Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Students receiving Federal financial aid (Pell grants) must maintain “Satisfactory Academic Progress” at City Vision University in order to remain eligible for aid.

The Financial Aid Office evaluates Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) after the completion of each term (Fall 1, Fall 2, Spring 1, Spring 2 and Summer) in order to determine award eligibility for the following term. All terms of enrollment, including summer, must be considered in the determination of SAP (even periods in which the student did not receive federal student aid must be counted).

The Satisfactory Academic Progress standard has three components:

  1. a qualitative component (i.e., grade point average),
  2. an incremental quantitative component (number of credits attempted and earned for each term, also known as the completion rate), and
  3. an overall quantitative component (maximum time frame for the completion of a student’s degree or certificate program).

Students academically dismissed from their academic programs are automatically recognized as failing to meet SAP standards.

Grades and Credits

Courses receiving grades of A through F as well as WF (withdrawn with failure – after 5th week) are counted as courses attempted and count toward the maximum time frame. Courses withdrawn between weeks 2 and 5 are counted as courses attempted for Pace only and count toward the maximum time frame; courses withdrawn prior to week 2 (weeks 0 – 1) were withdrawn during the add/drop period, and thus do not count as courses attempted for either GPA or Pace, or count toward the maximum time frame.

Courses with grades of “WF” and “F” also count in the GPA evaluated. Transfer credits (accepted for the student’s academic program or degree) are counted when measuring the maximum time frame to complete the degree or certificate program and establishing benchmark points for the qualitative standard.

If a student fails a course, and later repeats it and passes, the failed course will not count against the student’s GPA. Repeated courses do count toward the total number of courses attempted, however.

Remedial and ESL courses count as courses attempted for the SAP standards.

If grades change, including a prior grade of “I” that has now been assigned a letter grade, then City Vision will recalculate SAP accordingly.

Definition of Three SAP Standards

1. Qualitative Grade Point Average and Academic Standing:

Students academically dismissed from their academic program are automatically recognized as failing to meet City Vision University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress standards. Otherwise, as a bachelor’s student progresses through their academic program, their cumulative GPA must meet the following benchmarks:

  • Up to 30 credits 1.50 GPA

  • 31 through 59 credits 1.70 GPA

  • 60 through 89 credits 1.85 GPA

  • 90 credits and above 2.00 GPA

Associate’s degree students must meet the following benchmarks:

  • Up to 15 credits 1.50 GPA

  • 16-30 credits 1.70 GPA

  • 31 credits and above 2.00 GPA

Certificate students must meet the following benchmarks:

  • Up to 9 credits 1.70 GPA

  • 9-16 credits 2.00 GPA

These benchmarks are the same as those used to determine academic good standing for the college as a whole.

The GPA used in this measure is the student’s Total GPA, calculated as described on this page.

Additionally, after two academic years of study at City Vision University, students must have a GPA of at least 2.0.

2. Quantitative Completion Rate:

The quantitative completion rate includes both credits from City Vision and credits transferred from other institutions.

Bachelor’s degree students must successfully earn attempted credit hours according to the following rates:

  • 1 to 30 credits                                    50%

  • 31 to 60 credits                                    60%

  • 61 credits to the end of the program 66 2/3%

Associate’s degree students must successfully earn attempted credit hours according to the following rates:

  • 1 to 30 credits 50%

  • 31 credits to the end of the program 66 2/3%

Certificate students must successfully earn attempted credit hours according to the following rates:

  • Up to 9 credits 50%

  • 9-16 credits 66 2/3%

3. Quantitative Maximum Credit Hours

A student’s maximum attempted and transferred credit hours cannot exceed 150% of the credit hours necessary for completion of their primary degree or certificate. The maximum credit hours are not increased for dual-degree or combined degree candidates, but rather is always based on the program length associated with a student’s primary academic program.

If a student changes majors or program levels, the quantitative maximum is assessed based on the credits that count toward the program in which they are now enrolled. (For example, if they were previously in the Missions program, when that program was still being offered, and had earned credits that only count in that program and not in their new program, then those don’t count against the 150% limit.)

Automatic Warning Term 

Students who fail to meet any of the requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress will be notified and allowed one automatic Warning Term associated with their next term of enrollment to restore their Satisfactory Academic Progress standing. During the Warning Term a student will be awarded Federal aid (Pell grants) for which they have applied and are otherwise eligible. A student is not allowed to receive consecutive Warning Terms in which he/she receives aid. A Warning Term assignment is not contingent on the student’s application for federal student aid.

Appeal for Probationary Term 

Students who fail to meet any of the minimum requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress at the conclusion of their Warning Term will lose all Federal aid (Pell grants) eligibility until the student regains minimum satisfactory academic progress standards. A student who is denied Federal aid because of a failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards after the Warning Term has concluded may appeal this determination to the Academic Administration by completing a Student Appeal Form, located here.

An appeal must be based on significant mitigating circumstances that seriously impacted academic performance. Examples of possible mitigating circumstances are serious illness, severe injury, death of a family member, and other similar situations. Please note that merely filing an appeal does not guarantee continued eligibility for Federal aid.

Appeals will only be granted if the student can describe both the circumstances affecting academic progress and what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow the student to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation.

If an appeal for a probationary term is denied by the Academic Oversight faculty/staff, the student will be notified and the decision is final for that term. The student will be eligible for Federal aid again once he/she is once again meeting the SAP criteria stated above.

If a student’s appeal is approved by the Academic Oversight faculty/staff, the student will be notified. The student will be considered for federal aid during the probationary term for which the student has applied and is otherwise eligible. In order to receive aid while on probation, you must follow an academic plan issued by the Academic Oversight faculty/staff.

Currently academically blocked from aid? Click here to submit a Student Appeal Form to request restoration of access to aid for the current term.