Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for Financial Aid

Trevecca will utilize the following policy for all undergraduates who receive Title IV funding. This policy applies to all undergraduate students regardless of enrollment status or program of study. SAP is reviewed annually for undergraduate programs since all programs are greater than one year in length. 

Minimum Standards for Undergraduate Students

Trevecca’s institutional requirements for minimum SAP for undergraduate financial aid recipients are defined as follows:

  1. Minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA):

    The student must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA:

  2. Hours GPA Required
    0-29 1.6
    30-59 2.0
    60-89 2.0
    90-completion 2.0
  3. Minimum completion rate:

    The student must maintain a minimum cumulative completion rate of two-thirds of credits attempted (67 percent).

  4. Maximum time frame to complete the program/degree:

    The student must complete his or her educational program within a time frame no longer than 150 percent of published length of the educational program, as measured by credits attempted and including transfer credits. (For example, the student must complete his or her program after attempting a maximum of 180 credits for a 120-credit program.)

Federal regulations require that TNU track the academic progress of financial aid recipients from the first date of enrollment at TNU, whether financial aid was received or not.

Academic work done at other institutions (if accepted by TNU toward a degree) will count for the progress standard for both attempted and completed hours. Remedial work will be considered as part of the satisfactory progress.

Incomplete grades do not count in the GPA calculation until the course is completed. Incomplete grades do count in hours attempted. Grade changes will be evaluated at the next SAP scheduled evaluation period.

Withdrawals are included as attempted hours but are not included in the GPA calculation.

When measuring pass rate and maximum timeframe standards, all attempted credits associated with repeated coursework are included, but only credits associated with the last completed repeated course will be included as earned credits if credits were earned. For the GPA component, only the last completed repeated course is counted.

Removal from Financial Aid

A student who fails to meet the SAP standards at the review period will be removed from federal financial aid for future semesters. The student is notified via email that they have failed to meet the minimum requirements. Included with the notice is the SAP policy and information on how to submit an appeal.

Note: Removal from financial aid does not prevent a student from enrolling in Trevecca with his/her own finances if he/she is eligible to re-enroll. Institutional scholarships can still be awarded.

Appeals

Students removed from financial aid can appeal that decision to the Scholarship Committee. The appeal must be prepared in writing and be accompanied by appropriate supporting documents.

Reasons that may be acceptable for the appeal are:

  1. Serious illness or accident on the part of the student. An appeal of this type will normally require a supporting statement from the doctor.
  2. Death or serious illness in the immediate family.
  3. Other extenuating circumstances.

Appeals must be received by the Director of Student Financial Services no later than 14 days following the receipt of the SAP Suspension notice. If the appeal is granted the student is approved to receive financial aid for a one semester probationary period. At the end of the probationary period a review is conducted to see if the student is now meeting the SAP standards. In circumstances where a student may not be able to meet the SAP requirements in the one term probationary period, the university may provide an academic plan under the guidance of the Financial Aid Office. The academic plan would be individualized to the student. Students are limited to two appeals while enrolled at Trevecca.

Eligibility to Have Financial Aid Reinstated

A student may be eligible to have his/her federal financial aid eligibility reinstated when he/she enrolls without federal financial aid and successfully completes enough hours to satisfy the minimum Completion rate and GPA.

Trevecca offers counseling and an advising system to assist students in their efforts to achieve educational goals. All students are encouraged to use these services to help make their progress toward a degree more successful.