Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress
for Financial Aid Applicants
Student Financial Aid2021-2022

Federal regulations require that Kent State University review the academic progress of students who apply for and/or receive federal financial aid. To be eligible for federal student aid funds, a student must make reasonable satisfactory academic progress toward the attainment of a degree or certificate program.

A student’s entire academic history at Kent State University (including any College Credit Plus, transfer, or consortium agreement credits, and semesters during which no federal aid was received) is reviewed to ensure timely progression toward graduation. This policy is specific to federal regulations regarding financial aid. This policy does not prevent enrollment, but does prevent the release of federal financial aid funds to the student.

The following programs are suspended when a student is not in compliance with the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy:
 

  • Federal Pell Grant
  • Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
  • Federal TEACH Grant
  • Federal Work Study
  • Federal Perkins Loan
  • Nursing Student Loan
  • Federal Direct Loans (subsidized and unsubsidized)
  • Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
  • Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
  • Private Student Loan Programs (depends on lender)
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be evaluated at the end of the spring semester or at the time the student applies for federal assistance (completes the FAFSA). Evaluation of SAP occurs annually for all programs except programs that take one year or less to complete. Students enrolled in programs that take one year or less to complete are evaluated for SAP after every payment period (semester). Students determined to be in violation of the SAP Policy may already have received an award offer that includes federal aid for the upcoming year. Once determined to be in violation of the SAP Policy, the student is no longer eligible for this aid, and it will not transfer to the student’s Bursar account. State grant programs are governed by the Standards of Academic Progress established by the respective state.
Students can view their Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Calculation by following these steps: (1) Log into Flashline (2) Click Student tab in left column (3) Under Finances click Financial Aid (4) Click Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Calculation. This section displays a student’s Financial Aid GPA, SAP Financial Aid Completion and SAP Maximum Time Frame values. Please note the SAP earned hours value. SAP earned hours value is used to determine percent completion standard. See next section.
 
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENTS

The Student Financial Aid Office will notify students who do not meet the SAP policy after the end of the spring semester or at the time the student applies for federal aid. To view your status: (1) Log into FlashLine (2) Click Student tab in left column (3) Under Finances click on Financial Aid (4) Click Financial Aid Status (5) Select “Award Year” from the drop-down box and click Submit.

Undergraduate applicants for federal programs must maintain all three of the following standards:

1. Grade Point Average (qualitative measure):

All students must have a 2.00 overall SAP GPA regardless of grade level. Students who fail to maintain a minimum 2.00 SAP GPA are not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.
 
All grades count in the GPA, including grades that are waived under the academic forgiveness policies. Remedial coursework is included in the GPA calculation.
2. Percent Completion (quantitative measure):

Percent completion is calculated by dividing overall SAP earned hours by overall SAP attempted hours. For example: If a student attempted 50 credit hours but only successfully completed 40 out of those 50 credit hours, the completion rate would be 80% (40/50=80%). Transfer hours are included in the Percent Completion calculation.

0-29 SAP earned hours: at least 50% overall completion rate
30-59 SAP earned hours: at least 60% overall completion rate
60+ SAP earned hours: at least 67% overall completion rate
 
Grades of W, WF, WP, F, U, SF, NF, NR, IP, IN and Z will count as zero in the earned hour calculation and will negatively affect the percent completion calculation. Courses in which a student remained registered past the add/drop date and earned a grade of “W” or it’s equivalent are included in SAP evaluation. In regards to incomplete (IP) grades, once the IP grade is finalized, the new grade would be considered at the next annual SAP evaluation. Students are encouraged to speak with an academic advisor and the Student Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.

Course repeat hours

Credit for repeated coursework will only be counted once in earned hours; however, all repeated coursework attempts are counted in attempted hours. This will negatively affect the percent completion rate. See Kent State University’s Course Repeat Policy in the University Catalog for guidance on how repeating courses affect grade point average and total hours for graduation.
 
3. Maximum Time Frame

Undergraduate students pursuing a bachelor’s degree may be considered for financial aid to a maximum of 180 overall attempted hours. Undergraduate students pursuing an associate degree may be considered for federal financial aid to a maximum of 97 overall attempted hours. Students pursuing an undergraduate certificate may be considered for federal aid to a maximum of 29 overall attempted hours.
 
Students must complete their program within 150% of the published length of the program. A student is ineligible when it becomes mathematically impossible for them to complete the program within the maximum timeframe established by the school. Students who lose student aid eligibility due to this standard can regain eligibility for financial aid by submitting a successful SAP Appeal.
 
Overall attempted hours include overall institution attempted hours plus overall transfer hours. All attempted hours are included in the calculation even if the student changes majors.
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Since maximum time frame examines overall attempted hours, part-time attendance counts in the maximum time frame calculation. Attempted credit hours are counted for all terms, even those semesters during which the student did not receive financial aid, as well as those waived under academic forgiveness policies. Transfer, remedial, repeated and forgiveness hours will be included in the overall attempted hours calculation. Students who have completed coursework to graduate but have not yet received their degree cannot continue to receive further financial aid as an undergraduate.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS

Graduate applicants for federal programs must maintain the following standards:  
  1. Percent Completion (quantitative measure):

    Percent completion is calculated by dividing overall SAP earned hours by overall SAP attempted hours.  

    Graduate applicants must have completed at least 65% of overall SAP attempted hours.  

    Grades of W, WF, WP, F, U, SF, NF, NR, IP, IN, and Z will count as zero in the earned hour calculation and will negatively affect the percent completion calculation. Courses in which a student remained past the add/drop date and earned a grade of “W” or it’s equivalent are included in SAP evaluation. In regards to incomplete (IP) grades, once the IP grade is finalized, the new grade would be considered at the next annual SAP evaluation Students are encouraged to speak with an academic advisor and the Student Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
     
  2. Grade Point Average (qualitative measure)

    Grade point average will be monitored by academic units. As noted in the Kent State University Graduate Catalog, graduate students are expected to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA in all work attempted at Kent State University.
  3.  
  4. Maximum Time Frame

    Maximum time frame will be monitored by academic units. As noted in the Kent State University Graduate Catalog, graduate students in a master’s program are held to a 6 year time limit and graduate students in a doctoral program a 10 year limit.
  5.  

    APPEAL PROCESS: ALL STUDENTS

    If extenuating circumstances contributed to the student not meeting the SAP Policy (GPA, Percent Complete and/or Maximum Time Frame), the student is encouraged to appeal the denial for federal financial aid by submitting a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal (located at www.kent.edu/financialaid/forms) to their campus Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee.

    Examples of extenuating circumstances are: death of a relative, an injury or illness of the student, or other special circumstances, including a public health emergency. The appeal is an online form and is sent electronically to the student’s campus. In an appeal, a student must explain the circumstances that prevented the student from meeting the SAP policy standards and explain what has changed that will allow the student to meet the standards at the next evaluation. Supporting documentation should be provided in most cases.

Students that are cited for maximum time frame must also submit a Maximum Time Frame Form (located at www.kent.edu/financialaid/forms). This form is completed by the student, must be reviewed by an academic advisor from the student’s college or school, and be signed by that academic advisor verifying the information on the form is correct.  

Appeals will be evaluated by the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Committee at your campus. Appeals cannot be accepted for semesters that have already passed.

Students will be notified of all appeal decisions via the student’s FlashLine account. Students can access the decision by following these steps: (1) Log into FlashLine (2) Click Student tab in left col-umn (3) Under Finances click on Financial Aid (4) Click on Financial Aid Status (5) Select “Award Year” from the drop-down box and click Submit (6) Click on messages in “You have active messages.” The decision made by the Appeal Committee is final.

If an appeal is approved by the appeal committee, the student will be placed on financial aid probation for one semester. Students who are on financial aid probation must either be in compliance with the SAP policy at the end of the semester or meet the requirements of an academic plan. The requirements of the academic plan are to earn a minimum 2.0 GPA and complete 67 percent of their courses during that semester (students cited for Maximum Time Frame see require-ments below).

For example: If a student attempted 12 credit hours for the approved semester but only successfully completed 6 out of those 12 credit hours, the completion rate would be 50% (6/12=50%). This student would not be eligible to receive financial aid for the next term.

Students on financial aid probation who were cited for Maximum Time Frame must register for only those courses listed on their Maximum Time Frame form, complete 100 percent of their total attempted hours, and earn a minimum 2.0 GPA during the approved semester. This is their academic plan. Students who fail to meet the terms of their academic plan will not be approved to receive aid the following semester. If the student experienced a new circumstance during the semester of the academic plan they are permitted to submit a new appeal.    

Students who do not appeal, are denied by the committee, or are not in compliance with the standards will not be eligible for Federal Finan-cial Aid until their academic record is once again in compliance with the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress. Neither paying for their classes out-of-pocket nor sitting out for an enrollment period is sufficient for students to re-establish eligibility for federal aid. Students in compliance with the SAP standards prior to the end of the academ-ic year must still submit an appeal.

TRANSIENT STUDENTS  

Kent State University students who will attend another institution as a transient student must submit an Ad Hoc Consortium Agreement (located at www.kent.edu/financialaid/forms) to the Kent campus Student Financial Aid Office for a determination of financial aid eligibility. Students must submit a copy of their grade transcript from the host school to the Student Financial Aid Office within 10 days of completing each semester at their host school.