Satisfactory Academic Progress
Federal regulations require institutions to establish and monitor standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for students receiving federal aid. In addition, state program regulations (Frank O’Bannon Grant, Twenty-First Century Scholars, etc.) require students to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress criteria established for federal student aid. The student’s official academic record maintained by the Office of the Registrar is reviewed to determine student compliance with this policy.
Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress standards may differ from the Academic Notice standards. The standards for financial aid recipients are:
- Pace – Minimum overall completion rate of 67% or greater
- Overall earned credit hours >= .67 x Overall attempted credit hours, rounded up (includes transfer credit)
- Timeframe – Maximum total attempted credit hours
- Undergraduate Bachelor’s Degree: 180 overall attempted credit hour maximum (120 credit hours x 150%)
- Graduate Master’s Degree: calculated by program
- GPA – Minimum cumulative GPA
- Undergraduate: 2.0 or greater
- Graduate: 3.0 or greater
- Students not meeting the above requirements may be put on warning or may become ineligible for Federal and State financial aid. Students who are not meeting the GPA and Pace requirements may regain Satisfactory Academic Progress eligibility by achieving the GPA and Pace requirements. Ineligible students may appeal their status.
Status Review and Updates
Satisfactory Academic Progress status is reviewed at the end of each semester, including the summer term.
A message will be posted to Student Self-Service via the myPNW portal after each semester status review. Additionally, enrolled students who are identified as being on warning, approaching maximum timeframe or ineligible will receive an email sent to their Purdue Northwest email. If your status is:
- Satisfactory (Eligible) – you continue to remain eligible for financial aid;
- Warning – you continue to remain eligible for financial aid, however, you must meet all Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements in order to receive financial aid in future terms;
- Approaching Max Timeframe you continue to remain eligible to receive financial aid, however, you are approaching the maximum allowable timeframe for your academic program
- Probation – you must meet all Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements and any other requirements as outlined in your Academic Advisor Assessment. If you have met these requirements, you will remain eligible to receive financial aid. Students on Satisfactory Academic Progress Probation must update their Academic Advisor Assessment each semester with your Academic Advisor and submit it to the Office of Financial Aid;
- Ineligible – you are not eligible for financial aid until you once again meet all Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements or have an approved appeal and academic plan.
Students placed in an “Ineligible” status will receive a separate email notification. Students with extenuating circumstances beyond their control may submit an appeal to the Financial Aid Office. Appeals and supporting documentation should be turned in as soon as possible. The priority deadline to submit an appeal for the spring 2025 semester is Friday, April 11, 2025. Appeals turned in after this date will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for students who had extenuating circumstances.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals
Students who need to appeal an ineligible status may use the Satisfactory Academic Progress packet which includes the Appeal Procedures, Appeal Form, Academic Plan Success Contract and Academic Advisor Assessment. The entire packet should be turned into the Office of Financial Aid along with supporting documentation and a written statement.
- Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Packet – for students appealing an ineligible Satisfactory Academic Progress status
- Satisfactory Academic Progress Academic Advisor Assessment – for students currently on Satisfactory Academic Progress probation. Students on Satisfactory Academic Progress Probation must update their Academic Advisor Assessment each semester with your Academic Advisor and submit it to the Office of Financial Aid
Written statements submitted with the Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal should follow the format below:
- Explain the situation which affected your academic performance and the dates of your mitigating circumstances.
- Explain how your life circumstances have changed or what steps have been taken to support your efforts to achieve Satisfactory Academic Progress.
- Explain how these changes or steps will ensure academic success if your appeal is approved.
Academic Support
We encourage you to meet with your Academic Advisor or Faculty Mentor to review your academic progress.
You are also invited to take advantage of the Academic Support offered at Purdue Northwest to help you achieve your academic goals. Additional information can be found at PNW Student Resources.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
1. Pace – Minimum Overall Completion Rate Percentage (67%)
Number of overall earned credit hours must equal at least 67% of overall attempted credit hours (this includes PNW and transfer credits).
Purdue University Northwest students must demonstrate measurable progress toward earning a degree by successfully completing 67% of all hours at PNW, including all hours accepted in transfer and all hours included in an approved financial aid consortium agreement.
All coursework attempted, including repeated, reprieved, English as a second language (ESL) courses, remedial courses or withdrawals recorded on the academic record at the time of the progress check, is considered when determining if the student meets satisfactory academic progress standards.
The chart below shows whether a course with a specific course grade or course registration status is included when determining Pace completion rate (attempted and/or earned credit hours) or in the GPA calculation.
GRADE | COUNTED IN ATTEMPTED CREDIT HOURS | COUNTED IN EARNED CREDIT HOURS | COUNTED IN GPA CALCULATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| E, F, I, IF, IN, IU, IX, N, NS, PI, SI, U | Yes | No | Yes |
| W, WF | Yes | No | No |
| S, P | Yes | Yes | No |
| CR (Department Credit) | Yes | Yes | No |
| TR (Transfer Credit) | Yes | Yes | No |
| TX (Transfer Credit) | No | No | No |
| Non-Credit Courses | No | No | No |
| Repeat Courses (grade removed from prior course) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Courses part of a financial aid consortium | Yes | Yes | No |
| Remedial courses (if taken while enrolled in a regular program) and ESL courses | Yes | Yes | No |
2. Timeframe – Maximum Total Attempted Hours Percentage (150%)
Example: 120 credit hour program x 1.5 = 180 maximum total attempted credit hours
Student financial aid is available for up to 150% of the number of hours required to complete the degree program. For most undergraduate programs of study this provides up to 180 attempted semester hours for student financial aid recipients to complete a 120 semester hour program. Students in undergraduate programs of study requiring more credit hours may have their eligibility for student financial aid extended proportionately. All attempted hours and transfer hours accepted by Purdue University Northwest count toward the 150% maximum total attempted hours. This includes:
- credits for which the student did not receive financial aid
- consortium credit hours as part of an approved financial aid consortium agreement
- courses attempted toward a minor or second major
Note: During the last semester of eligibility a student may only receive financial aid for the total number of credit hours remaining in their maximum timeframe.
Students who have attempted the number of credit hours needed to complete a degree may no longer be eligible for federal or state aid. In addition, a student is ineligible when it becomes mathematically impossible to complete a program within 150% of its length if it is an undergraduate program, or within the maximum timeframe established by the school if it is a graduate program.
| DEGREE PROGRAM | MAXIMUM CREDIT HOURS (TIMEFRAME) |
|---|---|
| Associate’s (60 hour program) | 90 credit hours |
| Bachelor’s (120 hour program) | 180 credit hours |
| Master’s | Graduate programs are calculated by program (# of credit hours required to complete program x 150%) |
3. GPA – Minimum Overall cumulative GPA requirement based on student level
Students who are meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress who have a cumulative GPA below 2.0 for undergraduates or 3.0 for graduates will have one semester of warning for GPA before becoming ineligible. See the chart below:
| UNDERGRADUATE FIRST SEMESTER (CURRENT STATUS SATISFACTORY) | |
|---|---|
| IF: Cumulative GPA is < 2.0 | THEN: Satisfactory Academic Progress Status will be Warning |
| Undergraduate Next Semester (current status Warning) | |
| IF: Cumulative GPA is <2.0 | THEN: Satisfactory Academic Progress Status will be Ineligible |
| Graduate First Semester (current status Satisfactory) | |
| IF: Cumulative GPA is <3.0 | THEN: Satisfactory Academic Progress Status will be Warning |
| Graduate Next Semester (current status Warning) | |
| IF: Cumulative GPA is <3.0 | THEN: Satisfactory Academic Progress Status will be Ineligible |
Students who are on warning for GPA and then meet both the semester and cumulative GPA standards will become satisfactory for GPA again.
Financial Aid Warning Status: Students failing to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards will be placed on Financial Aid WARNING for the following semester during which time they remain eligible to receive federal and/or state financial aid. Students who fail to achieve the Quantitative and/or Qualitative component(s) of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy during their WARNING period lose their eligibility for federal and/or state aid for the subsequent semester. A student will be removed from the Financial Aid WARNING status at the end of the semester if he/she achieves the required Satisfactory Academic Progress Qualitative and Quantitative standards.
Notification: The Office of Financial Aid will notify students of their Satisfactory Academic Progress status at the completion of each semester, including the summer term, by a message in Student Self-Service via the myPNW portal. Emails will be sent via the Purdue University Northwest email to students alerting them of a warning or ineligible status.
Student financial aid recipients who fail to maintain the Quantitative and/or Qualitative component(s) of the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy due to circumstances beyond their control may submit an appeal to the Office of Financial Aid explaining their situation. Student appeals must provide an explanation and supporting documentation. Extenuating circumstances may include a student’s serious illness or injury, illness or death of an immediate family member, significant trauma in student’s life or other unexpected circumstances beyond the student’s control. The deadline for submitting an Appeal is typically the last day to withdraw from classes for the semester.
Note: A student who enrolls and attends classes will be held responsible for tuition and fee charges if their appeal is subsequently denied.
Probation Status
A student whose appeal is approved is placed on a Financial Aid Probation status for the following semester. The student is required to work with his/her academic advisor to complete an Academic Advisor Assessment with the goal of meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress Qualitative and Quantitative standards.
Students on Financial Aid Probation are required to meet the following conditions in order to be eligible to receive financial aid for the subsequent semester:
- Semester GPA must be greater than or equal to 2.0 (undergrads) or 3.0 (grads).
- Semester Pace (completion rate) must equal 67% or higher
- Other conditions as outlined on the student’s Academic Advisor Assessment
Students who meet the objectives outlined in their Academic Advisor Assessment, along the GPA and Pace requirements during their Financial Aid Probation period remain eligible to receive financial aid. Students remain on an academic assessment until they once again meet all Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.
Students who fail to meet the objectives outlined in their Academic Advisor Assessment, or the GPA or Pace requirements during their Financial Aid Probation period become ineligible to receive financial aid and can only regain their aid eligibility once they meet all Satisfactory Academic Progress Quantitative and Qualitative standards.
A student may submit only ONE Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal as an undergraduate and ONE as a graduate student, per instance of ineligibility.
Students may regain eligibility by taking action that brings the student into compliance with the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.
- Academic Re-Admission: University approval of Academic Re-Admissions does not supersede Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements for Financial Aid.
- Changing Majors: Students who change majors or degree programs must appeal if additional time is needed to complete their program. Appeals are done on a case by case basis and will include an evaluation of courses that count toward the student’s new major/program.
- Second Bachelor Degree: Students who enroll in a second bachelor’s degree may request a review of courses that apply to their second-degree program. This review will include an evaluation of courses taken in the student’s first bachelors degree that count toward the student’s second bachelor degree.
- Consortium or Study Abroad Courses: Hours enrolled in Consortium or Study Abroad courses are included in determining a student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress status. Students may be required to provide the Office of Financial Aid with a copy of their grade report or academic transcript as these courses are included in the 67% Pace and 150% Timeframe calculations.
- Dropped and Withdrawn Courses: Students are strongly encouraged not to withdraw from classes as doing so could impact their eligibility for Satisfactory Academic Progress. Dropped and Withdrawn courses will be included in the 67% Pace completion rate and 150% Timeframe calculations unless the course is dropped or withdrawn with a 100% refund.
- Incomplete Courses: Students should notify the Office of Financial Aid when a final grade is received. Incomplete coursework will be counted in the attempted hours for Satisfactory Academic Progress. Final grades will be counted retroactively during the current semester prior to the next calculation point on a case-by-case basis. Once a retroactive calculation is processed, it will remain in effect until the next Satisfactory Academic Progress checkpoint.
- Independent Study: If grades for an independent study course are not entered prior to the end of the semester the student must notify the Office of Financial Aid when the grades are entered for re-evaluation of their Satisfactory Academic Progress status.
- Financial Aid Eligible Non-Degree Students: Financial Aid eligible non-degree students must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements if applying for financial aid in the future.
- Course Repetitions: All courses that are retaken to improve a grade are counted in attempted hours but only one passing grade is counted toward the Pace completion rate.
- Students Seeking Dual Bachelor’s Degrees: Students Seeking Dual Bachelor’s Degrees: Students enrolled in two bachelor’s degree programs simultaneously, must still meet the 150% standard for completing their degrees and are not eligible for additional hours of aid. The 150% Timeframe is calculated for the degree requiring the most hours.
- Transfer Students: Transfer students are subject to the 67% Pace Completion Rate and the 150% Timeframe requirements. All attempted hours and all transfer hours accepted by Purdue University Northwest are included in Satisfactory Academic Progress status determination. In addition, all courses counted as part of an approved Financial Aid Consortium Agreement will be included in the 67% Pace and 150% Timeframe calculations.
- Excessive Elective Courses: Students taking an excessive number of elective courses may have their financial aid revoked as these courses do not contribute to making satisfactory academic progress toward earning a degree.
- Study Abroad and Consortium Courses: Hours enrolled in Study Abroad or Consortium courses are included in determining a student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress status. Students may be required to provide the Office of Financial Aid with a copy of their grade report or academic transcript as these courses are included in the 67% pace and 150% timeframe calculations.
This policy pertains to applicants for federal, State of Indiana, and Purdue University Northwest-controlled aid programs, including most student loan programs. If you have any questions about the policy or the appeal process, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.