Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress

To be eligible for federal financial aid, a student must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward completing their degree. Purchase College reviews federal satisfactory academic progress at the end of each Fall, Spring, and Summer semester. Students are notified electronically through their official Purchase College email account when they are not meeting satisfactory academic progress standards.

If students fail to meet satisfactory academic progress standards, they are given one semester of financial aid warning, during which they continue to receive federal financial aid. Failure to meet satisfactory academic progress standards after the warning semester will result in the loss of the federal financial aid listed below:

  • Federal Pell Grant
  • Federal Perkins Loans
  • Federal Work-Study Program
  • Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
  • Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized)
  • Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students
  • Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan

Once the minimum standards described below are met, a student will again be eligible for federal aid. In certain circumstances, students may appeal their unsatisfactory academic progress by submitting a Satisfactory Academic Process (SAP) Appeal form (PDF).

Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is enforced by three standards: 

Cumulative GPA

Pace Maximum Time Frame
Students must maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average ( GPA) at or above 2.0 Students must earn 66.7 percent of the credits they attempt. This is monitored on a cumulative basis. The completion rate is calculated at the end of each semester by dividing the number of credits earned by the number of credits attempted.

Students are no longer eligible to receive federal financial aid once they have attempted 150 percent of the credits required to complete their degree, or it is determined to be impossible for a student to graduate within attempting 150 percent of the credits required to complete their degree.

  • A 120 undergraduate credit program (single major or degree) must be completed prior to a student attempting 180 credits.
  • Dual degree/major students have until 240 credits as they have more degree requirements to graduate.
  • The college does not allow for any appeals of the Maximum Time Frame standard, so students in violation lose federal financial aid.
 Definition of attempted credits, earned credits, and GPA:
  • Transfers credits will be included in attempted hours and hours earned.
  • Progress will be reviewed once the temporary grade of I (Incomplete) has been replaced with an official grade.
  • Repeated classes will count as credits attempted. The higher grade will be used to calculate the GPA.
  • A grade of P counts as attempted credits and earned credits but is not calculated in the GPA.
  • Grades of NC (no Credit) or W (Withdrawal) count as attempted credits but not earned and are not calculated in the GPA.
  • A grade of WF (withdrawal with a grade of F) counts as credits attempted and will count as an F in the GPA.
  • If students change their major, all credits attempted, including those taken towards the prior major will be counted when calculating the cumulative GPA. These credits will also be counted in credits attempted versus credits earned.

Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals

  • Unforeseen medical/dental/mental health issues
  • Financial difficulties (loss of income, unemployment, etc.)
  • Death of spouse, parent, or family member

Students who have extraordinary circumstances as described above,that prevented them from meeting the minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards can submit an appeal by providing the documentation listed below by the deadline provided in the email notification:

1. SAP Appeal Form

Complete the Satisfactory Academic Process Appeal form (PDF) with your advisor.

2. Proof of Circumstance(s)

Provide documentation or proof of your extraordinary circumstances. You can provide this through either having a professional complete the SAP Appeal Supporting Documentation form (PDF), or by providing other documentation you may have that supports what is mentioned in your appeal letter (i.e., doctor’s note, medication, etc.)

3. Academic Support

Provide letter(s) of support from your advisor or professor(s). An email from their Purchase email account sent directly to Student Financial Services is also acceptable.

Review of Appeal

Once all documentation is submitted, the appeal will then be reviewed by the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Committee, and students will receive a final decision via their Purchase email account. Students who are approved will either be placed on a probationary period or on an academic plan. Placement on a probationary period or academic plan is determined by whether the committee feels it is possible for the student to meet the minimum satisfactory academic progress standards after one semester, or if the student will need multiple semesters to once again meet the minimum satisfactory academic standards.

Probationary Period

Federal financial aid is reinstated for one semester only, and the student must meet the minimum satisfactory academic progress standards by the end of that semester.

Academic Plan

Federal financial aid is reinstated, and the student must follow his or her academic plan successfully. The student’s progress will be reviewed at the end of each semester by the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Committee to determine if the student is following his or her academic plan successfully and can meet the minimum satisfactory academic progress standards by graduation. If it is determined that the student is no longer following their academic plan, the student will be notified of the loss of federal financial aid for future semesters.

State Satisfactory Academic Progress

Calendar: Semester
Program: Baccalaureate Degree

This sample standard of satisfactory progress generally would be used to determine continuing eligibility for state support of students who have no “special circumstances.” The progress of students with special circumstances, such as those who have transferred from another institution or have used their waiver, must be monitored on an adjusted schedule.

The number of credits in the chart below refers to those courses granting academic credit in which a student earned a passing grade, which can be counted as credits completed toward a degree. It does not include remedial noncredit instruction.

Legislated Standards Required by Statute to be Used for First-time Baccalaureate Degree Students Receiving their First TAP Award at Purchase College

From 2010 and Onward

Before being certified for this payment: A student must have accrued at least this many credits: With at least this GPA:
1st 0 0
2nd 6 1.5
3rd 15 1.8
4th 27 1.8
5th 39 2.0
6th 51 2.0
7th 66 2.0
8th 81 2.0
9th** 96 2.0
10th** 111 2.0

Before 2010

Before being certified for this payment: A student must have accrued at least this many credits: With at least this GPA:
1st 0 0
2nd 3 1.1
3rd 9 1.2
4th 21 1.3
5th 33 2.0
6th 45 2.0
7th 60 2.0
8th 75 2.0
9th** 90 2.0
10th** 105 2.0

**Only students in five-year programs, approved pursuant to Section 145.2.7 of the regulations, are eligible for more than eight semesters of undergraduate awards (exclusive of Supplemental TAP).

Pursuit of Program (POP)

POP measures the student’s effort to complete coursework. This information is checked prior to TAP certification each semester. Students must receive a passing or failing grade (no W or WF grades) as follows:

During the first and second semesters, at least 50 percent of the minimum amount of study (minimum of six credits per semester).

During the third and fourth semesters, at least 75 percent of the minimum amount of study (a minimum of nine credits per semester).

During subsequent semesters a student must receive a passing or failing grade 100 percent (a minimum of 12 credits per semester).

State Satisfactory Academic Progress Waivers

The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) review for TAP occurs within the first two to three weeks of each semester. A student will receive an email notification of the loss of state aid, including details of the TAP waiver process. A TAP waiver may be completed if a student has an exceptional circumstance, such as the ones listed below:

  • Unforeseen medical/dental/mental health issues
  • Financial difficulties (loss of income, unemployment, etc)
  • Death of spouse, parent, or family member

Students applying for a waiver must complete the TAP waiver form with the Office of the Registrar and provide supporting documentation by the established deadline based on the email notification. The waivers will then be reviewed, and students will receive a final decision via their Purchase email account.

For more information on TAP Waivers, please contact the Registrar’s Office.