To be eligible for federal student financial aid at JCCC, you must meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards. Federal regulations require that a student make satisfactory academic progress toward an eligible degree, certificate, or transfer program. To comply with this regulation, the following SAP standards have been established. All recipients of federal financial aid programs are subject to these standards for renewal of their financial aid eligibility.

SAP evaluation will occur at the end of each enrolled semester, including summer. Evaluation is based on cumulative JCCC and transfer credit course work as appearing on the student’s official academic transcript from accredited institutions. Only credit courses are considered for SAP evaluation.

If you are on Academic Suspension at JCCC, your SAP appeal will not be reviewed until your suspension has been resolved. At that time we will review your appeal for federal financial aid. If you are on Academic Suspension, you can obtain the academic suspension appeal form in the Student Success Center.

The SAP standards are evaluated by the following criteria:

1. Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)
Students must attain a minimum cumulative GPA based on the total number of credit hours attempted. JCCC and transfer hours are both considered.

Number of Attempted Hours	Minimum cumulative GPA
1-30	1.7
31 and above	2.0

2. Pace (Percentage of Completion)
Students must successfully complete 66 percent of all credit hours attempted as appearing on their official academic transcripts, up to their maximum time frame. This includes all enrollment periods whether or not financial aid was requested or received. The following grades do not affect the cumulative GPA, but will be counted as attempted credit hours, but not completed; “I” (incomplete). “W” (withdrawn) or “R” (repeated). Self-paced courses that are not completed by the end of the semester in which the student enrolled will be recorded with a grade of “I” until the course is completed. An incomplete self-paced course may jeopardize federal financial aid eligibility in future enrollment periods.

Attempted Credit Hours	Required Credit Hours Completed
12	8
15	10
18	12
24	16
30	20

Repeating a Passed Course - For full-time status students, a student may repeat a passed course for a better grade one time and still be paid for that course if otherwise eligible.

3. Maximum Time Frame

The maximum time frame for students to complete their academic program may not exceed 150 percent of the published length of the program. For example, if the published length of the program is 48 credit hours, the maximum number of attempted credit hours may not exceed 72. After 150 percent of the published length of the program has been attempted, including JCCC and all transfer credit hours from accredited institutions, students are no longer eligible for federal financial aid. There is an option to submit a SAP Appeal Form.

Students with Completed Bachelor's Degree
Students with a completed bachelor’s degree will be eligible for federal financial aid, except for federal grants, for a NEWJCC semester as outlined below. After the NEWJCC semester, those students must submit an SAP Appeal Form to continue to receive federal financial aid. Appeals may be either approved or denied based on the student’s circumstances.

NEW STUDENTS (NEWJCC)

All students applying for federal financial aid at JCCC for the first time will be listed as NEWJCC whether or not the student has transfer credit hours. To establish a satisfactory status, the student must meet cumulative minimum standards of 1.7 GPA for the first 1 to 30 credit hours attempted and a 2.0 GPA for 31 and above attempted credit hours and complete at least 66 percent of all attempted credit hours. Clock hours, used in some programs, are computed as credit hours for SAP purposes. If minimum SAP standards are not met, the student will be placed on financial aid exclusion the following semester.

Financial Aid Ineligibility
Federal aid recipients who fail, withdraw or are withdrawn from all courses for a given semester are automatically placed on financial aid exclusion. This means students are not eligible for all federal aid programs and future financial aid awards will be canceled. Please refer to the “Important Withdrawal Information” brochure found at the JCCC Financial Aid Office for more information. Also those federal aid recipients that fail to meet GPA, Pace or Maximum Time Frame established by JCCC will no longer be eligible for Title IV aid.

Appeals
Students may appeal their SAP exclusion status by completing and submitting the SAP Appeal form that applies to your circumstances. Complete the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form (PDF) for percentage of completion and g.p.a. appeals or Over Maximum Time Frame Appeal Form (PDF) for attempted credit hours exceeding 150 percent of the published length of the program. One of these two completed forms needs to be returned to the Financial Aid Office. Forms are available from our office and must be submitted with appropriate documentation. Students are only allowed to appeal one time.

Appeals are reviewed by the SAP appeal committee with its decision or recommendation being final.

• If the appeal is denied, the student will remain on exclusion status and must pay for educational costs until SAP standards are met. This denial takes precedence over any previous award notification the student may have received.
• If the appeal is approved, the student’s federal financial aid eligibility will be reinstated. To maintain eligibility, the financial aid probation/academic plan conditions listed below must be met, but might also include additional conditions such as reducing the number of enrolled credit hours or working with a counselor throughout the semester. If the conditions of the student’s appeal are not met, then the appeal becomes void for the next semester and the student is no longer eligible for federal financial aid.

Appeal Deadlines

• May 1 - Last day to submit paperwork for spring semester Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal and Special Circumstance Appeals.
• December 1 - Last day to submit paperwork for fall semester Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal and Special Circumstance Appeals.

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  1. Enroll at least half-time (6 credit hours during a regular fall or spring academic term, or 3 credit hours during a summer term).
  2. Receive a minimum of a 2.0 GPA average for all classes taken in the probation term and complete all hours attempted with no W’s, F’s, or I’s.

• Financial Aid Probation/Academic Plan

  Financial aid probation status is granted after students have had an SAP appeal approved. Students on federal financial aid probation are eligible and may continue to receive financial aid funding while in a probation status. To remain on probation status and continue financial aid eligibility during an additional probation status term, the following academic plan must be followed:

  If a student does not satisfactorily complete the above criteria, the student will be placed on financial aid exclusion and will not receive any federal financial aid until SAP standards are attained. Students denied aid due to exclusion status must take credit courses at their own expense until SAP academic standards are met.

  Removing Probation Status - To remove probation status after an appeal is approved, you student must meet minimum GPA and pace (percent of completion) standards and have attempted under 150% of the published length of their program.

  Change of Degree or Approved Leave of Absence
  If student is changing their degree program, or has taken a leave of absence approved by an academic department, contact the student financial aid office.