Satisfactory Academic Progress

SAP Standards

The U.S. Department of Education requires that all students who receive financial aid make satisfactory academic progress toward completion of their programs of study.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the measure of a student’s overall academic progress. Labouré College has developed the following policy to comply with the federal regulations and standards. Students who do not meet these standards may not receive financial aid, including loans.

A student’s entire academic history is reviewed for the purposes of determining SAP, including credits not paid for by financial aid. For all students, progress is reviewed at the end of each academic semester after grades have been submitted. There are Three Standards for financial aid SAP. All three must be met to be considered in good academic standing.

Standard 1: Qualitative

Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)

Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 after each semester enrolled.

Standard 2: Quantitative

Completion Rate

Students must complete successfully a minimum of 67 percent of all courses attempted.

The pace at which a student progresses through a program is calculated by dividing the total number of hours the student has successfully completed by the total number of credits attempted.

General rounding rules apply.

Example #1

A student who has attempted three (3) courses, two 3-credit courses and one 4-credit course (total of 10 credits) must successfully complete at least 7 credits (a 3-credit and a 4-credit course) of the 10 credits, (7 credits divided by 10 = 70%). This student would meet this standard.

Example #2

A student who has attempted three (3) 3-credit courses (total of 9 credits) must successfully complete two courses to meet this standard. If the student completed two courses, then the student would meet the SAP standard, as 6 credits divided by 9 credits = 66.66%, which is rounded to 67%).

Example #3

A student who has attempted two (2) 3-credit courses (total of 6 credits) must successfully complete all courses to meet this standard. If the student completed one course, the student would not meet the SAP standard, as 3 credits divided by 6 credits = 50%, which is below the 67% threshold.

Attempted and Incomplete Credits

All credits for which a student has registered are considered attempted credits whether or not the course is completed. Repeated courses as well as grades of F, course withdrawals (W, WP, WF), and courses that are not completed (I) at the end of each semester are included as attempted but not completed. Incomplete grades converted to passing grades will be recalculated at the end of the following semester.

Repeated Credits

These credits are included in the calculation for both attempted and earned credits. If a student retakes a course for which they have already earned credit (passed the course), then they may only receive aid to cover the repeated course once.

Transfer Credits

Credits from other colleges that were accepted by Labouré College of Healthcare are counted as attempted and earned.

Standard 3: Maximum Timeframe

150% Rule

Students must complete their programs in no more than 150% of the published length of the educational program. Students who do not complete a program within this timeframe are no longer eligible to receive financial aid. Up to thirty developmental credits are exempt from this requirement.

Example #4

The Associate of Science of Nursing program is 71 credits. 150% of 71 is 106.5. ASN students cannot take more than 106 credits while obtaining their degree.

Transfer Credits

All transfer credits that have been or could be applied to the student’s current program of study are considered when calculating the maximum timeframe requirements for the program.

Program Changes

All earned and attempted credits (including grades of F, W, WP, WF, I, and repeats) that have been or could be applied to the new program of study are considered when calculating the maximum timeframe requirements for the new program.

Grad/Re-Admit

All earned credits that have been applied to the new program of study are considered when calculating the maximum timeframe requirements for the new program. This includes any new transfer credits accepted at the time of readmission.

SAP Review Status

A student’s SAP status is updated at the end of each semester based on the following standards:

Good Standing

Students who have met all 3 standards outlined above will be in Good Standing with financial aid.

Financial Aid Warning

Any student in a degree or certificate program who does not meet Standards 1 and/or 2 for the first time is formally placed on warning. A student will be notified via their College student email informing him or her of the warning.

Students who are placed on warning are eligible to receive financial aid during the next semester.

At the end of the warning period, the following action will occur:

  • A student is removed from warning if the student meets all SAP standards, or
  • A student is placed on suspension if - after the warning period - the student is not meeting all SAP standards

Financial Aid Suspension

If SAP standards are not met after the warning period, then the student is placed on financial aid suspension. A student placed on suspension is no longer eligible to receive any form of financial aid. A student will be notified via their College student email account and by mail of their suspension.

Additionally, students who are placed on suspension for failing to complete their program within 150% of the published program length will receive a letter in the mail and an email informing them of their status.

Financial aid eligibility can be reinstated if the student either:

  • Enrolls in and pays for courses raising his/her GPA and/or completion rate to meet the required SAP standards, or
  • Successfully appeals the suspension status

SAP Appeal

A student has the right to appeal a financial aid suspension due to mitigating circumstances such as, but not limited to, illness, military service, or a previously undiagnosed learning disability.

The following must be completed and submitted to the Welcome Center:

  • Student must meet with an Academic Advisor
  • Appeals must be submitted in writing using the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form. The form must be reviewed and signed by the student and an Academic Advisor.
  • Documentation verifying the special circumstances (e.g., doctor's letter, third-party letter)
  • An Academic Progress Plan must be developed with an academic counselor. The plan must work to get the student back in good standing. 

The Appeal Committee considers all appeals. Notification of the decision is sent to the student's College email account and by mail. The student receives the notification within two (2) weeks of the date the appeal is received or after the semester's final grades have been posted. If the appeal is granted, the student is placed on probation, and the student is eligible to receive aid for the appealed semester. At the end of the appeal semester, the student's academic progress is reviewed. If the conditions of the appeal are not met, the student is no longer eligible to receive financial aid. If the conditions of the appeal are met, the student continues to be eligible for aid. However, the conditions of the appeal are reviewed each semester until the student is making SAP. 

Normally, students who are granted an appeal and placed in a probation status are allowed to enroll in fewer than 12 credits the following semester. Students who wish to take more than the recommended number of credits must appeal the recommendation to the Director of Financial Aid.