Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP) POLICY

To be eligible for federal financial aid (including student loans) students must initially and continually meet the following measures for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

GRADE POINT AVERAGE

Undergraduate: All undergraduate students must maintain the following cumulative GPA:

• 1 to 12 hours - minimum 1.50
• 13 to 59 hours - minimum 1.75
• 60 or more hours - minimum 2.00
• 60 or more hours - minimum 2.50 for education majors and alternative teacher certification students

Graduate: All Master's or Doctoral students must maintain a 3.00 cumulative GPA.

PACE

Undergraduate andGraduate (including Doctoral) students are required to complete 70% of all hours attempted. Pace is determined by dividing the total number of credit hours earned by the total number of credit hours attempted. Attempted hours include hours from which the student withdrew (W), received a grade of no credit (NC), incomplete (I) or in progress (IP), and repeated courses. English as a Second Language courses (ESL) and remedial courses are also included. Audit grades (X) are not considered when calculating a student's pace rate.

MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME

Undergraduate: Students are eligible for financial aid for a maximum of 150% of the required length of the program. No additional hours are provided for students seeking a second bachelor's degree.

Graduate: Graduate students are eligible for financial aid for a maximum of 150% of the required length of the program. All previously attempted graduate hours are included when calculating the 150% maximum timeframe. Doctoral students may attempt up to 150% of the hours required for the first doctoral degree.

2nd Master's Degree: Students who have previously earned a Master's degree are allowed an additional 45 attempted hours above their LSUS graduate degree program hours

The 150% threshold for LSUS degrees are as follows:

When calculating a student's SAP status, the following is considered:

• All hours attempted at all schools attended, regardless of whether financial aid was received.
• All hours attempted for previous programs and/or major changes regardless of whether a degree was received.
• All hours attempted regardless of whether those hours are considered towards your current program/degree.

Terminal Degree: If a student possesses a terminal degree, doctorate in any field or a jurisprudence degree, they are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Academic Bankruptcy: Academic bankruptcy only impacts a student's academic record. For financial aid purposes, all coursework including those in academic bankruptcy are used to calculate GPA, Pace, and 150% maximum timeframe.

MONITORING PROGRESS/FINANCIAL AID SUSPENSION

All financial aid recipients are evaluated for SAP at the conclusion of the spring semester. Students not making SAP are notified and placed on Financial Aid Suspension. Students on Financial Aid Suspension cannot receive financial aid until they meet all SAP measures. If an appeal is granted (see re-establishing eligibility) the student is placed on financial aid probation. 

RE-ESTABLISHING ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID

A student may take courses at their own expense until they meet all SAP measures. Students exceeding the maximum timeframe cannot regain eligibility on their own.

Students who do not meet SAP requirements due to mitigating circumstances may appeal in writing to the Student Financial Aid and Scholarship Committee. The student must submit an appeal form and all necessary documents to the Financial Aid Office. 

If the student's appeal is approved, the student is placed on Financial Aid Probation with an Academic Plan. Undergraduate students on Financial Aid Probation will continue to receive aid as long as they earn grades of "A", "B", "C", or "P". Graduate students on Financial Aid Probation will continue to receive aid as long as they earn grades of "A", "B", or "P". If a student earns grades of "C" (graduate only) "D", "F", "NC" (no credit), "W" (withdrawal), "X" (audit), "I" (incomplete), or "IP" (in progress) they are placed on Financial Aid Suspension again and cannot receive financial aid. If the appeal is denied, the student may continue their enrollment at LSUS but must find other means of payment.

All appeal decisions are final. 

Here is the current Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy