status until you reach good standing. If you do not pass the credits an/or earn the GPA given in the academic plan, you will be placed in suspended status again.

All decisions by the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee are final.


For more information see policy.