SAP is evaluated at the end of each term—Fall, Spring, and Summer—for all students who were registered for credits during that term.

NIACC’s SAP policy includes three federally mandated components:

1. Pace of Progression – Students must successfully complete at least 67% of all cumulative attempted credit hours.
   • Formula: Cumulative completed hours ÷ cumulative attempted hours
   • Attempted hours include all registered credits as of the 5th day of the term.
2. Maximum Time Frame – Students must complete their program within 150% of the published program length, measured in credit hours.
   • All attempted credits—including audits, withdrawals, incompletes, repeated courses, and transfer credits accepted toward the program—count toward this limit.
3. Minimum GPA Requirement – Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

• Completed Grades: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, and P
• Non-Completed Grades (counted as attempted): F, W, I, N (audit), Q (no credit/pass), and Fresh Start/Grade Requital

• Consortium Credits: Counted in SAP if approved by NIACC’s Financial Aid Office.
• Developmental Courses: Aid is available for up to 30 credit hours; all are counted in SAP.
• Repeated Courses: All attempts count toward maximum time frame; only the most recent grade counts toward GPA.
• Transfer Credits: Accepted credits count toward pace and maximum time frame but not GPA.

SAP standards for financial aid are separate from NIACC’s academic suspension policies. Students suspended from financial aid may still be eligible to enroll. Questions regarding academic suspension should be directed to the Student Development Office.

Students may appeal a financial aid suspension due to extenuating circumstances. If an incomplete grade affects SAP, it is the student’s responsibility to submit the final grade to the Financial Aid Office for re-evaluation.

NIACC reserves the right to place a student on Financial Aid Warning or Suspension if they exhibit abuse of financial aid or receive a 0.00 GPA in any semester.

If a student fails SAP due to an incomplete grade or a grade submission error, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office with the final grade for re-evaluation.

Warning
Students who do not meet SAP standards for the first time will be placed on Financial Aid Warning for one term and notified via email or letter. Students on warning status remain eligible for financial aid. If SAP standards are met by the end of the warning term, the student returns to good standing.

Suspension
Students who fail to meet SAP standards after a warning term will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and lose eligibility for aid. Suspension also occurs when a student exceeds the 150% maximum timeframe for their program. Students will be notified of suspension status and provided information on the appeal process.

Students may appeal a suspension due to extenuating circumstances (e.g., death in the family, illness, or other events beyond their control). Appeals must include:

• A completed Financial Aid Appeal Form
• A written explanation of the circumstances
• What has changed to allow the student to meet SAP
• Supporting documentation (if applicable)

The Financial Aid Appeal Committee will review appeals and notify students of the decision via email or letter. Appeals may result in:

• Probation: If the student is expected to meet SAP within one term, they will be placed on probation and eligible for aid during that term. SAP will be re-evaluated at the end of the term.
• Probation with Academic Plan: If more than one term is needed to meet SAP, the student must meet with an academic advisor to develop a plan for success. Once the plan is submitted to the Financial Aid Office, aid may be reinstated. Academic plans are monitored each term. Failure to follow the plan results in suspension. Students may not appeal a second time using the same rationale. Once the student meets the conditions of the plan, their SAP status will return to satisfactory.