Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Effective for evaluation of SAP data for 2023-2024 Academic year (Summer 2024)
Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward their degree to maintain eligibility for financial aid. Federal regulations require both qualitative and quantitative (including maximum timeframe) measurements to determine SAP status. The standards used to evaluate SAP are cumulative and include all periods of the student’s enrollment, regardless of whether aid was received during those periods. Title IV compliance, while managed by the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA), is part of UT Southwestern’s administrative capability.
Quantitative Standard
The quantitative standard (also called pace of completion) measures timely progress toward the completion of a degree. For all students at UT Southwestern, the cumulative number of credits successfully completed divided by cumulative credits attempted must be 67% to meet quantitative standard (using standard rounding rules).
Example: A student attempted 30 credits in the academic year, and successfully completed 25 of them. Since 25 divided by 30 is 83%, this student is meeting the SAP quantitative standard.
Health Professions, Public Health & Graduate School
| Grade | Successful Completion/Pass |
|---|---|
| A, H, S, P | Yes |
| B | Yes |
| C | Yes |
| D | Yes |
| U, F, W, WP, WF, I, IP | No |
Medical School
| Grade | Successful Completion/Pass |
|---|---|
| A, H, H**, P | Yes |
| NH, B, HP* | Yes |
| HP, C | Yes |
| P** | Yes |
| D, F, W, I, IP | No |
Maximum Timeframe Standard
Maximum timeframe standards limit the length of time a student can pursue an educational program and remain eligible for financial aid. Maximum timeframe is measured by credit hours- students may not receive aid for an attempted number of credits that is greater than 150% of the minimum credits for degree completion. A student becomes ineligible for further financial aid when it becomes mathematically impossible for them to complete the program within the maximum timeframe allowed.
Example: A student’s program requires a minimum of 50 hours to graduate (so maximum timeframe limit is 75 hours, or 150% of 50). When SAP is calculated, the student has attempted 55 hours, but has only successfully completed 25. The student needs to complete a minimum of another 25 hours to graduate (50 needed-25 successfully completed), but can only receive aid for an additional 20 hours (75 max timeframe allowed – 55 already attempted). The student is ineligible for further aid because the number of hours needed to graduate exceeds the number of hours they have in remaining aid eligibility.
Qualitative Standard
The qualitative standard measures the quality of a student’s academic performance, measuring each student against a norm. A traditional GPA is not always a viable qualitative test due to varying grading bases, pass/fail coursework which does not impact the GPA, and coursework excluded from certain GPA calculations. Therefore, at UT Southwestern students are measured using up to three tests.
Cumulative Grade Point Average (As determined by the Registrar)
If a student’s cumulative GPA meets the minimum standard for their program, the student is meeting the qualitative standard and no further tests are performed.
Example: If the required minimum GPA for the program is 3.0, then any student with a GPA greater than 2.99 meets the qualitative standard.
Financial Aid Qualitative Score
If a student does not meet the minimum cumulative GPA standard, then we will evaluate the student’s Q score. OSFA calculates a Financial Aid Qualitative Score (Q Score) for each student annually. Grades are assigned a point value, which is multiplied by the number of credits assigned to the course. All coursework that has credits associated is included in the qualitative score calculation, regardless of inclusion on the student’s transcript or in the academic GPA calculation.
Example: If the required minimum Q Score for the program is 3.0, then any student with a Q Score greater than 2.99 meets the qualitative standard.
Health Professions, Public Health & Graduate School
| Grade | Points Assigned for Q Score (Per Credit Hour) |
|---|---|
| A, H, S, P | 4 |
| B | 3 |
| C | 2 |
| D | 1 |
| U, F, W, WP, WF, I, IP | 0 |
Medical School
| Grade | Points Assigned for Q Score (Per Credit Hour) |
|---|---|
| A, H, H**, P | 4 |
| NH, B+ | 3.5 |
| B, HP | 3 |
| C, P** | 2 |
| D, F, W, I, IP | 0 |
SAP Requirements by Program (Max Time Frame & Qualitative Standards)
| Doctorate Programs | Minimum Cumulative GPA & Minimum Q Score | Minimum Credits Required for Graduation | Attempted Credits Limit - 150% (Maximum Timeframe) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Doctorate | 3.0 | 100.5 | 151 |
| Doctor of Physical Therapy | 3.0 | 96 | 144 |
| Doctor of Applied Clinical Research | 3.0 | 48 | 72 |
| Clinical Psychology Ph.D. | 3.0 | 117 | 176 |
| Ph.D. in Public Health | 3.0 | 60 | 90 |
| All other Doctoral programs | 3.0 | 102 | 153 |
SAP Requirements by Program (Max Time Frame & Qualitative Standards) - continued
| Master Programs | Minimum Cumulative GPA & Minimum Q Score | Minimum Credits Required for Graduation | Attempted Credits Limit - 150% (Maximum Timeframe) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Physician Assistant Studies | 2.75 | 112 | 168 |
| Master of Clinical Nutrition - Coordinated Program | 2.75 | 71 | 107 |
| Master of Clinical Nutrition - Nutrition Science Online Program | 2.75 | 36 | 54 |
| Master of Prosthetics-Orthotics | 2.7 | 61 | 92 |
| Master of Public Heath | 2.5 | 45 | 68 |
| Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (formerly MSCS) | 2.5 | 36 | 54 |
| Master of Science in Genetic Counseling | 2.75 | 58 | 87 |
| Master of Science in Health Informatics | 2.5 | 36 | 54 |
| All other Masters programs | 3.0 | 36 | 54 |
Appealing SAP Status & Regaining Eligibility
Students not making SAP may submit an appeal to the Director of Student Financial Aid OSFA for review within 10 business days of notification from OSFA. The appeal must state the reasons for failing to meet SAP requirements, such as special circumstances that contributed to the student’s failure to make satisfactory academic progress, and how the circumstances have changed to ensure future academic success. SAP appeals will be reviewed by the Director and the Associate Director, and additional documentation may be required. The student will be notified of the appeal decision within 10 business days of submission of all documentation. SAP appeal decisions made by the Director are final.
If a student’s SAP appeal is approved, the student will be placed in one of two statuses:
- Financial Aid SAP Probation – granted for an approved appeal when the student can reach minimum SAP requirements within a single additional term, during which they are still eligible for financial aid. Probation may not be granted for more than one term per SAP failure. If the student fails to meet the SAP requirements at the end of a term of SAP Probation, no further financial aid disbursements will be allowed until the student achieves SAP requirements.
- Financial Aid SAP Academic Plan – If a student’s appeal is approved, but SAP requirements cannot be regained in a single semester, the OSFA will outline a plan for the student to regain eligibility over multiple terms. The plan will be created in consultation with the Program Director/ Chair or Dean. A student’s progress will be reviewed at the end of each subsequent term, and failure to progress according to the SAP Academic Plan will result in the student becoming ineligible for aid.
Absent an approved appeal, students regain eligibility for aid when they are again meeting SAP standards.
General Satisfactory Academic Progress Policies
SAP Evaluation Frequency & Timing
OSFA calculates the SAP of all students at the end of each academic year (after spring term). Exact date of SAP calculation will be within one week of the due date for grades to be posted as set by the Registrar. Students who fail to meet all SAP standards will be ineligible for continued financial aid beginning with the term immediately following the year in which the SAP requirements were not met. The OSFA will notify students whose SAP status has changed by email as soon as determinations are made.
Because SAP calculations cannot be performed until the spring semester is complete and grades are recorded, it is possible for a student to receive a disbursement for the new academic year (summer or fall) before SAP is calculated for the prior academic year. If the OSFA determines that the student did not meet SAP requirements in the prior academic year, the student must repay any financial aid disbursements already processed for the new academic year absent a successful appeal of the SAP decision.
Treatment of Grades
Health Professions, Public Health & Graduate School
| Grade | Successful Completion/Pass | Points Assigned for Q Score (Per Credit Hour) |
|---|---|---|
| A, H, S, P | Yes | 4 |
| B | Yes | 3 |
| C | Yes | 2 |
| D | Yes | 1 |
| U, F, W, WP, WF, I, IP | No | 0 |
Medical School
| Grade | Successful Completion/Pass | Points Assigned for Q Score (Per Credit Hour) |
|---|---|---|
| A, H, H**, P | Yes | 4 |
| NH, B, HP* | Yes | 3 |
| HP, C | Yes | 2 |
| P** | Yes | 1 |
| D, F, W, I, IP | No | 0 |
Grades of Incomplete (I) and grades not entered before SAP is calculated by OSFA are treated as attempted and not successfully completed, and are given a 0 point value. If a “blank” or Incomplete grade is later changed to another grade, a student previously deemed to be not making SAP may request additional review by OSFA.
Leave of Absence & Withdrawal
Any full terms for which a student is granted a leave of absence will be excluded from all SAP calculations. If a student withdraws or is granted an LOA in the middle of a term, resulting incomplete coursework or grades must be included in SAP calculations.
Students in Multiple UT Southwestern Programs & Students Who Change Programs
A student’s academic progress will be evaluated individually for their time in each degree plan. A student who changes programs will be evaluated on all coursework attributable to the new program without regard to the prior program.
Repeated Coursework
Financial aid can be received repeatedly for any course which a student does not successfully complete. Once a student successfully completes a course, it is only eligible for financial aid for one additional attempt. Every attempt of a course counts as attempted towards completion rate, but it only counts once as completed.
Remedial Coursework
Remedial coursework in which the student enrolls will be included in all SAP calculations in the same way as other coursework. Students who fail SAP but have a subsequent grade change due to successful remediation may request additional review by OSFA.
Transfer Credits
Credit hours from another institution that are accepted toward the student’s educational program must count as both attempted and completed credits. If the transferred grade is counted in the Registrar’s GPA, it will also be included in the Q score calculation.
This SAP policy is based on the requirements in 34 CFR § 668.34 and applies to determine financial aid eligibility for all financial aid administered by the Office of Student Financial Aid. Additional eligibility requirements may apply based on the source of financial aid.