Satisfactory Academic Progress
To receive financial aid at Valparaiso University, you must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward your degree or certificate. The Valparaiso University Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy governs federal, state and most VU aid programs. In addition to the requirement that you must maintain enrollment in a degree program, there are three components to the SAP policy. Students’ progress is checked at the end of each spring semester, and failure to meet the requirements of any one of the three components will result in the loss of aid. The components are:
- Qualitative: The grade point average (GPA) you must maintain;
- Quantitative: The number of credit hours you must complete; and
- Time Frame Measurement: The maximum length of time you may receive financial aid.
Requirements
Grade Point Average
In order to continue to receive financial aid, undergraduate students must maintain the following minimum grade point average:
- Freshmen (less than 24 credit hours completed) 1.65
- Sophomores (24 to 55 credit hours completed) 1.75
- Junior and above (greater than 55 credit hours completed) 2.00
Credit Hours Completed
You must complete at least 2/3’s of all credit hours attempted with a passing grade. At the end of each academic year, your total hours successfully completed will be compared to your total hours attempted to determine whether you are meeting this requirement. All courses that you remain enrolled in past the add/drop period will count as attempted, even courses with a grade of “W” or its equivalent. Transfer credits accepted by VU are not included in both the attempted and the completed credits.
Maximum Time
Federal regulations establish the maximum time frame in which you must complete your educational program or degree as 150 % of the published length of your program. Most programs, for example, require 124 credit hours and, for those programs, the maximum attempted hours allowed is 186. (For information concerning the number of credits required for your program, please refer to the appropriate academic department section of the Valparaiso University General Catalog.) All attempted hours at VU, including regular semesters and summer sessions, as well as any credits transferred from other schools, will apply toward the 150%.
Please note: You may become ineligible for aid if it is determined that the pace at which you are completing courses does not permit you to graduate within 150% of the allowable time frame.
Grade Point Average
Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0
Credit Hours Completed
You must complete at least 2/3’s of all credit hours attempted with a passing grade. At the end of each academic year, your total hours successfully completed will be compared to your total hours attempted to determine whether you are meeting this requirement. All courses that you remain enrolled in past the add/drop period will count as attempted, even courses with a grade of “W” or its equivalent.
**Physician Assistant Program: Students must complete 100% of their attempted credits each semester. Students cannot have a grade of Unsatisfactory (U) in more than two courses per year.
Maximum Time
Federal regulations establish the maximum time frame in which you must complete your educational program or degree as 150 % of the published length of your program. Graduate programs typically vary in length from 30 to 60 credit hours. For example, those requiring 30 credit hours, the maximum attempted hours allowed is 45. (For information concerning the number of credits required for your program, please refer to the appropriate academic department section of the Valparaiso University General Catalog.) All attempted hours at VU, including regular semesters and summer sessions, will apply toward the 150%.
Please note: You may become ineligible for aid if it is determined that the pace at which you are completing courses does not permit you to graduate within 150% of the allowable time frame.
Additional Information
- Incompletes and withdrawals will count as hours attempted but not completed. If incompletes are later completed, they will be reflected when progress is again checked, or sooner if the student appeals.
- Summer school credits may be considered in evaluating attainment of the academic progress standards on an appeal basis.
- Repeated courses will add to total hours attempted and, if credits are earned, towards hours completed. The grade will simply be replaced. The new grade will be included in the GPA calculation, which will be considered when progress is again checked, or sooner if the student appeals.
- Certain aid programs have shorter time-frame limits and different GPA requirements. For example, most Indiana aid programs are limited to eight full-time semesters, and some VU scholarships will normally require a higher cumulative GPA for renewal. In addition, federal and institutional loan programs have aggregate limits that may be reached before the maximum time-frame limits are reached.
- Credits attempted and/or completed during periods when a student does not receive Title IV aid will still be counted toward the SAP calculation.
- VU does not offer non-credit remedial courses.