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Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to denote a student’s successful completion of coursework toward a degree. Students who fail to achieve minimum standards for Grade Point Average (GPA) and completion of classes could lose their eligibility for all types of federal and state aid (includes grants, work-study, Direct, and PLUS loans).

To be eligible for federal financial assistance, a student must meet minimum SAP standards each term – fall, spring, and summer.  SAP requirements apply to all students including transfer, continuing, and re-entry students participating in federal aid programs.

SAP includes three components:  Minimum Overall GPA, Completion Rate, and Maximum Timeframe.

Minimum Adjusted GPA

An Undergraduate student must maintain an overall GPA of at least a 2.0.
A Graduate student must maintain an overall GPA of at least a 3.0.

Completion Rate

Students must complete at least 67% of all registered hours, regardless of whether or not financial aid was received. Grades of W, F, FN, FS, WX, WM, U, or I are not considered adequate grades for completion.

Hours Registered Hours Earned
18 13
17 12
16 11
15 11
14 10
13 9
12 9
11 8
10 7
9 7
Maximum Hours

Students are expected to complete their degree within a maximum timeframe which includes transfer hours earned, registered hours at UL Lafayette, and hours earned prior to academic amnesty. All courses on a student’s transcript count toward registered hours whether or not financial aid was received.

Students may not receive financial aid beyond the following:

Undergraduate students 180 hours
2nd undergraduate degree or teacher certification 210 hours
Graduate students 54 graduate hours
Doctoral Students 108 graduate hours
Other Considerations Relevant to Academic Courses
  • Remedial or developmental courses are included in attempted and earned credit hours when calculating the maximum timeframe for completion.
  • Courses with withdrawal grades (W, WX,) are included in attempted hours, but not earned hours and do not affect grade point averages.
  • Courses with grades of incomplete (I, PI) or not reported (NR) are included in attempted hours but not in earned hours or GPA calculations until changed to grades other than incomplete, not reported, or withdrawn.
  • Federal financial aid may be paid for repeated coursework but may not include more than one repetition of a previously passed course. For example, if a student passes a course with a grade of D or better, federal financial aid can pay for only one more attempt of the same course.
  • If a change of grade occurs after the semester, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office of Financial Aid to determine the impact on financial aid eligibility.
Failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress and Appeal for Continuing Eligibility

Satisfactory Academic Progress is assessed at the end of every term – fall, spring, and summer – after final grades are posted. Email notifications are sent to the student’s UL Lafayette email address if the student does not meet SAP standards. The email notification includes instructions to appeal for the continuation of financial aid.

Financial Aid Warning: A student who fails to meet SAP (Overall GPA and/or Completion Rate) is placed on Financial Aid Warning. A student on Financial Aid Warning may receive federal financial aid for the next term of enrollment without appeal. 

*There is no Warning Status for Maximum Hours.  Once a student reaches Maximum Hours they are immediatly placed on Financial Aid Suspension.

Financial Aid Suspension: A student who fails to meet SAP while on Financial Aid Warning is placed on Financial Aid Suspension and is not eligible to receive federal financial aid. The student may appeal to request the continuation of federal financial aid.

  1. A successful appeal allows the continuation of eligibility of federal financial aid for the next term.
  2. If the appeal is unsuccessful and the student wishes to reestablish eligibility for federal financial aid, the student must enroll, cover tuition and fees from sources other than federal financial aid and meet SAP standards.
  3. The Financial Aid Appeal Process and deadline dates can be found at: https://studentsuccess.louisiana.edu/services/financial-aid-appeal-process