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Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy

An annual review of student Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward an eligible degree or certificate is required by federal, state and institutional rules as one condition for financial aid eligibility. Students who do not meet the standards for satisfactory academic progress are not eligible for financial aid funding. There are limited opportunities to appeal. The Financial Aid & Scholarship Department will notify students who may be eligible to appeal immediately following the determination of failing status. Appeal procedure and deadline information are posted every June on the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department website. Appeal decisions are final.

This SAP policy has four parts. Students who do not meet every condition cannot receive financial aid.

Part One: Satisfactory Pass Rate

We assess the satisfactory pass rate standard as an overall ratio of Northridge units earned to Northridge units attempted. Students must have passed at least 80 percent of all units attempted. Transfer units are not included in this calculation. However, units for repeated Cal State Northridge course work are included. Grades of F, I, NC, W, and WU count as units attempted with zero units earned. These units are not counted as units attempted on transcripts, so the units attempted on a Cal State Northridge transcript may not match the units counted by the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department when determining the satisfactory pass rate.

Part Two: Satisfactory Grade Point Average

Students disqualified by the university are ineligible for financial aid based on grade point average standards. Students are not eligible for financial aid until they are officially readmitted to Cal State Northridge. Students readmitted to the university are responsible for notifying the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department as soon as they are officially readmitted and no longer disqualified. Readmitted students must meet all other SAP policy standards.

Part Three: Unit and Time Limits

Undergraduates are limited to 150 attempted units (125 percent of units required to graduate) and are ineligible for further financial aid at the undergraduate level. Undergraduates enrolled in programs that require more than 120 units may have the cap extended to125 percent. For example, a student in a program requiring 135 units would be capped at 169 attempted units. Post-baccalaureate students are capped at approximately 125 percent attempted units of the total units required for their academic program (see chart below).

Programs	Units	Maximum Units
Certificate	18	23
Credential	45	57
Second bachelor's	60	75
Master's	30-60	40-75
Doctorate	60	75

Units attempted at all institutions attended, including transfer units, must be counted for both undergraduate and post-baccalaureate maximums, including repeat, incomplete, no credit, failure, in progress, and withdrawal units.

Part Four: Other Provisions

• Students who enroll in classes inconsistent with their academic program, or students who violate the university's policies related to change of major, will be held to the maximum unit cap without exception. A student will not meet satisfactory academic progress for financial aid if records indicate that he or she is enrolled in courses for financial aid purposes and not because of degree requirements. This includes enrolling in unnecessary units to obtain financial aid based on full-time units.
• Students who exceed the university limit for repeated course work are subject to review for eligibility. Courses that are repeated more than once may not be eligible for financial aid funding. A decision will be made by the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department after the term has begun. If a repeated course is not eligible for funding, the student may have to repay funds.
• Students who exceed the university limit of 18 CR/NC units while in a degree, credential or certificate-granting program are subject to review for eligibility.
• Students who complete all undergraduate degree course requirements but do not graduate, for any reason, are ineligible for funding. Unacceptable claims or reasons for further funding include, but are not limited to, improving one's GPA, failure to take or pass the Writing Proficiency Exam, or desire to complete a minor or additional major.
• If at any point it becomes clear that a student will not be able to graduate within the maximum units allowed, then the student becomes ineligible for aid.
• In addition to being identified through the SAP appeal process, students may also be identified through individual consultations with financial aid counselors, or when a review of the aid status is requested by a student, parent, or university official.
• Students who complete zero units in any term are not meeting reasonable academic progress standards and may be ineligible to receive aid the following term. Aid received in that term may have to be repaid by the student.
• Academic progress can be reevaluated at any time throughout the year by a member of the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department staff, academic personnel or school administrators.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Conditions

Please note the following information is for the fall 2012, spring 2013 and summer 2013 terms.

To comply with federal and state requirements, Cal State Northridge has adopted an annual Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy to measure whether a student, who is otherwise eligible for financial aid, is maintaining satisfactory progress toward the completion of his or her educational objective.

How does SAP affect eligibility for aid?

During the SAP review, which is conducted every June or weekly thereafter if a FAFSA is received after the initial review, progress is reviewed in several areas. Academic disqualification by the university, unit and time limits required to complete a degree, and the total number of units attempted at Northridge compared to the number of units completed at Northridge are all taken into consideration.

If you do not meet one or more of the standards for each measure, you will not be eligible for further financial aid of any kind. A notice will be emailed to you detailing the standards that have not been met. The notice will include a link to the Appeal Form if you have passed at least 50 percent of the units attempted at Northridge. The form will include further instructions.

Reinstatement is possible if you regain the ability to meet all of the standards, or if you are eligible to appeal and the appeal is approved. See below for acceptable conditions to appeal. Please note, only one appeal may be approved during a student's entire undergraduate career at Cal State Northridge.

Students who have passed fewer than 50 percent of their attempted units or do not meet one of the allowable appeal conditions are not eligible to appeal. Please note, if you are eligible to appeal it does not mean your appeal will automatically be approved.

Students exceeding 125 percent attempted units of the total units required for their academic program are ineligible for further financial aid. Appeals are not accepted.

How are maximum units and the pass rate determined?

For detailed information about maximum units and the completion ratio, visit this page.

How do students regain eligibility after not passing enough attempted units and being told they are not eligible for appeal?

Eligibility for financial aid will be reestablished when the student has successfully attained the minimum 80 percent pass rate for Northridge units attempted and can graduate within the maximum unit limit.

Appeal Conditions	Appeal Filing Period
Undergraduate students: Undergraduate students who have completed at least 75 percent of Northridge units attempted, but fewer than 80 percent, may appeal without conditions. You will receive a link to the appeal form in your SAP notice. Undergraduate students who have completed at least 50 percent of Northridge units attempted, but fewer than 75 percent, may appeal only if they meet at least one of the following conditions: Attempted fewer than 30 units at Northridge as of the end of spring Death of a close relative (parent/guardian, child, spouse or sibling) during period of failure Military service Medical withdrawal approved by university Readmitted after at least a five-year absence Fall 2012 graduation date on record You will receive a link to the appeal form in your SAP notice. Students who are eligible to appeal must do so by the published deadline.	Deadline has passed
Graduate students: Master's, credential, certificate, doctoral and second bachelor's degree students who have not passed at least 80 percent of their units may appeal if there are documented circumstances beyond the student's control that have led to low grade point average or pass rate failure.	Deadline has passed

When will I know the status of my appeal?

Students will be notified about their appeal status in early August via CSUN email.

Where can I view the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy?

You can learn about the Cal State Northridge Satisfactory Academic Progress policy and the standards you must meet to maintain financial aid eligibility by selecting the "SAP Policy" tab on this page.

Students who do not meet satisfactory academic standards for financial aid are responsible for paying tuition fees* and housing payments with their own resources by the established deadline. For payment information, visit University Cash Services.

*Fees and obligations you may owe

The CSU makes every effort to keep student costs to a minimum. Tuition fees listed in published schedules or student accounts may need to increase when public funding is inadequate. Therefore, CSU must reserve the right, even after initial fee payments are made, to increase or modify any listed tuition fees, without notice, until the date when instruction for a particular semester or quarter has begun. All CSU listed tuition fees should be regarded as estimates that are subject to change upon approval by The Board of Trustees.