SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS

Discover how to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), as this is one of the determining factors of student eligibility for continued receipt of federal financial aid.

Policy Basics Overview

Satisfactory Academic Progress, or SAP, is a federal regulation requiring the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to monitor the progress of each student who is receiving financial aid as they move toward completing their degree. Students who fall behind in their coursework, fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average, or fail to complete classes in a maximum time frame may lose eligibility for federal aid.

Auburn University’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships reviews academic records at the end of each term to determine satisfactory academic progress (“SAP”) status which affects aid eligibility. Emails are sent to students who are not meeting requirements.

The required components include:

  • GPA - Students must maintain a 2.00 AU cumulative GPA (unadjusted).

  • Completion Ratio (CR) - Students must achieve a passing rate of at least 67% of all hours attempted.

  • Maximum Timeframe - 1.5 times the program length. 

SAP is evaluated at the end of each term for all students. Students who fall below the SAP requirements will be placed on SAP Warning status. Students on SAP Warning status are eligible for aid.

Students may not receive financial aid after exceeding the maximum timeframe allowed for their academic program. The maximum timeframe includes all attempted hours, including transfer credits, repeated courses, withdrawals, and coursework taken during terms in which the student did not receive financial aid. Credit hours excluded from GPA calculations under the Grade Adjustment Policy (GAP) are also included in the maximum timeframe calculation. Part-time attendance counts toward the maximum timeframe.

The maximum timeframe is 150% of the published length of the program. For example, most undergraduate programs require 120 credit hours, In this case, the maximum timeframe is 180 attempted credit hours. Students become ineligible for financial aid when it becomes mathematically impossible to complete their program within the maximum timeframe established for that program.

Students who are on Failing SAP status may submit an appeal if they have extenuating circumstances that contributed to not meeting SAP requirements. Please note that GAP (Grade Adjustment Policy) courses cannot be taken into account when determining SAP status.

For detailed information on SAP Requirements, SAP Evaluation, SAP Probation, Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility, and SAP Appeal Guidelines visit Auburn University’s complete Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy.

COURSE PROGRAM OF STUDY

Learn how your course selections affect your eligibility for federal financial aid.

Federal regulations require that financial aid funds be used only for courses that apply directly to your degree program. These are considered eligible courses for financial aid purposes.

Courses that do not apply to your program of study are considered ineligible and will not count toward the minimum credit hour requirements for federal aid. Enrolling in ineligible courses may result in receiving reduced or no federal aid.

  • Register only for courses that fulfill requirements for your declared major, minor, or other approved academic program.
  • Review your degree audit regularly to ensure your courses align with your program of study.
  • Contact your academic advisor if you're unsure whether a course qualifies.
Learn More

SCHOLARSHIP TERMS, USE, AND RENEWAL

  • Must enroll in 12+ credit hours through the 15th class day
  • Graduating students with 6+ credit hours may qualify with enrollment in UNIV 4AA0 (Achieve the Creed)
  • Scholarships split evenly between fall and spring semesters and disbursed a maximum of 10 days before the semester begins
  • Can be used for Auburn faculty-led study abroad or exchange program (must earn 12+ Auburn credit hours). Hybrid programs in which students will earn transfer credit, or programs that are not Auburn faculty-led during which students earn transfer credit do not count towards the 12-credit hour requirement for scholarship payment.

  • Applies only to your first undergraduate degree
  • May be used for professional or ABM programs if you have not yet graduated
  • Online programs are not eligible
  • Total of institutional scholarships awarded may not exceed the annual estimated cost of attendance

  • Awards adjust if residency classification changes
  • Institutional scholarships cannot exceed Auburn’s estimated cost of attendance
  • Funds used in summer count toward the 8-semester maximum
  • When attending summer, email University Scholarships you are registered for at least 12 Auburn credit hours and would like to use a semester of eligibility toward a summer semester

Renewal
  • Must maintain a minimum cumulative, unadjusted 3.0 Auburn GPA (2.99 does not round up)
  • Must be registered for 12 Auburn credit hours through the 15th class day for your scholarship to pay out and remain paid to your ebill
  • Must earn at least 24 Auburn credit hours from fall through spring
  • Standards of acceptable behavior for students and student organizations are reflected in the Code of Student Conduct and other university policies. Suspension from the university for academic or non-academic conduct violations may result in scholarship termination
  • Eligibility for renewal is reviewed after spring grades and hours earned post. Students are notified of renewal, probation, or cancellation following review

Co-op FAQs

How does my four-year scholarship work with my five year co-op schedule?
Four-year scholarships awarded by Financial Aid and Scholarships are available for eight semesters. When you participate in a co-op program, the end term for your scholarship is extended each semester that you are working until you have used all eight semesters of your scholarship as an undergraduate student.

Do I need to notify your office when I co-op and when I return?
Our office routinely generates reports of students who are participating in co-op each semester, and we automatically adjust scholarships accordingly, so there is no need to notify us when you co-op or when you return. We will send an email to your Auburn email address when your scholarship is adjusted.


What happens to my scholarship if I co-op two semesters in a row?
If you co-op two semesters in a row, please contact our office to complete a Request for Non-Payment form.


How does my co-op schedule affect the renewal requirements for my scholarship?
The tables below show a typical co-op schedule along with what our office will review in determining your eligibility for renewal of your scholarship for the following academic year.

 

Students who co-op spring term must earn a total of 24 Auburn hours between fall and summer of the current academic year and maintain a 3.0 cumulative, unadjusted Auburn GPA.
Term Schedule Renewal
Fall AU Must earn a total of 24 Auburn hours between fall and summer and
Spring Co-op maintain a 3.0 cumulative, unadjusted Auburn GPA.
Summer AU*

  *If you co-op two semesters in a row, please contact our office to complete a Request for Non-Payment form at scholar@auburn.edu. 

Students who co-op fall and summer of an academic year must earn a total of 12 Auburn hours during spring semester and maintain a 3.0 cumulative, unadjusted Auburn GPA.
Term Schedule Renewal
Fall Co-op Must earn a total of 12 Auburn hours during spring semester and
Spring AU maintain a 3.0 cumulative, unadjusted Auburn GPA.
Summer Co-op

 

Am I required to enroll during the summer?
Yes, during your co-op schedule there will be a year where it will be necessary to attend school during the summer to stay on course to renew your scholarship. Just like during any other semester, you must enroll for a minimum of 12 credit hours for your scholarship to pay.


Do Departmental Scholarships work the same way?
If you have a Departmental Scholarship, please check with the college/school or department that awarded the scholarship for more information.

RESOURCES

Policies and Conditions of Aid Offer
Learn about guidance on credit hour requirements, how to set up direct deposit for refunds, and process to request loan cancellation.
Descriptions and Requirements of Federal Aid
Learn about aid acceptance, federal aid requirements, and summary information for federal aid programs.
Withdrawing from Classes
Find out how withdrawing from classes will affect your financial aid. You should always contact our office prior to dropping below full time or withdrawing from all classes to determine how this will affect your aid.