Satisfactory Academic Progress
The Office of Financial Aid (OFA) must monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for all financial aid recipients. There are several distinct criteria which must be monitored.
Types of monitoring
Undergraduate students working on first baccalaureate degree
Undergraduate students cannot receive financial aid after having been enrolled for 12 semesters (or the part-time equivalent of 12 semesters) in the undergraduate program. The 12-semester limit applies whether the student has actually received financial aid for the entire 12 semesters or not.
Note: Transfer credits from your previous schools count toward this total at a rate of 12 credits = 1 semester.
Undergraduate students working on second baccalaureate degree
Students pursuing a second undergraduate degree are limited to 6 semesters of work between the receipt of the first degree and the completion of the second. Second degree students may not receive financial aid beyond 6 semesters (or the part-time equivalent of 6 semesters) of enrollment in the second undergraduate degree program.
Graduate students
Students in graduate programs may not receive financial aid if they have exceeded the published time limits as outlined in Academic Programs for master's, doctoral, or professional programs, respectively.
All students
All students (graduate, undergraduate, and graduate-professional) must complete 75 percent of the courses they attempt in a defined 3-semester period.
Any student who has withdrawn from courses three or more times in the last four years will be deniedfurther financial aid in their undergraduate or graduate program.
In addition to these criteria, students must maintain GPA requirements as set by the Registrar and the department or college of the major. Undergraduate requirements are found in the Academic Programs Catalog. Graduate students should see the graduate school section of the Academic Programs Catalog.
Consequences of unsatisfactory academic progress
Students who reach their time limit without completing the degree will be denied further financial aid as a student at that level. For example, if as an undergraduate you reach the 12 semester limit, you will be denied further aid until the degree is conferred. You would then regain eligibility for a second undergraduate or a graduate degree. If you are attempting a master's degree and reach the five year eligibility limit, you would be denied further aid until a master's degree has been conferred, at which time you would regain eligibility for a second master's, doctoral, or professional degree.
Students who fail to complete 75 percent of their attempted courses in a defined 3-semester period will be warned. A failure to bring their completion rate to 75 percent in the next 3-semester period (generally summer, fall, and spring) will result in denial of further aid until the completion rate is brought above 75%. Semesters of non-attendance are not counted in this calculation. Dropped courses are counted as courses the student has failed to complete.
For example, a student who attended MSU Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 and attempted 12 credits each semester (24 total), but dropped a 3 credit course fall and a 4 credit course spring (total of 7 credits), would have completed 17 of 24 credits for a completion rate of 71%. This student would be warned. A second year of less than 75% completion results in the student being denied further aid.
Appeal process
Students who have faced extraordinary circumstances may appeal the denial of financial aid. Documentation of your circumstances is required, and students are cautioned that appeals are not routinely approved. Contact OFA for an appeal application.
Continuing at MSU after aid is denied
Students denied financial aid generally may continue attending Michigan State University using private aid sources, or by funding their education themselves.
