Satisfactory Academic Progress FAQ

1. What is Satisfactory Academic Progress?
2. What are the requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress?
3. Is financial aid suspension the same as academic suspension?
4. What is Financial Aid Probation?
5. Can I still receive federal aid while on probation?
6. What is Financial Aid Suspension?
7. Why am I not making Satisfactory Academic Progress even when I have no failing grades?
8. What aid is affected by Financial Aid Suspension?
9. How can I find out what my academic progress status is?
10. How do I appeal?
11. Can I submit other supporting documentation with my appeal?
12. Do I have to be admitted or enrolled to appeal my financial aid?
13. Can I appeal if I missed the 30 day deadline?
14. Can I appeal my financial aid if I am on Academic Suspension with the university?
15. How is my appeal decision determined?
16. How will I be notified of the committee’s decision?
17. Can I turn in additional information for my appeal after it has already been denied by the Committee?
18. Can I appeal the committee’s decision?
19. What does my advisor need to fill out on the Remaining Hours for Degree Completion Form?
20. Can I use my next semester classes to clear up my financial aid suspension?
21. I’m beginning a new degree program. Will my probation/suspension be carried over to the new program?
22. How do my Study Abroad or consortium classes affect my Academic Progress?
23. Who should I contact if I have a question not addressed above?

What is Satisfactory Academic Progress?

Satisfactory academic progress is defined as proceeding toward successful completion of degree requirements. The OSU Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid is required by federal regulation to determine whether a student is meeting the requirement. The official record of the OSU Registrar is reviewed to determine student compliance with this policy.

What are the requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress?

These are the requirements, which are spelled out in more detail on our Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

• Not exceed a maximum number of hours to complete the degree program.
• Maintain a specified cumulative Graduation/Retention Grade Point Average.
• Successfully complete at least 75% of the total cumulative hours attempted. This includes all courses attempted at any college or university. For example, a student who has attempted a cumulative total of 55 hours must have successfully completed at least 41 credit hours to meet the requirement (55 X .75 = 41.25; round decimals down to whole numbers).

Is financial aid suspension the same as academic suspension?

No. Academic suspension from the university is monitored by the Office of Academic Affairs. If you are unsure whether or not you are on suspension with OSU, you should contact the Academic Affairs office. Financial aid suspension applies only to your federal financial aid, OTAG and OHLAP-Plus (does not include regular OHLAP).  If you have not met the renewal requirements for an OSU scholarship and it has been cancelled at the end of the spring semester, you will use the same Financial Aid Appeal Form if you wish to appeal your scholarship suspension.

What is Financial Aid Probation?

Probation means that you are currently not meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements for financial aid. Once you are placed on probation, you must complete 75% of the hours you are attempting each term and achieve a 2.0 Semester GPA. If you do not meet these requirements at the end of the probated semester, you will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension.  If you meet the semester requirements, but your GPA and hours attempted do not meet the cumulative standards, you will remain on probation for the next semester.  If, at the end of the probation semester, you meet the cumulative standards, you will be cleared.

Can I still receive federal aid while on probation?

Yes, you may receive federal aid for the semester in which you are on probation if you are otherwise eligible for aid.

What is Financial Aid Suspension?

Suspension means that you have not met the requirements for satisfactory academic progress and are ineligible for federal financial aid for the semester(s) you are suspended.

Why am I not making Satisfactory Academic Progress even when I have no failing grades?

We are required to include all hours a student has attempted, including dropped, repeated, reprieved, remedial, or withdrawn courses on a transcript. Although dropping a class may  help your GPA, a “W” is still considered as a course that was attempted but not completed. for determination of Satisfactory Academic Progress.

What aid is affected by Financial Aid Suspension?

All federal aid is affected, such as Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, ACG and SMART Grants, Federal Work Study, Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans, and Parent PLUS Loans. Financial aid suspension does not affect OHLAP, but it does cancel your OTAG and OHLAP Plus awards.

How can I find out what my Academic Progress status is?

You will be notified by mail if you are placed on probation or suspension.  

How do I appeal?

You must submit a completed Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form to our office by the date indicated on the suspension letter.  If you have exceeded the maximum number of hours to complete your degree program, you must also submit a Remaining Hours Required for Degree Completion Form.

Can I submit other supporting documentation with my appeal?

If you wish to submit any documentation supporting your appeal, you must do so by the appeal deadline in order for it to be considered by the Committee.  You are encouraged to submit documentation that supports the details of your appeal.  For example, if you withdrew from classes due to a medical condition, physician or hospital statements would be advised.  A death in the family might be documented with a copy of an obituary or death certificate.  Traffic accidents might be documented with specific police reports.  These are only examples; not an exhaustive list.

Do I have to be admitted or enrolled to appeal my financial aid?

No, you do not have to be currently admitted or enrolled to appeal your financial aid suspension. You can not however appeal if you are on academic suspension with the university.

Can I appeal if I missed the 30 day deadline?

Late appeals will only be heard for extenuating circumstances (i.e., you were in an accident, you were in the hospital, etc.).  If you miss the appeal deadline, you must first submit a written request that the Committee consider your late appeal; include an explanation of why you missed the deadline.  If the request is approved, you may then submit the suspension appeal, and the Committee will consider the appeal at the next meeting.

Can I appeal my financial aid if I am on Academic Suspension with the university?

No. If you are academically suspended from OSU, you cannot appeal your federal aid suspension. Once you have been academically reinstated to OSU, you may submit an appeal for your federal aid suspension.

How is my appeal decision determined?

Once you have submitted all required appeal documentation, your appeal is considered by the Faculty Financial Aid Appeals Committee.  All decisions reached by the Committee are final. 

How will I be notified of the committee’s decision?

A notification of the committee’s decision will be sent to your “okstate.edu” email address. If you do not have a valid “okstate.edu” email, a letter will be mailed to the address you listed on the appeal form.

Can I turn in additional information for my appeal after it has already been denied by the Committee?

No.  All documents for an appeal must be submitted with the original appeal to be considered.  If the Committee has already acted on your appeal, the decision is final.  If you choose not to submit supporting documentation, your appeal may be denied due to lack of documentation. 

Can I appeal the committee’s decision?

No, the committee’s decision is final. That is why it is important to include any documentation with your original appeal.

What does my advisor need to fill out on the Remaining Hours for Degree Completion Form?

Your academic advisor should provide a brief statement explaining why you have accumulated the excessive hours, how many hours are required to complete your degree, and whether those hours include the current semester.

It is important that your advisor be as exact as possible when listing the number of hours remaining to complete the degree. If your appeal is approved, we will use the advisor's response to determine the additional hours for which you can receive federal aid.  If your attempted hours (including hours of "W") later exceed the number provided by the advisor, you will be suspended again at that time.

Can I use my next semester classes to clear up my financial aid suspension?

Yes, if you complete the academic progress requirements for a semester in which you are suspended, you can return to probation status the following semester.  If these hours are completed at an accredited institution, they must be reflected on your OSU Transcript to be considered for financial aid eligibility.

If your suspension is due to exceeding your maximum hours for completing your degree, you must successfully appeal to receive your federal financial aid.

I’m beginning a new level of degree program (i.e., changing from undergraduate to master's or from master's to doctoral, etc.).  Will my probation/suspension be carried over to the new program?

No. If you are beginning a new degree level, your satisfactory academic progress begins in a clear status for the new program.  Example: If you were suspended as an undergraduate student, but you have now fully been admitted into a master’s program, your academic progress would start in good standing for the master's program. If you return to an undergraduate status in the future, your suspension will still be active at the undergraduate level. 

How do my Study Abroad or consortium classes affect my Academic Progress?

If you have completed a semester with Study Abroad or have a consortium agreement with OSU and another university, we must wait until your grades have been submitted to OSU to determine your academic progress. You cannot receive federal aid for the following semester until we receive all your grades from the institution in which you were enrolled.  It is important to get any transcripts or grades to our Admission’s office as soon as you receive them from your other institution.

Who should I contact if I have a question not addressed above?

You may contact our office via e-mail at finaid@okstate.edu, phone at (405) 744-6604, or in person at 119 Student Union (Stillwater) or Room 130 North Hall (OSU-Tulsa).

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