Maintaining Financial Aid Eligibility
Making satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is the key to a successful academic experience and helps you maintain eligibility for financial aid programs.
The SAP standards differ for federal, state, institutional and graduate aid. At the end of each semester, our office evaluates whether students satisfy these academic standards for financial aid. If a student fails any of these standards, our office notifies the student and may be required to cancel financial aid for which the student is ineligible. The student could be responsible for any outstanding balance resulting from aid cancellation.
Eligibility Guidelines
While the aid standards differ by source and program, here are some general guidelines for maintaining financial aid eligibility:
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 at Plattsburgh (3.0 for graduate students)
- Earn credits in at least two-thirds of all coursework (> 66.6% earned to attempted ratio)
- Complete at least 12 credits of aid-eligible courses each semester
- Do not withdraw from too many courses
- Declare a major before earning 57 credits (undergraduate students only)
- Graduate within four to six years (seven years for graduate students)
- Consult with student financial services for exceptions to these guidelines
Financial Aid Standards in Detail
- Components of Satisfactory Academic Progress
Qualitative Measure (GPA)
Undergraduate students who have completed less than one year of academic pursuit must maintain a minimum Plattsburgh cumulative GPA of 1.6. At one year completed and beyond, a 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA is required.
The cumulative GPA at Plattsburgh does not include transfer coursework, or the following grades: pass (P), incomplete (I), withdrawal (W), withdrawal from college (WC), non-credit (NC), non-available (N), proficiency (PR), and audit (U). The college’s Academic Amnesty Policy does not apply to the evaluation of satisfactory academic progress for financial aid. Grades removed under academic amnesty will continue to be counted in SAP review.
Quantitative Measure (Pace)
Students who have completed less than one year of academic pursuit must earn at least 50% of all credits attempted. At one year completed and beyond, 66.7% of all attempted credits must be earned.
Transfer credits accepted at SUNY Plattsburgh count as both attempted and completed credits. Note that pass (P) grades are considered completed credits, although the following are not: failure (E), incomplete (I), withdrawal (W), withdrawal from college (WC), non-credit (NC), non-available (N), proficiency (PR), and audit (U).
Maximum Timeframe
Students must successfully complete their degree pursuit within 150% of the credits required for graduation. Generally, 150% is a maximum of 180 attempted credits. Upon request from the student, the number of years remaining will be adjusted for students who have graduated from Plattsburgh and are working on their second bachelor’s degree. - Impact of Repeat Coursework on SAP
Students may repeat coursework according to university academic policy, defined in the university catalog.
Federal and state aid programs will allow for repeat coursework to count in credits being attempted when the course is required for degree completion and: has been failed (E grade), has been withdrawn from (W grade), or has a grade earned that is not acceptable as stipulated in the major/degree requirements for the student’s major catalog year. However, federal aid programs may only be used one time for retaking previously passed coursework.
The most recent/last grade earned in repeat coursework will be used in the GPA computation and only courses taken and repeated at SUNY Plattsburgh (or through cross registration) will count toward a student’s GPA.
Each course attempt is included in the quantitative and maximum time frame components of SAP review.
- Impact of Remedial & ESL Coursework on SAP
Federal aid programs allow for up to 30 credits of remedial and ESL coursework be attempted. NYS aid programs allow for up to six credits of remedial and ESL coursework each full-time semester, except in the first semester of college level study, when a student need carry only three degree credits with six credits of remedial and ESL coursework.
Students must attend in college-level coursework while taking remedial and ESL classes, earning at least three college-level credits in their first semester and at least six college-level credits in subsequent semesters.
Remedial and ESL coursework are noncredit courses for financial aid purposes, and thus do not count toward quantitative SAP measures nor are the grades included in the student’s GPA calculation.
- Financial Aid Warning for Federal Aid
The first time students fail the earned to attempted ratio or cumulative GPA standard for federal aid, they are automatically assigned one-semester of warning and continue to receive federal aid during this warning semester.
If students on warning do not satisfy all standards by the end of the warning semester, the student becomes ineligible for federal aid the following semester.
If ineligible for federal aid, students may continue to attend without federal aid or appeal for a probation term. Appeals may not be granted for the Federal TEACH grant.
- Appeal for a Probation Term
Students not pursuing an appeal or ineligible for an appeal can attend without federal and state aid while addressing all of the failed SAP standards. Students can become eligible for aid again once all the minimum standards are satisfied again. In this situation, students could consider using a private student loan to help fund educational expenses.
Students may not appeal the maximum time frame for federal aid or maximum TAP points for state aid.
Students who fall below the minimum number of credits earned in a semester, or the cumulative credits earned, may be considered for an appeal of state aid, but this type of appeal is available one-time only.
All other types of appeals are considered once, with the possibility of continuation when students are able to meet the goals of their academic plan submitted in the appeal process.
Appeals are warranted under extraordinary and unusual circumstances beyond the control of the student that had an inevitable impact on academic performance. Examples may involve an unexpected acute physical illness or psychological condition, or unanticipated catastrophic event experienced by the student. The student must thoroughly and comprehensively document the circumstances in writing from credible sources. There must also be a reasonable expectation that the student will meet all future requirements. An appeal is only valid for one semester of probation. By the end of this semester, students must satisfy all of the academic standards in order to regain eligibility. If the student has submitted an academic plan with the appeal and satisfied that plan successfully, a further probation term for federal aid may be considered (upon request).
Download our financial aid appeal form for further guidance and instructions.
- Federal Academic Progress Charts
Federal Academic Progress Charts Years Completed Min. Earned to Attempted Credits Min. Cumulative GPA Years Remaining 0.5 50.0% 1.6 5.5 1.0 66.7% 2.0 5.0 1.5 66.7% 2.0 4.5 2.0 66.7% 2.0 4.0 2.5 66.7% 2.0 3.5 3.0 66.7% 2.0 3.0 3.5 66.7% 2.0 2.5 4.0 66.7% 2.0 2.0 4.5 66.7% 2.0 1.5 5.0 66.7% 2.0 1.0 5.5 66.7% 2.0 0.5 6.0 66.7% 2.0 0 Standards For Graduate Federal Aid Eligibility Cumulative GPA Quantitative Measure Max. Time Frame Minimum 3.0. Minimum 66.7% earned to attempted credits. 7 years if program is less than 60 credits. 10 years if program is 60 or more credits. - NYS Academic Progress Charts
New York State Standards for Financial Aid Eligibility
For first recipients, non-remedial, in 2010–11 and thereafter TAP Points Earned Completed Credits Last Semester with TAP Cumulative Credits Earned Cumulative GPA* Declared Major if less than 57 Earned Credits Years Max. Time Frame (in TAP Points) Remaining 6 6 6 1.5 No 48 12 6 15 1.8 No 48 18 9 27 1.8 No 48 24 9 39 2.0 No 48 30 12 51 2.0 No 48 36 12 66 2.0 Yes 48 42 12 81 2.0 Yes 48 48** 12 96 2.0 Yes 48 54** 12 111 2.0 Yes 54 60 Max. TAP earned No further eligibility 60 For first recipients in 2007–08 through 2009–10 and EOP participants TAP Points Earned Completed Credits Last Semester with TAP Cumulative Credits Earned Cumulative GPA* Declared Major if less than 57 Earned Credits Years Max. Time Frame (in TAP Points) Remaining 6 6 3 1.1 No 48 12 6 9 1.2 No 48 18 9 21 1.3 No 48 24 9 33 2.0 No 48 30 12 45 2.0 No 48 36 12 60 2.0 Yes 48 42 12 75 2.0 Yes 48 48** 12 90 2.0 Yes 48 54** 12 105 2.0 Yes 54 60 Max. TAP earned No further eligibility 60 Notes:
* Some state aid programs have different academic standing criteria. Visit www.hesc.ny.gov for more information on the conditions for award eligibility and renewability.
** Only EOP students are eligible.
- Guidelines for Institutional Aid
Institutional gift aid (IGA) includes scholarships, grants, and housing awards funded by SUNY Plattsburgh. New students are evaluated for IGA at the time of admission and eligibility is determined based upon objective information in the application for admission. Academic departments select continuing students from within their major for IGA based upon objective information in the academic records of students. Visit Scholarships, Grants & Loans for more information on IGA for new and continuing students.
Some IGA has criteria that students must satisfy for it to be renewed from semester to semester (e.g., on-campus residence, undergraduate level, full-time, etc.). In order to renew IGA, students must satisfy all the criteria outlined in their initial notification of the award. SFS evaluates whether students satisfy these criteria at the end of each semester. Once the evaluation is complete, SFS cancels all IGA for which the student did not satisfy the standards and notifies the student. If an IGA program requires undergraduate study, a student will lose it if their enrollment status changes to graduate level, even if the student meets all other criteria. - Apply for Aid