Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements

Federal law requires that institutions of higher education monitor the academic progress of students who receive federal financial aid. In order to remain eligible for federal, state, and some institutional financial aid, students must comply with Texas Woman’s University’s standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). All undergraduate and graduate students will be evaluated for SAP at the end of every semester. All hours attempted are evaluated through the SAP evaluation. This includes transfer credits, remedial courses, repeated courses, courses dropped after the census date, and courses with grades that do not represent successful completion such as F, I, W, LP, NP, and WP. Grades of F, I, W, and WP may have an adverse impact on the minimum required GPA and pace of completion as well as the maximum time frame allowed. If a student does not meet satisfactory requirements, as described below, due to receiving a grade of I and the grade of I is subsequently changed to a passing grade, the student may contact the Office of Student Financial Aid for a re-evaluation of their SAP status.

SAP Requirements

Minimum GPA

An undergraduate student must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 1.80 during the freshman year and at least 2.00 during the sophomore, junior, and senior years. A graduate student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00.  A grade of F does not represent successful completion and will be calculated into the cumulative GPA unless repeated and completed with a more favorable grade.

Minimum Pace

A student must successfully complete at least 66.67% of the credit hours they attempt cumulatively and for each term.  Grades of F, I, W, and WP do not represent successful completion but will be considered as attempted hours for the pace calculation. These grades will have an adverse impact by lowering a student's percentage of completion.

Maximum Time Frame

Students may attempt no more than 150% of the credit hours required by their degree program.  For example, if a student's degree requires 120 hours for completion, the student may not attempt more than 180 hours and remain eligible for financial aid.  All hours attempted will be included in this maximum time frame including courses dropped after the census date and courses with grades of F, I, W, LP, NP, and WP.

Failure to Meet SAP Requirements

Financial Aid Warning

An undergraduate or graduate student who does not meet SAP requirements will be placed on Financial Aid Warning which allows the student to receive financial aid for one additional semester. The student will be monitored for SAP again at the end of the warning period.

Financial Aid Suspension

An undergraduate or graduate student who fails to meet SAP requirements after Financial Aid Warning is placed on Financial Aid Suspension and is not eligible to receive financial aid without a successful appeal. Should the student not wish to appeal, the student must meet SAP requirements before aid eligibility can be re-established. An appeal process is available for the student who experienced any of the following:

  • a personal injury or illness
  • death of a close relative
  • other circumstances that affect the ability to meet SAP

Appealing Suspension

A student who wishes to appeal must submit a Suspension/Suspension 1 Appeal Request Form from the Office of Student Financial Aid. The completed form, plus any supporting documentation, must be submitted to either the Denton Office of Student Financial Aid, 2nd Floor, Administrative Conference Tower (ACT), the One-Stop Center at the Dallas or Houston campus, or emailed to finaid@twu.edu. Financial aid will only be awarded if an appeal is approved. A student with an approved appeal will be placed on a Financial Aid Probation or an Academic Plan and will be re-evaluated at the end of the term to see if SAP requirements have been met. If the requirements are not met, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension until the SAP requirements are met. The students may appeal the Financial Aid Suspension.

The deadlines for students to submit an appeal are as follows:

  • Summer aid: June 15th
  • Fall aid: September 15th
  • Spring aid: February 15th

Academic Plans

Appeals may be approved outright or may be approved with an academic plan. In either case, should the appeal be approved, students will be allowed to receive financial aid for a probationary semester.

At the completion of the probationary semester, the student whose appeal was approved without an academic plan will be reviewed for SAP. If the student is still not meeting SAP requirements, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and will be ineligible for financial aid. The student may appeal a Financial Aid Suspension.

The student who was placed on an academic plan will be reviewed for SAP at the end of the probationary semester. If the student is still not meeting SAP requirements as stated in the academic plan, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and will be ineligible for financial aid. Students may appeal a Financial Aid Suspension.

Denied Appeals

If the student's appeal is denied, the student will be ineligible for financial aid until the student meets the SAP requirements.

SAP Status Notifications

Students who lose financial aid eligibility will be notified by email to their TWU email address.