Policy
The SAP policy requires compliance with the three components below to maintain eligibility for financial aid.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 for graduate students;
- Successfully completing at least 67% of coursework attempted (number of credits earned divided by number of credits attempted);
- Completing a degree within the maximum timeframe (see below for more details).
The Office of Financial Aid will review the above components at the end of each semester to determine eligibility for the upcoming semester. Eligibility is determined based on final grades.
Additional Grade Information
Passing grades: "A", "B", "C", "D", "P"
Unsatisfactory grades: "F", "I", "W", "XF”, Audits or no grade
If you receive an incomplete grade, any subsequent grade changes will not be reevaluated until the end of the next semester. For example, a student who has an incomplete grade at the end of the fall semester, submits their incomplete coursework at the beginning of spring semester and earns a grade will not have their SAP status reevaluated until the end of the spring semester.
Any repeated courses are counted only once in the calculation of hours completed. However, each repeated course is factored into the calculation of hours attempted. Therefore, repeated courses will impact the pace of completion and maximum timeframe.
Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)
Graduate students must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
Pace of Completion
Students must successfully complete at least 67% of the overall attempted credits, including all credits transferred to Saint Martin's.
Pace of Completion ExamplesCredits
attempted | Credits
earned |
|---|
| 9 credits | 6+ credits |
| 6 credits | 4+ credits |
| 3 or fewer credits | 3 credits |
Maximum Timeframe
All course attempts, including transferred credits, withdrawals, repeats, and non-passing grades, are counted in the calculation of maximum timeframe. Students are required to complete their degree within 150% of the length of the program in which they are enrolled.
Graduate students are allowed a maximum time specific to the credit hours required for their unique program:
| Graduate program length | Max credit hours attempted |
|---|
| Master of Chaplaincy | 72 credits | 108 credits |
| Master of Theological Studies | 48 credits | 72 credits |
| Master of Science in Accounting | 30 credits | 45 credits |
| Master of Business Administration | 36 credits | 54 credits |
| Master of Arts in Counseling | 60 credits | 90 credits |
| Master of Education | 30 credits | 45 credits |
| Master in Teaching, Elementary Education | 38 credits | 57 credits |
| Master in Teaching, Secondary Education | 35 credits | 53 credits |
| Master in Teaching, Special Education | 41 credits | 62 credits |
| Master of Engineering Management | 30 credits | 45 credits |
| Master of Science in Civil Engineering | 30 credits | 45 credits |
| Master of Science in Computer Science | 30 credits | 45 credits |
| Master of Science in Environmental Engineering | 30 credits | 45 credits |
| Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering | 39 credits | 59 credits |
| Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership | 51 credits | 77 credits |
Semesters of enrollment in which no aid is received will count towards the maximum timeframe limit.
SAP Status
Warning
Students who do not meet the GPA or pace of completion requirements for the first time will be placed in a warning status. If you are in warning status, you will be eligible to receive available financial aid for one semester. After your warning semester, disbursements may be delayed while your satisfactory academic progress is reviewed.
Must Appeal
Students who do not meet the GPA or pace of completion requirements following a warning status semester are not eligible to receive federal, state, or institutional aid and are placed on a must appeal status. In addition, students for whom it is mathematically impossible to complete their degree within the maximum timeframe provided above will be placed on a must appeal status immediately.
Some alternative loan and scholarship programs require students to be in good standing under SAP guidelines. You may submit a completed appeal to the Office of Financial Aid which documents extenuating circumstances that interfered with your academic performance.
Appeal Process
Students on "must appeal" status have the opportunity to appeal their aid eligibility. Appeals must be submitted by mid semester. Appeals submitted after the deadline will be reviewed but late petitions may result in the loss of funding for the term. Appeals must include a written statement, academic plan, and documentation of extenuating circumstances.
Approved appeals
Students will be notified of an approved appeal and placed in probation status with their aid reinstated for one semester. Students may be asked to submit a new academic plan for each semester of probation status until you reach good standing. If the student does not pass the credits or earn the GPA given in an academic plan, they will be placed in must appeal status again.
Denied appeals
If an appeal is denied, aid will be removed from the following semester, and the student is required to find other financial options to apply towards the student balance.
If the original appeal did not include information that may have been helpful for the Office of Financial Aid to know when evaluating the appeal, you may submit additional information to provide clarity to be reviewed again.
All decisions by the Office of Financial Aid are final.
