Satisfactory Academic Progress

On this page:

• About Satisfactory Academic Progress
• Policy
• Appeal Policy
• Frequently Asked Questions
   

About Satisfactory Academic Progress

To receive federal student aid and the Ohio College Opportunity Grant at Wright State University, federal regulations require you meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements.
 

SAP Policy

To maintain satisfactory academic progress, undergraduate students and graduate/doctoral students must meet SAP requirements. All students enrolled in courses will be evaluated for SAP. This includes courses taken while not receiving Title IV financial aid.

The Office of Financial Aid will evaluate your academic history annually, at the end of every spring term, to ensure you are meeting SAP requirements. This evaluation includes courses taken during the previous summer term. If you fail SAP requirements, you will be notified via Wright State email that you may access your SAP status in WINGS Express.

Wright State's SAP Policy is used to determine your financial aid eligibility only. It does not reflect your academic standing for continued enrollment in your program of study.

SAP Requirements

You must meet the following SAP requirements to maintain your eligibility for federal student aid.

1. Cumulative GPA

• Undergraduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
• Graduate/doctoral students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Boonshoft School of Medicine and School of Professional Psychology students must meet all academic stipulations defined by their professional program of study.

       Please note:

• Repeat coursework does not impact your cumulative GPA for SAP purposes.
• Fresh Start and Second Start academic forgiveness policies do not apply to your financial aid eligibility. Any credit hours and/or GPA forgiveness granted in accordance with university policy, shall be considered when determining a student’s satisfactory progress. 
• Incomplete coursework does not impact your cumulative GPA for SAP purposes until the grade is finalized. Once finalized, it will be factored into the SAP calculation during the next formal review of SAP.
• Remedial coursework does not impact your cumulative GPA for SAP purposes. However, you must earn a passing grade to remain satisfactory for academic progress.
• Your overall cumulative GPA is used when reviewing SAP, regardless of whether you have a change in major or are pursuing a second degree. However, you can appeal to receive financial aid based on a change of major or pursuing a second degree.

2. Completion Rate (67 Percent Rule)

• Undergraduate and graduate/doctoral students must earn 67 percent of their cumulative attempted credit hours. The percentage is calculated by dividing your total number of earned credit hours by your total number of attempted credit hours.

       Please note:

• Fresh Start and Second Start academic forgiveness policies do not apply to your financial aid eligibility. Any credit hours and/or GPA forgiveness granted in accordance with university policy, shall be considered when determining a student’s satisfactory progress. 
• Attempted credit hours are those credit hours for which you have received a grade of A, B, C, D, F, I, K, M, N, P, U, W, NR, or X. Transfer credit hours and repeated coursework are included in your total attempted credit hours. The attempted hours for a course in which you receive an M grade will be added to your total earned credit hours.
• Incomplete coursework is included in hours attempted. However, they are not considered hours earned until the grade is finalized.
• Remedial coursework is included in hours attempted, However, you must receive a passing grade to include in earned hours.
• Your overall cumulative hours attempted and hours earned are used when reviewing SAP, regardless of whether you have a change in major or are pursuing a second degree. However, you can appeal to receive financial aid based on a change of major or pursuing a second degree.

3. Maximum Timeframe (150 Percent Rule)

You must complete your program of study within 150 percent of the time frame required to earn your degree. The maximum time frame is 150 percent of the typical number of hours needed to complete degree requirements.

      Please note:

• Attempted credit hours are those credit hours for which you have received a grade of A, B, C, D, F, I, K, M, N, P, U, W, NR, or X. Transfer credit hours and repeated coursework are included in your total attempted credit hours. The attempted hours for a course in which you receive an M grade will be added to your total earned credit hours.
• Incomplete coursework is included in hours attempted. However, they are not considered hours earned until the grade is finalized.
• Your overall cumulative hours attempted are used when reviewing SAP, regardless of whether you have a change in major or are pursuing a second degree. However, you can appeal to receive financial aid based on a change of major or pursuing a second degree.

SAP Status

You can check your SAP status in WINGS Express at any time. For step-by-step instructions on how to view your academic progress for federal student aid in WINGS, visit the WINGS Support Page.

SAP Statuses

• Financial Aid Satisfactory: You have met SAP requirements for federal student aid purposes.
• Financial Aid Unsatisfactory: You have not met SAP requirements and you are ineligible for federal student aid. You will remain ineligible for federal student aid unless you successfully appeal or re-establish your eligibility on your own. You are not eligible to receive federal student aid for any term in which you have been assigned an Unsatisfactory SAP status.
• Financial Aid Probation: You have successfully appealed an Unsatisfactory SAP status and you are eligible for federal student aid for one term only. After the end of the term, you must meet academic progress plan requirements in order to qualify for federal student aid for subsequent terms. You are not eligible to receive federal student aid for those terms for which you are assigned an Unsatisfactory SAP status.

Financial Aid Programs Subject to SAP Policy

Common financial aid programs subject to Wright State University's SAP Policy include:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
• Wright Start Scholarship
• Wright State University Need-Based Grant
• Federal Work-Study
• Federal Nursing Student Loan
• Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans
• Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
• Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
• Ohio College Opportunity Grant
   

SAP Appeal Policy

If you do not meet SAP requirements, you may appeal to the Office of Financial Aid to be placed on Financial Aid Probation. 

SAP Appeal Guidelines

• Only current Wright State students may appeal.
• You must have a FAFSA on file.
• You may appeal to receive federal student aid for one term only. You will be limited to a maximum of two (2) appeals per semester. Appeals must be submitted prior to the semester appeal deadline to be considered.
• If you previously appealed on the basis of one circumstance and want to appeal again based on the same circumstance, you must provide information about what has changed that will allow you to meet satisfactory progress at the next evaluation. 
• Appeals are reviewed by the Office of Financial Aid and all appeal decisions are final.
• Appeals for Boonshoft School of Medicine MD Program are referred to the Special Promotions Committee (SPC). If you are in the MD program, please reach out to the BSOM Office of Financial Aid at som_finaid@wright.edu for assistance with the appeal process.
• Incomplete appeals will be denied.
• You must check your Wright State email and WINGS accounts for notifications and updates to the status of your financial aid, including your SAP appeal.

SAP Appeal Criterion

The SAP appeal process will require you:

Submit the Online SAP Appeal Form via WINGS (For step-by-step instructions on how to access your financial aid information in WINGS, visit the WINGS Support Page). When completing this form you will be required to supply the following information:

• A statement that explains the circumstance or reason you failed to meet SAP requirements. This statement must contain a detailed explanation of the courses, terms, or situations that prevented you from meeting SAP.
• A statement that explains what has changed in your situation that will now enable you to meet SAP requirements.
• Documentation or statements from a third-party professional that support your situation. Documentation should support your extenuating circumstances and confirm that you are taking steps to succeed.  Documentation can include but is not limited to police reports, medical documentation, death notices, or transcripts from previous universities. If providing a  statement of support, it must be on company letterhead and signed by a professional who is familiar with your situation. If the statement of support is from a Wright State employee, letterhead is not required. Support can be emailed from their official Wright State email address. Examples of third party support include physician, therapist, employer, attorney, or a counselor with the Office of Disability Services, Student Advocacy and Wellness, Student Success or other counseling offices. ​​​​​Please note that a letter from your academic advisor would only be appropriate if they are aware of your situation and can attest to the reason that you did not meet standards and the steps you are taking to be a successful student.
• In addition, if you failed to meet the Maximum Timeframe SAP requirement (150 Percent Rule), you are required to work with your academic advisor to complete the SAP Appeal Maximum Timeframe Form. The Maximum Timeframe Form can be used as documentation if your advisor is indicating that you have changed your major, have a second/additional degree, or have transfer hours that are causing you to exceed 150% maximum time frame. If your advisor marks there is another circumstance, additional supporting documentation is required.

If you successfully appeal, you will be placed on Financial aid Probation for one term and must agree to an academic progress plan by the term's academic progress plan deadline in order to receive federal student aid for that one term. If you do not agree to an academic plan by the applicable deadline date, your Financial Aid Probation SAP status will be revoked and you will be reassigned to a Financial Aid Unsatisfactory SAP status.

SAP Appeal Deadlines

The Office of Financial Aid will accept online SAP appeals by term based on the following schedule. If you miss the online deadline but your classes for the term have not ended, please reach out to Enrollment Services for options in completing a paper appeal form.

Financial Aid Probation

If you successfully appeal, you must agree to an academic progress plan. You are required to submit an academic progress plan every term you are on financial aid probation. Once your appeal is approved, a link to complete the plan will be listed in WINGS Express as an eligibility requirement. If you miss the online deadline but your classes for the term have not ended, please reach out to Enrollment Services for options in completing a paper appeal form.

While on Financial Aid Probation, you will only be eligible to receive federal student aid during your one probationary term and you must agree to the following academic progress plan.

Undergraduate Students

• Earn at least a 2.0 term GPA
• Earn 67 percent of their attempted hours for the term

Graduate/Professional Students

• Earn at least a 3.0 term GPA
• Earn 67 percent of their attempted hours for the term

The Office of Financial Aid will determine if you have adhered to your academic progress plan once your grades have posted for your probationary term. If you adhered to your academic progress plan, you will have your federal student aid reinstated for subsequent terms. If you did not adhere to your academic progress plan, you will be assigned an Unsatisfactory SAP status and will be ineligible to receive federal student aid at Wright State. Your cumulative academic history will be evaluated for SAP requirements at the next annual evaluation.

Re-Establishing Eligibility

If you have been assigned a Financial Aid Unsatisfactory SAP status, you may re-establish your federal student aid eligibility on your own by taking classes to raise your cumulative GPA and/or Completion Rate without the use of financial aid or through grade changes. You should submit the Federal SAP appeal and a statement explaining that you have raised your GPA and/or Completion Rate to meet the SAP requirements and wish to have your financial aid reinstated.

If you are ineligible for federal student aid due to a Financial Aid Unsatisfactory SAP status, you may wish to consider applying for other types of financial aid, such as alternative loans.
 

Frequently Asked Questions