Satisfactory Academic Progress: Implications for Financial Aid

Satisfactory Progress

Federal regulations require Yale to establish Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policies to govern students’ eligibility for Federal financial aid. SAP refers to students’ success in meeting minimum standards deemed acceptable for their programs of study. All degree-seeking students, regardless of financial aid status, are required to meet the SAP standards of the School of Nursing; as stated in YSN MSN/DNP Students in Academic Difficulty. Failure to maintain SAP jeopardizes a student’s ability to receive Federal financial assistance and institutional financial aid (collectively referred to as “financial aid”).

Measure of Academic Progress

Satisfactory progress is defined as a grade of Pass or higher in all required courses or a grade of Pass in Pass/Fail courses. Satisfactory completion of all required courses in a given term is a prerequisite for progression in the program of study.  Required courses are defined in the program’s plan of study. 

Because incomplete courses do not receive grades, they are not included in the evaluation of academic progress. Incomplete work must be completed within the first month of the subsequent term or a grade of F will be recorded, as stated in YSN Extension of Time for Students to Complete Work. If a student withdraws from a course before the midpoint of the semester, it will not be included in the evaluation of academic progress.  Course withdrawal after the midpoint of the term will be considered in the evaluation of academic progress. Transfer credits are not accepted; however, selected courses may be waived based on review and approval by faculty.  These courses are not included in the measure of academic progress.

Pace of Academic Progress

To quantify academic progress, YSN has set 6 years after matriculation as the maximum time frame in which students must complete the program. This includes any time for approved leave of absences and time for extended study granted by a progress committee consisting of the Division Chairperson, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Specialty Coordinator or Program Director, course instructor, and the student’s academic advisor. To ensure that a student is progressing at a satisfactory pace, the school will assess the student’s progress each term. Students will need to progress at a pace of 90% at the end of each term.  This assessment is calculated by dividing the number of courses the student successfully completed by the number the student attempted. Withdrawn courses will be included in the assessment of a student’s pace of academic progress if the withdrawal takes place after the midpoint of the term. Transfer credits are not accepted. Incomplete courses are not included in the assessment of pace of academic progress.  Once the final grade is recorded for the incomplete course, the course will then be included in the assessment of academic progress.

If for any reason, the School allows a student who has not satisfactorily progressed within the six-year limit to enroll at YSN based on special cases or mitigating circumstances, no financial assistance will be available beyond the six years. This includes Federal, university, and/or private funding.

Financial Aid Warning

In order to meet SAP, students must satisfy both the pace (90% completed out of attempted) and the measure of academic progress (no failing grades in required courses) at the end of each term. At the end of each academic term, the registrar will provide the financial aid office with a list of students who are failing to meet SAP, and the financial aid office will notify such students that they will be placed on Financial Aid Warning for the next term. A student on Financial Aid Warning may continue to receive financial aid for that next term, despite the determination that the student is not making satisfactory academic progress (SAP).  A student can regain eligibility for financial aid by meeting SAP by the end of the term during which he or she has received a financial aid warning. A student who is still failing to meet SAP after one term on Financial Aid Warning will be withdrawn from the program.

Approved by Executive Council 01/21/2015