Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for Financial Aid

Policy Basics

Note: The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements are not the same as the academic requirements needed to earn your degree. Carefully read the information below to be sure you understand the requirements.

Federal regulations require all schools participating in Title IV federal financial aid programs to have a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy that conforms to specific grade-based and time-based requirements.  These requirements apply to all students as one determinant of eligibility for financial aid and include three components:

  • GPA
  • Pace
  • Maximum Time

Your SAP status is calculated using your entire academic record from all schools attended, even if you did not receive financial aid. This includes dual-enrollment credits from high school.

  • Newly admitted incoming freshmen students, your SAP status is calculated based on final academic transcript(s), including dual-enrollment credits from high school.
  • Newly admitted transfer students, your SAP status is calculated based on final academic transcript(s) from all schools attended, which may result in warning or ineligible status.
  • Newly admitted graduate students have SAP status determined based on previous graduate/professional credits.
  • If your SAP status is ineligible, you may not qualify for a tuition deferment and must pay by the payment deadline (end of drop/add, which is the 5th day of classes), or your registration will be cancelled.

Check your SAP status in Student Self-Service each semester!

SAP is calculated each semester after grades have been recorded in academic history by the Registrar.

  • An e-mail notice is sent when you lose eligibility, but it may be close to the start of the next semester.
  • A good time for you to check your status is one week after the last day of final exams.

To check your Satisfactory Academic Progress in Student Self-Service:

  1. Login to Student Self-Service by clicking the tile on MyUSF

  2. Select Financial Aid

  3. View your status from the Home page or

  4. Select Satisfactory Academic Progress from the main tab and review your status