Section 338.34 of the Code of Federal Regulations sets out the requirements for meeting satisfactory academic progress for students enrolled in post-secondary programs that require two or more years to complete. Students must maintain at least a C average in order to continue to be eligible for federal student aid. As long as this requirement is met, failing one or more classes would not automatically disqualify a student from receiving financial aid.
In addition to its effect on the student's cumulative grade point average, failing a class impacts the ratio of classes attempted to classes successfully completed and the time it will take a student to complete his program of study.
Florida's St. Petersburg College recently published its revised guidelines to comply with changes in the SAP requirements that went into effect on July 1, 2011. The college advises students that they must successfully complete at least 67 percent of all credit hours attempted in any given term. For example, if a student enrolls in four three-credit hour classes and passes three of them, he fulfills the requirement.
The Education Department's Policies and Procedures Manual states "For an undergraduate program measured in credit hours, the maximum time frame cannot be longer than 150 percent of the published length of the educational program, measured in credit hours." For example, if a student's program requires 120 credit hours for graduation, he can receive federal student aid for a maximum of 180 credit hours.
Federal law permits schools to continue a student's federal financial aid eligibility under certain circumstances when he has not met the SAP requirements for the period under review. Examples of qualifying circumstances include student injury or illness and the death of a member of the student's family.
Schools must develop and publish procedures to place a student on financial aid probation and eventually suspend or terminate his aid-eligible status if SAP requirements are not met. Federal law also requires schools to have procedures for students to correct deficiencies and regain their aid eligibility and to appeal adverse determinations.
Procedures vary somewhat from school to school because of differences in programs and in methods of evaluating student performance. Be sure to read and understand your school's SAP policy so that you can comply with all of the requirements.