This policy provides the framework for monitoring the standards for satisfactory academic
progress for students to be eligible to participate in the Federal Title IV financial
aid programs. To remain eligible, a student must:

1. Maintain the required cumulative grade point average (GPA)

2. Maintain the required percentage of completion

3. Complete the degree or certificate within the maximum allowable time frame

Transfer Students: Must meet the minimum GPA requirements for Admission and be within the maximum time
frame in order to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress upon entering the University.

1. Freshman must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 1.75

2. Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0

3. Graduates and Post Graduates must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0

Effective Spring 2020: Pass grades will not count in the grade point average calculation used for the GPA
requirement.

Students must progress toward completion of their declared degree/certificate while
maintaining a minimum 67% completion rate. The completion rate is calculated by dividing
the cumulative number of credit hours earned by the cumulative number of credit hours
attempted.

Effective Spring 2020: All final grades, including Pass, will count toward the total hours for the completion
rate for the Percentage of Completion requirement.  

To be within the maximum timeframe and be eligible for financial aid, credit hours
attempted must not exceed the following:

Other considerations for maximum time frame are as follows:

• The above limits are based on averages for the University’s certificate and degree
  programs. If a student is enrolled in a program that requires a greater number of
  hours, the additional hours will be considered.

• A student who has reached the maximum time frame of hours attempted without earning
  a degree will not be eligible to participate in federal financial aid programs.

• Students seeking double majors must complete their degree program for the primary
  major within the limits set for that major. Students requiring more hours to complete
  their double major program of study may appeal for extended hours.

• Effective Spring 2020: All final grades, including Pass, will count toward the total hours attempted for
  the Maximum Timeframe restriction. 

Satisfactory academic progress shall be monitored at the end of each semester. Notifications
will be sent after grades are posted. 

A student may appeal the loss of financial aid eligibility if extenuating circumstances
interfered with the ability to meet satisfactory academic progress standards. In order
to appeal the loss of financial aid eligibility, the student must submit an appeal
form explaining the extenuating circumstances that resulted in the lack of academic
progress and documentation to support extenuating circumstances. To complete the appeal
process, the student may be required to submit an academic plan provided by the student’s
department or may be assigned an academic plan by the Financial Aid Appeal Committee
or designee.

Circumstances must meet one of the following criteria:

• Prolonged illness, medical condition, or injury to student or immediate family member

• Natural Disaster/Life-altering event

• Death of an immediate family member

• Medical or mental health issues
• Marital issues
• Employment issues
• Family responsibilities
• Military Deployment

• Extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control

Appeal must include the following information:

• Completed Online  SAP Appeal Form

• Circumstances and how the circumstances affected academic performance

• Dates and time periods involved

• Explanation of how your situation has changed and the steps you are taking to resolve
  the circumstances

Documentation may include:

• Physician’s letters and hospital records (must include dates of illness and recovery
  time)

• Death certificate or obituary

• Court or police documents

• Letters from third party professionals on his/her letterhead

Students who have exceeded the maximum time frame must include additional information:

• Explanation of why you were unable to complete your program within the time frame
  allowed for your degree

• Number of hours needed to complete current degree and intended graduation date

• Copy of your academic degree plan listing all remaining classes needed to graduate

ATTENTION: In order to be eligible for financial aid for a semester in which the financial aid
has been suspended, an appeal must be approved prior to or during that semester. To
ensure that an appeal is reviewed, students must submit their appeal no later than
two weeks prior to the end of the semester. Appeals will NOT be considered for a semester that has already ended. No appeal will be accepted without
supporting documentation. The appeal may not be based upon the need for financial
aid assistance or the lack of knowledge that the financial aid assistance was in jeopardy.
It is the responsibility of the student to pay all outstanding balances on his/her
account while waiting for an appeal decision.

• Requires approximately 10 business days.

• Notification will be emailed to the student’s Southeastern campus webmail. 

• If approved, financial aid will be awarded on a probationary period for one semester. 

Financial aid eligibility can be re-established after the student improves their academic
record to meet the minimum standards required by the SAP Policy, without the assistance
of financial aid funds. Similarly, financial aid eligibility can be re-established
by successfully appealing your suspension.

If an SAP Appeal is approved:

The student will be placed on Satisfactory Academic Progress Probation. (Financial
Aid SAP Probation is for financial aid purposes only and is separate from academic
standing probation.) While on Satisfactory Academic Progress Probation, certain conditions
for academic performance will be set and monitored. Students with approved appeals
will be informed of the probationary conditions.

Students placed on ‘Probation’ regain eligibility for financial aid if:

• The student meets ALL of the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress by the end
  of one subsequent period of enrollment; or

• The student is placed on an academic plan leading to graduation that, if followed,
  ensures that the student is able to meet ALL of the Standards of Satisfactory Academic
  Progress by a specific point in time.

Students who meet all of the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress while on
‘Probation’ will be placed in ‘Meets SAP’ at the conclusion of the period of enrollment
or academic plan period. Progress in an academic plan is measured at the end of each
period of enrollment. Students who do not meet all of the Standards of Satisfactory
Academic Progress or academic plan requirements while on ‘Probation’ will be placed
on ‘Suspension.

Students who do not meet the terms of financial aid probation are not eligible for
aid in any subsequent semester. An email is sent to all students who fail to comply
with the terms of their probation via their student webmail. The checklist item, “SAP
Appeal”, will also be appear on their LEONet account.

Students who fail to meet the minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements
will be placed on financial aid suspension. Students placed on Academic Suspension
will automatically be placed on financial aid suspension. Students on financial aid
suspension are NOT eligible to receive federal financial aid. The mere passage of time will not restore
eligibility to a student who has lost eligibility for failure to make satisfactory
academic progress. The student may appeal the Financial Aid Suspension if unusual
circumstances beyond their control prevented them from meeting satisfactory academic
progress (see appeal process).

Please Note: If an SAP review makes it clear that a student cannot mathematically complete his/her
declared degree/certificate program or cannot raise his/her cumulative GPA to the
minimum within the maximum time frame allowed, the student will be placed or will
remain on financial aid suspension.

Financial aid eligibility can be re-established after the student improves their academic
record to meet the minimum standards required by the SAP Policy, without the assistance
of financial aid funds. Similarly, financial aid eligibility can be re-established
by successfully appealing your suspension.

GPA computed on all hours attempted including repeated course work and all transfer
work accepted by Southeastern. 

Effective Spring 2020: Pass grades will not count in the grade point average (GPA) calculation used for the
GPA requirement.