Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

To keep federal financial aid (like Pell Grants, loans, and Work-Study), students must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

Here’s what you need to know

You will be measured against each of the three SAP standards at the end of the spring term to determine eligibility for receipt of federal student financial assistance for the upcoming year. If you fail one of the three SAP standards, you are strongly encorage to submit an SAP appeal.

You can check if you are meeting any one of the three SAP standards by using our SAP Elegibility Calculator or checking your CUNYfirst "to do".

Your CUNYfirst "To do" section will show the link to submit your SAP Appeal Package if you are not meeting SAP standards.

Circumstances for a SAP Appeal

Your appeal must be based on excusable circumstances resulting from events in your life, such as personal illness or injury, illness or death of a family member, loss of employment, or changes in your academic program. Your appeal must actually include an explanation of how these circumstances caused you not to make satisfactory progress and what changes you have made that would allow you to meet the appropriate progress standard in a future evaluation. I think your appeal should include independent third-party documentation of the circumstances you describe in your explanation.

Your appeal must also include a reasonable and attainable academic plan that, if followed, will make sure that you will complete your academic program or make substantial progress towards completing your program in the semesters that you wish to receive aid for.

If you decide to appeal, please read the following instructions regarding our new processes:

SAP standards

1- Maximum Timeframe

You may not attempt more than 150% of the credits normally required for completion of your degree.

A BA or BS: Cannot attempt more than 120 credits, what this means is If your degree normally requires 120 credits → you must complete it within 180 attempted credits (120 × 150%).

2- Qualitative (Grade based-GPA)

Students must maintain a GPA that meets the College’s minimum requirement.
If in a program longer than two years, you must have a GPA of at least a “C” average or be in good academic standing to graduate.
Federal Minimum Standard:

Credits Attempted	Minimum GPA
1 – 12	1.5
1 –24	1.75
25 and Above	2.0

3- Pace of Progression

For students pursuing a baccalaureate degree, earned credits must be equal to or greater than a specific percentage of attempted credits.

Meets SAP Pace

Attempted: 30 credits
Completed: 24 credits
Pace = 24 ÷ 30 = 80% → Meets SAP (above 67%).

Not Meeting SAP Pace

To keep federal financial aid (like Pell Grants, loans, and Work-Study), students must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). If you do not meet SAP, it means you are not meeting one or more of these federal standards:

Attempted: 30 credits
Completed: 18 credits
Pace = 18 ÷ 30 = 60% → Does NOT meet SAP (below 67%).

^{NOTE: All students (whether aid recipients or not) will be measured against each of the three SAP components at the end of the spring term to determine eligibility for federal financial aid for the upcoming award year. Students planning to use PELL for summer semesters may not be eligible if they are failing SAP at the end of the spring semester.}

If you attempted	You must at least earn
0 to 24.999	0%
25 to 30.999	15%
31 to 36.999	25%
37 to 45.999	35%
46 to 48.999	40%
49 to 60.999	45%
61 to 72.999	50%
73 to 94.999	55%
95 to 120.999	60%
121 to 129.999	61%
130 to 138.999	62%
139 to 150.999	63%
151 to 151.999	64%
152 to 156.999	65%
157 to 164.999	66%
165 to 180	66.69%

Student Financial Services