Federal regulations require students receiving federal financial aid to make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward the completion of a degree or certificate program. In addition, Monmouth University applies SAP standards for eligibility for state and institutional financial aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress is evaluated annually after the conclusion of the spring semester. Students enrolled only during the fall semester are evaluated at the end of that semester. All coursework attempted at Monmouth University, as well as accepted transfer coursework, is considered in the SAP review regardless of whether financial aid was received during the period of enrollment.

To remain eligible for federal and state financial aid, students must meet all three SAP standards:

• Cumulative Grade Point Average: Consistent with the general academic requirements of the University, students must meet the following grade point average requirements to retain their eligibility for financial aid:

Undergraduate Student Classification

Year	Credits
Freshmen	1.60
Sophomores	2.00
Juniors	2.00
Seniors	2.00

Please refer to Academic Definitions of freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior class standing.

Note: Students must have earned a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better by the end of their second academic year of enrollment, regardless of whether or not they have completed enough credits to attain junior class standing.

• Pace: All students must successfully complete at least 67% of the credit hours for which they enroll. Note that repeated courses and course work assigned grades of “W,” “WF,” "F," or “I” will not be counted as credits completed toward graduation but will be counted as attempted credits.  “I”ncomplete grades that are later converted to a letter grade are factored into the next regular evaluation of academic progress.  Credits transferred from another institution will count as both attempted and completed credits. Course work graded on a Pass / Fail basis and that counts toward degree requirements will count as attempted credits and courses in which the student receives a grade of “P” will count as completed credits. 
• Maximum Time Frame: The maximum number of credits a graduate student may attempt and receive funding for is 150% of the published number of credits required to complete the degree, certificate, or endorsement program in which they are enrolled. Course work attempted on a Pass/Fail basis and credits transferred from other institutions will be counted toward the maximum.  Students who add majors and/or change majors or degree programs are still subject to the same maximum time frame requirements.  Although students may attempt more credits than the 150% limit, federal will not be awarded for credits attempted in excess of the limit.  When it is mathematically impossible for the student to complete their program within the maximum time frame, the student is ineligible for federal and/or state funding.  

Those students who receive scholarship or grant funding from Monmouth University must also meet certain standards for cumulative grade point average as follows:

• Monmouth Academic Excellence Scholarship (3.0)  
• Monmouth Academic Grant (2.5) 
• Monmouth Incentive Grant (2.0)
• Shadow Lawn Science Grant (3.5)
• Transfer Science Scholarship (3.0)
• Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship (3.0)
• Great Lawn Grant (2.5)
• SOAR Grant (2.0)
•  Each sponsored or endowed scholarship may require unique criteria for renewal, and recipients will be advised of those criteria.

Unless otherwise specified in the terms and conditions of the award, all other University-funded grants and scholarships require recipients to maintain a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA to remain eligible for continued funding.

Eligibility for institutional grants and scholarships is reviewed annually at the conclusion of the spring semester. Students who fail to meet the GPA requirement for a particular award will lose eligibility for that award beginning with the next period of enrollment. Ineligible students will be notified of their status and provided the opportunity to submit an appeal. Details regarding the appeal process are outlined in the Appeals section of this policy.

Students who do not successfully appeal the loss of an institutional award may regain eligibility in a future term by subsequently achieving the required cumulative GPA. Once the minimum GPA standard has been met, the student may request a reevaluation by the Financial Aid Office. If the student is determined to have satisfied the applicable academic requirements, eligibility for institutional financial aid will be reinstated.

Appeals Process

Students who fail to meet one or more of the standards (cumulative grade point average, pace, or maximum time frame) noted above are ineligible for financial aid.  Students will be notified in writing that they are ineligible and offered the opportunity to appeal.  All appeals must be submitted using the "Satisfactory Academic Progress" etrieve form and should include any relevant supporting documentation.  Appeals must be received by the stated deadline; appeals submitted after the priority deadline will be reviewed only as time permits and at the discretion of the Financial Aid Office.  Students who do not appeal will remain ineligible for federal and state financial aid.  Students should note that the appeals process for Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress is separate from the University’s Academic Standards Review process for academic reinstatement to the University.  

Circumstances that might merit an appeal include, but are not limited to: serious illness or injury to the student or a member of the student’s immediate family, a death in the immediate family, or other special circumstances outside the student’s control. Supporting documentation of the circumstances forming the basis for the student’s appeal must be submitted with the appeal. Students who have been deemed ineligible in a prior semester, but who have since improved their performance to the required level are also encouraged to submit an appeal for the reinstatement of their aid; a student’s aid will not be automatically re-instated.

Appeals are reviewed on a rolling basis by the Associate Director of Financial Aid, with consultation from the Director as needed. The Financial Aid Office may request additional documentation if necessary to complete the review.  Once the review is complete, the student will be notified in writing of the decision. The outcome will be recorded in the student’s financial aid file, and any resulting adjustments to financial aid eligibility will be communicated through a revised financial aid award letter. Appeal decisions are generally final and cannot be appealed further, but additional appeals may be considered on a case-by-case basis and at the discretion of the Director.

A probationary period may not last more than one semester and if, at the conclusion of the probationary semester, the student has not met the standards for academic progress their award(s) will be removed.  If the student is offered an academic plan, the student must return a signed copy of it to the Financial Aid Office; funding will not be restored to the student’s account until the plan has been received.  The student’s academic progress will be reviewed at the conclusion of each semester that the plan is in force.  The following represent possible appeal outcomes:

• Reinstated: The student’s federal and/or state aid eligibility is reinstated.
• Denied: The student remains ineligible for federal and state aid.
• Probation (One Semester): If the student’s transcript indicates that SAP standards can reasonably be met within one semester, the student may be placed on probation and remain eligible for aid without an academic plan. At the end of the probationary semester if SAP standards are met, eligibility continues and if SAP standards are not met, the student becomes ineligible for aid until they meet SAP standards and successfully appeal for reinstatement. Students placed on probation will receive written notice of the probation length, required conditions, and consequences of failing to meet those conditions.
• Academic Plan: If the student cannot reasonably meet SAP standards within one semester, they may be offered an academic plan and remain eligible for aid while following the plan. The academic plan will:  specify the duration of the plan; outline the academic conditions required each term; and describe the consequences of failing to meet the plan (loss of federal and state aid); students who fail to meet the conditions of the plan may appeal for reinstatement of their aid and continuance of the plan. Progress for students on an academic plan will be reviewed each semester for the duration of the plan. The plan will be communicated in writing, which the student must sign to acknowledge understanding and agreement.

Students who submit an appeal will receive written notification of outcome of the appeal. Documentation of the student’s ineligibility and any subsequent appeals is maintained within the student’s financial aid record. Students who leave the University and subsequently re-enroll will be evaluated based upon their status at the point they left. 

Students who regain SAP eligibility through improved academic performance must submit a written request for review and reinstatement of financial aid. Aid eligibility is not automatically reinstated.