Lack of Satisfactory Academic Progress may affect Financial Aid Eligibility
CSUSB reviews your academic progress at the end of every semester to make sure you’re maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) — a requirement to stay eligible for financial aid. This semester-by-semester policy exists to meet federal and state requirements, and it applies reasonable standards to make sure students receiving financial aid are staying on track toward completing their degree.
Each semester, your academic progress is reviewed in two areas:
- Qualitative Standard: You’ll need to maintain the required GPA as outlined in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships SAP Policy (linked below for Undergraduates and Post-Baccalaureates).
- Quantitative Standard: This compares the number of units you’ve attempted to the number you’ve completed each semester and tracks your progress against overall time limits to finish your degree. NOTE: If you change majors, all credits earned across every major count toward your GPA and your maximum time frame — changing majors doesn’t reset your SAP.
Withdrawn courses are also included in both the qualitative and quantitative calculations.
If you don’t meet SAP standards in either area, you’ll become ineligible for financial aid.
You’ll be notified by email to your CSUSB account and with a ToDo item in MyCoyote.
Review the SAP Policy That Applies to You
Choose the policy that matches your student type to understand the academic progress requirements you’ll need to meet. You can also review SAP procedures and appeals to learn what happens if you don’t meet the requirements and how you may regain financial aid eligibility.
| Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Undergraduates | Details the academic progress undergraduate students must maintain to stay eligible for financial aid. |
| Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Post-Baccalaureates | Details the academic progress students in a second bachelors, credential, graduate, or doctoral program to stay eligible for financial aid. |
| Satisfactory Academic Process Procedures and Appeals | Explains what happens when students don’t meet SAP requirements and how they can regain financial aid eligibility. |
SAP Policy — Undergraduate
keep receiving financial aid at CSUSB, you’ll need to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP) — a set of academic benchmarks required by federal Title IV regulations. SAP policies and procedures can change from year to year based on those federal requirements, and financial aid SAP standards may differ from your academic department’s own academic standing rules.
Unit Completion Requirements
67% - above meets SAP
You’ll need to complete 67% or more of your attempted units to meet SAP. This is calculated at the end of the academic year by dividing earned units by the number of units attempted.
Not sure where you stand? Use the Unit Calculator to check.
See Pass and Fail examples -- Unit Calculator Examples.
More Undergraduate SAP Guidelines
Your SAP eligibility can also be affected by factors such as your overall timeframe, changes to your major, repeated courses, grade changes and academic standing. Review the sections below for additional requirements and guidance on maintaining or regaining financial aid eligibility.
You must complete your degree within a timeframe of 150 percent of your program’s published length, measured by units attempted, including transfer units. For example, a 120-unit program allows up to 180 attempted units.
| Class Level | GPA Needed to Meet SAP |
|---|---|
| Freshman (0-29.9 units) | 1.5-Above |
| Sophomore (30-59.9 units) | 1.7-Above |
| Junior (60-89.9 units) | 2.0-Above |
| Senior (90 units or more) | 2.0-Above |
If you have attended CSUSB for four semesters or more, you’ll also need to meet the two-year GPA requirement of 2.0 in addition to your class-level GPA.
Use the GPA calculator to check your current standing or to simulate what grades you’d need to meet SAP or fulfill an appeal.
See GPA examples -- GPA Calculator Examples
Financial aid eligibility for undergraduate students lasts up to 179 cumulative attempted units (including transfer units) or until you earn your baccalaureate degree, whichever comes first.
You’re allowed up to 30 units of remedial coursework. Units from remedial courses you complete successfully count toward your SAP unit requirement for that academic year.
If you change majors, the units you’ve earned across every major count toward your GPA and your maximum timeframe. Changing majors does not reset your SAP.
The grades below count as units attempted, with zero units earned. RP/SP/RD grades count as completed coursework for the calendar year or until the grade is changed, whichever happens first.
Letter Grade | Meaning/Description |
|---|---|
F | Failing |
FW | Failed, Withdrew |
W | Withdrawn |
WU | Withdrawn Unauthorized |
UW | Unofficial Withdrawal |
I | Incomplete Authorized |
IC | Incomplete Charged |
AU | Audit |
WZ | Wait Adjusted Failed |
NC | No Credit |
WE | Withdrawn extenuating circumstances |
If one of your grades changes, let the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships know.
You can receive financial aid to retake a course you’ve already passed (any grade above an F), one time. A failed course can be repeated until you earn a D- or higher.
If you’ve been academically disqualified or dismissed from CSUSB, you’re not eligible for financial aid.
If you don’t meet SAP requirements, you’ll lose financial aid eligibility. To find out how to get it back, please read the Satisfactory Academic Progress Procedures and Appeals.
SAP Policy — Credential, Second Bachelor's & Graduate Students
CSUSB's Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy details the academic progress you must maintain to stay eligible for financial aid. SAP policies and procedures can change from year to year based on federal Title IV regulations, and financial aid SAP standards may differ from your academic department's own academic standing requirements.
A full-time credential or second bachelor's student is enrolled in 12 units per semester. Half-time status is six (6) units per semester.
A full-time graduate or doctoral student is enrolled in six (6) units of graduate level coursework (5000 level or above) per semester. Half-time status is three (3) units of graduate-level coursework (5000 or above) per semester.
Graduate students must complete a minimum of 66.6% of attempted coursework and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA per term to stay eligible for financial aid.
NOTE: At the end of each semester, your academic progress is assessed to determine eligibility for the upcoming semester. If you don’t meet SAP standards, you’ll be notified by email and will no longer be eligible for financial aid.
More SAP Guidelines for Credential, Second Bachelor’s and Graduate Students
Your SAP eligibility can also be affected by factors such as your overall timeframe, coursework, grade changes, repeated courses and academic standing. Review the sections below for additional requirements and guidance on maintaining or regaining your financial aid eligibility.
If you change majors, the credits you’ve earned across all majors count toward your GPA and your maximum timeframe. Changing majors does not reset your SAP.
Meets SAP Credential ⁄ Second BA | Meets SAP Graduate |
|---|---|
67%-Above | 67% |
This percentage is calculated at the end of the academic year, by dividing earned units by attempted units.
Not sure where you stand? Use the Unit Calculator to check.
See Pass and Fail examples -- Unit Calculator Examples
You must complete your program within 150% of its published length, including transfer units. For example, a 36-unit program allows up to 54 attempted units.
Program | Meets SAP GPA |
|---|---|
Credential | 2.3-Above |
2nd BA | 2.0-Above |
Graduate | 3.0-Above |
A post-baccalaureate student is someone who has already earned a bachelor's degree. Post-baccalaureate students pursuing a degree or credential, and most graduate students, are limited to a maximum of eight (8) terms.
The grades below count as units attempted with zero units earned. RP/SP/RD grades count as completed course work for the calendar year or until the grade changes, whichever happens first.
Letter Grade | Meaning/Description |
|---|---|
F | Failing |
FW | Failed, Withdrew |
W | Withdrawn |
WU | Withdrawn Unauthorized |
UW | Unofficial Withdrawal |
I | Incomplete Authorized |
IC | Incomplete Charged |
AU | Audit |
WZ | Wait Adjusted Failed |
NC | No Credit |
WE | Withdrawn extenuating circumstances |
If your grade changes, let the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships know.
You may retake a course you’ve already passed (any grade above an F) one time. A failed course can be repeated until you earn a D- or higher.
If you’ve been academically disqualified or dismissed from CSUSB, you’re not eligible for financial aid.
If you don’t meet SAP requirements, you’ll lose financial aid eligibility. To find out how to get it back, please read the Satisfactory Academic Progress Procedures and Appeals.
Satisfactory Academic Process Procedures and Appeals
If you don’t meet CSUSB’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements, you’ll lose eligibility for financial aid — but you can appeal to get it back.
Probation Status
If your appeal is approved, you’re placed on probation and can receive aid for one more semester, as long you as you meet the specific conditions in in your appeal decision.
- If you meet those conditions, you’ll be considered in good standing again.
- If you don’t, you become ineligible — but you can submit a new appeal. You may be asked for additional documentation explaining why you didn’t meet the conditions.
You can also regain eligibility without appealing again by completing coursework on your own (without financial aid) until you’re back in full compliance with SAP standards.
To appeal, you’ll need to document extenuating circumstances that affected your ability to meet SAP requirements. Examples include, but aren’t limited to:
- The loss of a family member or loved one during the academic year
- Your own serious illness or injury that led to a medical withdrawal from the university, extensive hospitalization or ongoing treatment that prevented you from passing your courses
- The serious illness or injury of a parent/guardian, spouse or child that required you to be their primary caregiver
- A significant change in financial or legal circumstances
- Compulsory military duty
What You’ll Need to Submit
- A completed SAP Appeal form, Academic Progress Plan and Academic Contract (if applicable).
- A typed, signed statement thoroughly explaining:
- The circumstances that kept you from meeting SAP standards
- What’s changed and the steps you’ve taken to ensure successful SAP progress in the future
- Supporting documentation (photocopies only - original documents will not be returned) such as:
- A letter from your doctor
- Court documents
- A death certificate
- Military orders
- SAP appeals are not retroactive, so it must be submitted before the deadline date for the semester in which you want consideration to regain eligibility.
PLEASE NOTE: You’re responsible for any fees you incur if your appeal isn’t approved, so please plan ahead.
We encourage you to schedule an appointment with your EOP Counselor before submitting your appeal.
Once submitted, your appeal will be reviewed by the University SAP Committee on a case-by-case basis. Approval or denial is based on your circumstances, your documentation, and whether it’s reasonable to expect that you can get back on track toward your degree or credential.
If approved: you’re placed on financial aid probation for the following semester. Once that semester is complete, your grades and conditions are reviewed. If you’ve met them, you’re removed from probation and become eligible to receive the next semester’s award.
SAP probation terms are generally one semester. You’ll be given specific requirements to meet, and if you don’t meet them within that semester, you’ll become ineligible for financial aid again.
You’ll be notified of your appeal decision via Coyote e-mail.
If approved, you will:
- Be placed on probation and become eligible to receive aid for one semester. Future aid is on hold until it’s confirmed you met your appeal conditions — if you didn’t, your financial aid will be cancelled.
- Be required to submit documentation confirming you met your appeal conditions, if applicable.
If denied, you can:
- Continue your enrollment and make payment arrangements with Student Financial Services.
- Work to meet the conditions of your decision notice or submit a new appeal with different supporting documentation and extenuating circumstances.
- Request to review the decision with the Associate Director of Financial Aid.
Reinstated financial aid is based on fund availability and can’t be paid retroactively.
The university SAP Committee has the discretion to deny financial aid to students who appear to be delaying progress toward a degree by repeating courses, taking irrelevant classes or changing degree objectives.
You can also regain eligibility without submitting an appeal by meeting the SAP unit and GPA standards required for your class level on your own.
Note: If you previously filed an appeal and didn’t meet the conditions, you won’t be eligible for financial aid assistance until you meet the standard SAP requirement.
