Satisfactory Academic Progress

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Policy Number:

UW-1040

Old Policy Number:

OSFA 615

Responsible Office:

Office of Student Financial Aid

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

Federal regulations require UW–Madison to establish a satisfactory academic progress policy to ensure all students receiving financial aid are making reasonable progress toward their intended degree.

Definitions:

Attempted coursework

All classes in which a student is enrolled on the day after the date to drop courses or withdraw without a notation on the transcript.

Completed coursework

All courses in which the student received an A, AB, B, BC, C, D, S (Satisfactory), CR (Credit), or SD (Satisfactory-Disruption).

Incomplete coursework

Considered not completed coursework.

Not completed coursework

All courses in which the student received an F (Fail), I (Incomplete), NR (No Report), NW (No Work), U (Unsatisfactory), N (No Credit), IN (Incomplete), or UD (University Disruption).

Remedial coursework

Considered attempted coursework.

Repeated coursework

Credits and grades from all attempted coursework count towards the qualitative and quantitative components.

Transfer credit

Counts as both attempted and accepted coursework including transferred college credits, test credit, and retroactive world language credit.

Scope:

Applies to all UW–Madison undergraduate students who receive federal aid programs.

Policy:

1. The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) monitors students to ensure they are meeting federal guidelines for satisfactory academic progress. OSFA reviews undergraduate students on an annual basis at the end of the spring semester—in late May or early June.
2. The following components are evaluated at the end of each academic year:
   1. The qualitative component of satisfactory academic progress is measured by the student’s cumulative grade-point average (GPA):
      1. A student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher at the end of the academic year when the evaluation occurs.
   2. The quantitative component of satisfactory academic progress is measured by a degree completion rate and maximum timeframe:
      1. A student must maintain a cumulative degree credit completion rate of 66.67% for all enrolled credits. The credit completion rate is calculated by dividing attempted credits by completed credits.
      2. A student may not enroll for more than 150% of the number of degree credits needed to complete their academic program.
3. Students must meet all qualitative and quantitative components to maintain financial aid eligibility.
   1. Failure to meet one or more components will result in financial aid ineligibility until the student either has an appeal approved or subsequent academic activity enables the student to meet all satisfactory academic progress components without financial aid.
4. Students are notified via email of a failure to meet satisfactory academic progress and their aid eligibility status after the calculations are completed beginning in the summer term.
   1. The email notification includes details on both the failure to meet satisfactory academic progress requirements and the student’s options to move forward.
   2. Financial aid cannot be disbursed to a student who has failed any component of satisfactory academic progress.
   3. For ineligible students who apply for aid after the annual review notification, they are notified when their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is received. The updated status is effective immediately. UW–Madison does not have a “financial aid warning” procedure, because the satisfactory academic progress evaluation does not occur at the end of each payment period.
5. UW–Madison requires a formal appeal process for students wishing to continue to receive aid while not meeting all satisfactory academic progress components.
   1. The satisfactory academic progress appeal must address the cause and issues with academic progress as well as evidence of working with an academic advisor to create an academic plan to ensure student success in the future.
   2. Appeals are reviewed by a member of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee who may approve the appeal and place a student on financial aid probation.
   3. If the appeal is not approved or requires additional review, it is forwarded to the satisfactory academic progress coordinator.
   4. With an approved appeal, a student will be placed on financial aid probation and assigned an academic plan and will be awarded aid for a term. At the end of the first semester, a subsequent review will be conducted to determine if the academic progress meets the terms of the academic plan and warrants an additional term of aid or if the student must appeal again before receiving additional aid.
6. If a student chooses not to appeal, they can regain their aid eligibility by increasing their GPA and/or completion rate.
   1. Failing satisfactory academic progress means a student is not eligible for financial aid without an approved appeal.
   2. Financial aid is not retroactive if an appeal is not received and approved before the end of the term.

External References:

34 C.F.R. § 668.2(b)

34 C.F.R. § 668.34

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:

Director of Financial Aid

Policy Manager:

Associate Director of Financial Aid for Federal Awards

Contact:

Associate Director of Financial Aid for Federal Awards -- Shane Maloney, finaid@finaid.wisc.edu, (608) 262-3060

Revised Dates:

01-01-2020

Reviewed Dates:

01/01/2020

Retrieved:

06-30-2022 11:50:21