Satisfactory Academic Progress

The Higher Education Act of 1965 requires Georgia Tech to establish and apply standards of academic progress that must be met by all students in order for them to qualify and remain eligible for assistance from Title IV student financial aid programs. The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) will review your academic record at the end of each semester. The review includes all semesters of attendance at Georgia Tech, whether or not financial aid was received.

The academic standards outlined below apply to all students who receive aid from any of the following programs:

• Federal Pell Grant

• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

• Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) and Zell Miller Scholarship

• Federal Work-Study (FWS)

• Federal Direct Student Loan

• Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)

• Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan

• Institute grants and scholarships

• Students accepted in the EXCEL Program

Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)

You must maintain a cumulative minimum grade point average of:

• 1.7 as a first-year

• 1.9 as a second-year

• 2.0 as a third-year and fourth-year

• 3.0 for a master's program (effective Summer 2012 (previously 2.7))

• 3.0 for a PhD program

Minimum Cumulative Pace (Completion of Units)

You must also satisfactorily complete a cumulative minimum of 75 percent of all credit hours for which you are registered at the end of the drop/add period for each semester.

PREP Courses

If you are required to take PREP (developmental) courses, you must pass all requirements within the first three semesters in residence. Such courses are taken on a pass/fail basis and are not counted in determining the number of hours for which you have registered.

Transfer Hours

Courses completed at other institutions are not used in determining eligibility under the qualitative measure. However, transfer hours accepted for credit toward a degree from Georgia Tech will be counted for purposes of the maximum time frame (see next section). Such hours will be counted by subtracting them from the hours normally required for graduation in your program of study.

Effective Fall 2011, accepted transfer hours are calculated into the Minimum Cumulative Pace requirement.

Dual Degree Courses

1. Dual Degree course work and how it is counted for Satisfactory Academic Progress
   As required by federal regulations, transfer hours and dual enrollment hours accepted for credit toward a degree at Georgia Tech will be counted for purposes of maximum time frame. Any college credits taken that count toward the student’s current postsecondary program of study must count as both attempted and completed hours. Courses completed at other institutions are not used in determining eligibility under the qualitative measure.

2. Dual degree course work and how it impacts the Hope/Zell Miller Scholarship
   HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship recipients must meet and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), as defined by the Institute’s policy. Please note: The HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship does not include AP/DUAL/JOINT Enrollment hours in the total attempted hour calculation. You can view your total attempted hours by logging into your www.gafutures.org account. For more information regarding the Dual Enrollment Program please see the following information at https://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/CTAE/Pages/Transition-Career-Partnerships.aspx.

Maximum Time Frame

The Higher Education Act requires that institutions establish a maximum time frame in which students receiving Title IV funds are expected to complete the program of study and beyond which they no longer qualify for assistance.

Undergraduate

At Georgia Tech, eligibility to receive Title IV assistance ends when you have registered for 133 percent of the number of hours required for graduation in your program of study, including any transferred hours accepted for credit toward the degree. For an undergraduate student, this equates to approximately six academic years of course work, depending on the specific major.

Graduate

Maximum time frames for graduate studies are: master's - 6 semesters; doctoral - 12 semesters. Graduate students whose programs of study cannot be accomplished within these maximums must furnish documentation from their department to support any extension.

OSFA knows and understands that several factors contribute to a graduate student's academic progress. The standard we utilize looks at hours attempted and terms enrolled, but we recognize that the graduate/thesis advisor is the authority who can help us properly document our files and appropriately assess your situation.

Financial Aid Status Review

We will monitor your GPA, completion rate (Pace) and maximum time frame, in which you are expected to complete the program of study, after each semester.

• Courses in which the following grades are received constitute credit hours satisfactorily completed: A through D or S for pass/fail courses.

• Courses in which the following grades are received do not constitute credit hours satisfactorily completed: F - failure; I - incomplete; U - failure of pass/fail course; W - withdrawn.

• Courses audited may not be used to qualify for financial aid and are not counted in determining the number of hours for which you have registered.

• Courses repeated do not replace the original grade. Your GPA will include both grades, and both times the course is taken will count as hours which you have attempted.

• Repeated coursework, however, does not count as additional hours earned for purposes of determining Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Financial Aid Warning

If you fail to meet either the GPA requirement or Minimum Cumulative Pace requirement, you will be placed on financial aid warning until the next review. You will remain eligible for assistance while on warning status.

Financial Aid Suspension

If you are already on financial aid warning and have not removed the deficiencies (met both the GPA and minimum cumulative pace requirements) at the end of the next semester of attendance, you will be placed on financial aid suspension. You will not be eligible for further assistance until the academic requirements have been met.

How to Appeal Your SAP Suspension

The Georgia Tech Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA)has introduced a new and more efficient process for submitting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeals. Students must now submit their appeal requests through our financial aid portal for faster processing and review.

Understanding SAP Requirements

Under the Higher Education Act of 1965, students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards to qualify for Title IV federal and state student aid. SAP is measured using two components:

• Quantity (Pace of Completion) – Completing the minimum required credit hours.

• Quality (GPA Requirement) – Maintaining the minimum GPA required for financial aid eligibility.

OSFA evaluates the SAP status of each financial aid recipient at the end of every semester.

1. GPA / Minimum Credit Hours Appeal

   • Must include a statement explaining circumstances beyond your control that affected your academic progress.

   • Supporting documentation is required (e.g., medical records).

2. Maximum Time Frame Appeal

   • Must include a detailed explanation of why you have exceeded the maximum time frame (e.g., transfer credits, change of major).

   • You must provide a Program Plan from your Academic Advisor, which includes a detailed list of required courses necessary to complete your degree, along with your expected graduation date.

   • The maximum number of attempted hours allowed through appeal is 150% of the required hours for your degree.

Appeal Process Overview

If your financial aid has been suspended due to SAP violations, follow these steps to submit an appeal: