New Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Process

To receive financial aid, students must meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements outlined at https://www.nvcc.edu/financialaid/policies/sap.html.  All terms of enrollment are counted, regardless of whether aid was received. The SAP requirements for students include satisfactorily completing at least 67% of the cumulative credits attempted, maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA, and completing the program of study before attempting 150% of the number of credits required for the program.

Students who fail to meet the SAP requirements for the first time (excluding students who already attempted 150% of the credits required for their program and students who attempted at least six credits and failed or withdrew from all courses) are placed in a warning status for one term. While in warning status, students can still receive financial aid. However, students who fail to meet the SAP requirements at the end of the warning status term are placed on financial aid suspension and lose financial aid eligibility going forward until they successfully complete enough courses to meet the SAP requirements or until they have a SAP appeal approved based on extenuating circumstances.

Recently, a few welcome improvements were made to the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeal process. Students are no longer required to meet with an academic advisor or counselor to complete an academic plan for SAP appeals. Instead, students will be required to review their Advisement Report in SIS to see which courses they still need to complete to graduate and they will need to attach a copy of their Advisement Report to their SAP appeal. On the appeal form, they will be reminded about the academic advising and counseling services offered at NOVA if they need assistance. 

Another change is that SAP appeals must be submitted before November 1 for Fall, April 1 for Spring, July 1 for Summer, or prior to the last date of attendance in the semester the student is appealing for aid reinstatement (if earlier). Appeals submitted after these dates will automatically be reviewed for the following term.

As a reminder, a student does not have to submit a SAP appeal every semester. If an appeal is approved, the expectation is the student will successfully complete all courses going forward until they are meeting all SAP standards or have completed their program of study in the case of the 150% maximum. Should a student not successfully complete all courses attempted while on an appeal approval, the student will be placed back into SAP suspension. 

Students will still need to complete the “Understanding Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and the Financial Aid SAP Appeal Process” online counseling session at https://nova.get-counseling.com/session/understanding-satisfactory-academic-progress-sap-and-financial-aid-sap-appeal-process-16 to access the SAP appeal form. Students should allow approximately 7-10 business days for SAP appeals to be processed. 

For more information on the SAP appeal process, please visit https://www.nvcc.edu/financialaid/policies/sap.html or contact the Financial Aid Office.

Submitted by:
Clint Young, jcyoung@nvcc.edu