Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

What Is SAP?

• SAP is a set of academic standards required by the Department of Education for Financial Aid Eligibility
• All students receiving FAFSA funds (Federal Loans and Pell Grants) must meet these requirements to continue to receive federal aid
• It ensures students are making progress toward earning their degree
• SAP is checked each semester after grades have been posted

Important: Check your BYU-Idaho email and financial aid portal each semester for updates!

What Are the SAP Requirements?

1. Completion Rate (Pace)
   
   1. Maintain at least 67% cumulative completion rate
   2. Only Program Applicable (PA) credits count
   3. Calculation: PA credits earned ÷ PA credits attempted
   4. Includes PA transfer credits

Note: Your transcript may not show an accurate pace as it includes non-PA credits.

2. Grade Point Average (GPA) 
   
   1. Maintain at least 2.0 cumulative GPA
   2. Only Program Applicable credits count
   3. Does NOT include transfer GPAs

Note: Your transcript GPA may differ as it includes non-PA credits

3. Maximum Time Frame (MTF) 
   
   1. Complete your program within 150% of the required credits for your program
   2. Example: If your degree needs 120 credits, you have up to 180 credits to finish

Remember: These requirements are cumulative and based on Program Applicable credits for your entire academic history at BYU-Idaho.

Academic Renewal and SAP

Be cautious about Academic Renewal! It may not help your SAP status and could hurt it.

Here's why:

• Academic Renewal removes completed classes from your academic record
• But for SAP, these classes still count as "attempted" credits
• This can lower your completion rate (Pace)

SAP Status

You can see your current SAP status on the home screen of your Financial Aid Portal.

Here's what each status means:

1. Satisfactory
   
   1. You're on track academically
   2. Keep up the good work!
2. Warning
   
   1. You are still eligible for federal aid
   2. If you don’t meet SAP requirements by next semester, you’ll be suspended
   3. See “I Am on SAP Warning Now What?” below for more information!

3. Suspended
   
   1. You're no longer eligible for federal aid
   2. To regain eligibility, you must either:
      
      1. Improve your academic performance to meet SAP requirements
      2. Successfully appeal your suspension

4. Probation
   
   1. Your SAP appeal was approved
   2. You will remain eligible for federal aid as long as you meet Probation Standards
      
      1. usually at least a 2.5 GPA and 100% completion each semester
   3. Your status is reviewed each semester to see if you met probation requirements
   4. You will not receive a notification if you met your probation requirements

I Need Help with Academic Progress

1. Academic Advisor: Schedule a meeting immediately to create an improvement plan.
2. Tutoring Center: Get help with difficult classes to improve your grades.
3. Counseling Center: If you're dealing with mental health challenges, start getting support now.
4. Peer Mentors: Connect with a mentor to help with time management and study skills.
5. Student Success: Take advantage of workshops on academic skills.
6. Accessibility Services: If you have a disability that affects your studies, Accessibility Services can help you get accommodation for your classes.
7. The Dean of Students Office can help if you are experiencing unusual hardships like the loss of a loved one, physical assault, mental illness, or anything that affects you negatively.

I Am on a SAP Warning. Now What?

You have two options:

Option 1: Improve Your Academic Performance

During your next enrolled semester, work to:

• Raise your cumulative GPA in Program Applicable courses to at least 2.0
• Don’t drop any courses during the semester!
• Reduce your course load to what you can complete successfully
  
  • Completing fewer courses will be more helpful than taking too many and failing

Option 2: If you don’t reach the SAP standards in your next enrolled semester:

• Your financial aid will be SUSPENDED
• You will become INELIGIBLE for federal financial aid

Act Now

• This warning semester is critical - use it to resolve issues and improve your academic standing
• If personal circumstances (severe medical issues, mental health, personal crisis) are affecting your academic performance, start addressing them now.
• To appeal a suspension, you will need to show that you are actively managing your circumstances.

My Aid Is Suspended. What Can I Do?

• Payment plans through student financial services (accounting office)
• Scholarships
• Private Bank loans  - be sure to ask if they require Satisfactory Academic Progress
• Campus job opportunities
• Reduced course load to lower costs

Once you return to the SAP standards, you will be eligible for federal financial aid again.

2. You can appeal a Suspension if you experienced extreme circumstances:

• Beyond your control
• That came suddenly or unexpectedly after the semester started
• That significantly disrupted your ability to complete your classes and
• You can show evidence that you are actively managing your circumstances

In all cases, the outcome of any appeal depends on:

• The nature of the circumstances
• The quality of documentation provided
• How the circumstances are being resolved or managed
• How well the student has demonstrated good progress is being made toward earning a degree

Important notes:

• You can only appeal twice during your academic career at BYU-Idaho
• Consider timing carefully and start working on a plan now
• You cannot appeal for the same reason used in a previous appeal

What Is a SAP Appeal?

An SAP Appeal should:

• Describe the serious circumstances you faced during the semester in question
• Provide documentation proving these circumstances occurred and when they occurred
• Show evidence that these issues are now resolved or well-managed
• Explain your plan to succeed academically moving forward

Important to understand:

• At BYU-Idaho, you can appeal your suspension a maximum of two times
• You cannot appeal for the same circumstances more than one time
• To approve an appeal, the SAP committee must be confident you can meet probation standards from now on
  
  • You'll need to achieve a 2.5 GPA and 100% completion rate while on probation
• Both your circumstances AND their resolution must be documented
• Only significant, unexpected situations typically qualify for approval

**IMPORTANT DEADLINE**

SAP Appeals and documentation must be submitted before the 23^rd day of the semester – the Financial Aid Determination Date (FADD)

• Appeals and documentation received after FADD will not be considered.
• Tuition payment is due on the first day of the semester. If your appeal is not approved, you will still be responsible for semester expenses, so plan accordingly.
• Late Fees are not waived for students completing a SAP Appeal.

**Resolution Required**

Since you are only allowed to appeal 2 times, address the circumstances that caused you to fall short of the SAP requirements before you appeal. This may require you to:

• Reduce credits
• Take time off to manage your health or financial issues
• Create and implement a plan to effectively manage ongoing health conditions (mental or physical)
• If it is the professional opinion of your medical or mental health provider that your circumstances are not resolved enough for you to meet the probation requirements successfully, your appeal will be denied. Wait until you are ready to be successful to submit an appeal.
  
  • You will still be able to attend school but will not be eligible for federal financial aid.
  • Once you have reached a point in your treatment plan where you can be successful, you can appeal your Suspension the next semester.

If it is not clear that circumstances have been resolved or are being effectively managed, your appeal will be denied.

Common Reasons for SAP Petitions to be Approved include but are not limited to:

• Death of a family member
• Severe illness or medical emergency
• Mental health crisis
• Personal Crisis
• Military Activation

Circumstances not likely to qualify for an approval include but are not limited to:

• Work conflicts or assignments
• Ongoing conditions - without a plan showing how you are managing them successfully
• Having too hard of a workload, or being unprepared for coursework
• Being unaware of deadlines and requirements
• Getting married
• A normal pregnancy or birth of a healthy baby

What if I Have Already Appealed 2 Times?

To qualify for a third appeal you would need:

1. New Extenuating Circumstance unrelated to any previous appeals.
2. Academic Success:
   
   1. Two consecutive semesters meeting Probation requirements while enrolled in at least 6 credits.
3. If you feel you meet these criteria, please come to Kimball 196 to meet with a counselor. If you are not in Rexburg, you can schedule a Zoom appointment after the first week of the semester.

SAP Appeal Process: Step-By-Step

1. Login to your BYUI Financial Aid Portal 
2. Go to the “Documents” section
3. Complete the SAP Appeal form
4. Your appeal must be hand-signed and dated
5. Include documentation
6. DEADLINE: Submit by the 23^rd day of the semester

*** IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN APPEAL FORM IN YOUR PORTAL, and you have not already appealed 2 times, email financialaid@byui.edu ASAP to get one added***

Important Things To Include in Your SAP Appeal

1. Clearly Explain Your Situation. What specific circumstances beyond your control disrupted your ability to complete classes? Include:
   
   1. When these circumstances occurred (include a timeline)
   2. How you have resolved or are managing these issues now
2. Provide Documentation.
   
   1. A SAP Appeal will not be considered and will be denied if documentation is not submitted before FADD.
3. If it is not clear that the circumstance(s) have been resolved or managed, your appeal will be denied.

What Type of Documentation Do I Need?

Documentation that your issue occurred during the semester(s) in question may include:

• Death of an immediate family member – an obituary or death certificate
• Accident – medical billing or doctor’s notes with dates of service

Medical conditions* – documentation from your provider clearly stating:

• Diagnosis
• Dates of service
• Confirmation that a treatment plan is working effectively
• Chronic Medical conditions require a provider's analysis of whether you can handle the academic demands necessary to meet the probation standards

Mental health conditions* – a letter from your provider clearly stating:

• Diagnosis
• Confirmation that a treatment plan is working effectively
• Analysis of whether you can handle the academic demands necessary to meet the probation standards

*If it is the professional opinion of your medical or mental health provider that your circumstances are not resolved enough for you to meet the probation requirements successfully, your appeal will be denied. We encourage you to wait until you are ready to be successful to submit an appeal.

• Personal Crisis – a letter from a trusted authority who is aware of your situation first-hand (Bishop, mental health provider, apartment manager, Dean of Students, etc.) that:

  • describes the situation
  • confirms the crisis has been resolved and
  • explains why you will now be able to meet academic requirements
• Military service – official military documentation

Can I Appeal a Maximum Time Frame (MTF) Suspension?

1. The SAP Appeal form
2. The MTF SAP Appeal form to explain why you have so many credits, and what steps you will take to graduate as soon as possible
3. A Grad Plan prepared by your academic advisor
   
   1. Set up an MTF SAP Appeal appointment with a full-time academic advisor
      
      1. Work with the academic advisor to identify the shortest path to graduation
      2. Create a plan that lists the required classes needed for graduation and the semester you will take them
      3. Your advisor will email your new grad plan with only the remaining requirements to the financial aid office
      4. This new grad plan must be followed exactly

DEADLINE: the 23rd Day of the semester (Financial Aid Determination Date - FADD). Appeals submitted without an approved Grad Plan by FADD will not be considered.

What if I need to make a change to my grad plan because a class is not offered when planned?

• Contact the financial aid office with a new approved grad plan before the semester begins.

How Long Does It Take for an Appeal to Process?

Final appeal decisions will be emailed to your BYU-Idaho Email address.

Possible Outcomes

Appeal Approved 

• Status changes to "Probation".
• Your Financial Aid eligibility is restored.

Probation plans require you to meet these standards each semester until you return to Satisfactory:

• GPA - at least a 2.5 semester GPA
• Completion - a 100% completion of your classes with no W’s or F’s.
• Maximum Time Frame – complete all classes exactly as listed on your approved grad plan

Appeal Denied 

• You remain ineligible for federal aid.
• You will be responsible for tuition and fees.
• You'll need to find alternative funding to pay for your schooling. Possibilities include:
  
  • Payment plans through student financial services (accounting office)
  • Scholarships
  • Private Bank loans - be sure to ask if they require Satisfactory Academic Progress
  • Campus job opportunities
  • Reduced course load to lower costs

Have questions? Contact the Financial Aid Office using the chat bubble on this page to speak with a financial aid specialist or email financialaid@byui.edu.

What Counts for SAP Calculations and What Does Not?