Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

The University Of Wyoming Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid is responsible for ensuring that all students receiving federal financial aid meet minimum standards.

If you are looking to appeal your "Not Eligible" SAP status, please read and understand the below policy. Once you have read and understood the policy, please complete the SAP Appeal and Academic Plan form. Please refer to our Frequently Asked SAP Questions page for more information regarding the appeal process.

Satisfactory Academic Progress is reviewed at the end of each semester (fall, spring, and summer) and the following three areas are measured:

1. Institutional Cumulative Grade Point Average 

   • Undergraduate & Professional programs - 2.0

   • Graduate programs - 3.0

2. Completion Percentage (Pace) 
   A student’s earned hours must equal or exceed 67% of all cumulative attempted hours since beginning classes.

   • Courses that are Failed, Withdrawn, Unsatisfactory or Incomplete are considered attempted but not earned hours.

   • Audit, Correspondence, Credit by exam, Remedial and Enrichment courses do not count as attempted or earned.

   • Successfully completed courses (grades of A, B, C, D, S), transfer hours accepted toward completion of student’s program, academic renewal hours earned through previous enrollment, advanced placement credit, credits earned through Study Abroad and Consortium agreements, credits earned while student is not receiving federal aid and experiential learning credits are all counted as attempted and earned.

   • Overall Earned Credits / Overall Attempted Credits = Pace

3. Maximum Timeframe
   A student is eligible for financial aid until they have attempted 150% of the minimum credit hours required to earn a specific degree. The University of Wyoming sets the following maximum timeframe for student degrees:

   • Undergraduate - 180 hours (150% of 120 hours)

   • Master's Program - 45 hours (150% of 30 hours)

   • Doctorate Program - 108 hours (150% of 72 hours)

   • Law - 135 hours (150% of 90 hours)

   • Pharmacy - 213 hours (150% of 142 hours)

   • Second bachelor’s degree - 270 hours (150% of 180 hours)

Transfer hours are included in the calculation of the Maximum Timeframe. When pursuing multiple degrees or changing majors the maximum timeframe may be adjusted based on a student generated appeal that includes a degree audit. All attempted credit hours are considered when calculating the maximum timeframe regardless of whether or not the student received financial aid for those hours. Any student with hours over the maximum timeframe are “Not Eligible” for further federal financial aid until a SAP appeal is received and approved by the committee. There will be no warning semester. Submitting an appeal does not guarantee approval. Students awaiting a decision on their SAP appeal are responsible for paying their tuition and fees by the payment deadline.

Financial Aid Eligibility Statuses

1. Financial Aid Warning

   Students who have not met the minimum standard requirements for the previous semester will be placed on a 'Warning' status. Students on 'Warning' status are eligible for financial aid for one additional semester. Students who do not meet minimum standard requirements at the end of their 'Warning' semester will be 'Not Eligible' for the next semester.

2. Financial Aid Probation

   Students who have successfully appealed a status of “Not Eligible” are placed on probation and are eligible to receive federal aid for one more semester. After Probation, the student must be making SAP or successfully following their Academic Plan. Students are reviewed at the end of each semester for compliance with their Academic Plan and SAP Standards.

3. Not Eligible

   A student who does not meet SAP requirements at the end of the warning semester, whose SAP appeal has been denied, who has not fulfilled the requirements of their academic plan or who has met their maximum timeframe will be categorized as “Not Eligible.”

Reinstatement

If a student loses federal financial aid eligibility due to not meeting SAP standards or their appeal was denied, they can regain eligibility in one of the following ways:

1. Completing courses using their own resources that will satisfy the deficient SAP area.

2. Successfully appealing by submitting a SAP Appeal Form with supporting documentation.

3. Taking a minimum of 2 classes, 6 hours, no fails, no withdrawals and grades of “C” or better on their own. If successful, student can appeal for the next term.

SAP Appeal Process

A student that is “Not Eligible” for federal financial aid has the option to appeal. The student must submit a complete appeal form to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid by the end of the drop/add period of the term in which they are appealing. The complete appeal form including the academic plan and all supporting documentation will be presented to the SAP Appeal Committee. The SAP Appeal Form must include the following:

• an explanation of any extenuating circumstances that prevented the student from maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress,

• an explanation of what has changed that will allow the student to succeed academically, and

• an Academic Plan signed by their academic advisor that will enable student success

All appeals are reviewed by a SAP committee. The review time for appeals may take 7-10 business days. Students will be notified of the results by email. If the appeal is granted, the notification will explain the terms of the approval. If the appeal is denied, students may request an additional review by the Director of Scholarships & Financial Aid if they have something that was not included in the original appeal to be considered. The Director's decision is final.

In order to continue on an approved academic plan, students must be passing 100% of their classes each semester with grades of C or better, no fails, and no withdrawals.

Items to consider:

• Being declared 'Not Eligible' for federal financial aid does not mean a student has been academically dismissed from the University of Wyoming.

• Many scholarship recipients are required to maintain a higher credit hour level or grade point average than outlined in this policy. Guidelines on the minimum acceptable credits/grade point average for scholarship recipients are outlined by donors or in acceptance notices signed by the recipient.

• Students must submit complete appeal form with academic plan and supporting documentation by the end of add/drop period. Advisor signature and certification are required on the academic plan.

• Repeated courses:

  • A student can repeat a course one time and still receive federal aid for that course. On the third attempt, federal aid will not pay for that course.

  • All repeated courses will be calculated again in attempted hours and could pull down completion percentage (pace).