SAP Component Definitions
Program Grade Point Average (GPA) - A Cumulative Program GPA is calculated using only grades earned at the university for the student’s current program of study. The minimum GPA requirement for undergraduate and Juris Doctor students is 2.0. The minimum GPA requirement for graduate students is 3.0.
Course Completion Rate (Pace) - Students must earn a passing grade in two-thirds or no less than 66.66% of the course credit hours attempted toward completion of their program of study. The Course Completion Rate is calculated by dividing the cumulative number of credit hours successfully completed by the cumulative number of credit hours attempted. All courses count as attempted except for drops and withdrawals for Military Leave of Absence (“WL” grade). Only courses for which the student receives a passing grade count as completed.
SAP Maximum Timeframe -The SAP Maximum Timeframe to complete a program cannot exceed 150% of the published length of the student’s active program and is measured in credit hours. For example, if an undergraduate program consists of 120 credit hours, the student must successfully complete the program after attempting no more than 180 credit hours. See the Time Limits for Degree Completion section for the SAP Maximum Time to Completion breakdown.
Maximum Timeframe resets for SAP only if there has been a substantial change in degree program. Refer to the substantial change definition in the Re-entry policy for more information. A SAP Appeal will need to be filed for all program extensions when it has been determined that a student cannot complete their program within the allowed attempted credit limits per their individual program requirements and will need more time to complete their degree program.
Treatment of Courses and Credits
Course Repetitions - Only the most recent grade for a repeated course is counted in the Program GPA. All attempted courses are counted toward the Course Completion Rate and the SAP Maximum Timeframe for program completion.
Dropped Courses - Courses dropped before the end of the drop period are not included in SAP calculations. Courses from which the student withdraws due to an approved Military Leave of Absence or for which an “NG” (No Grade) is granted are treated as dropped courses and are also excluded from SAP calculations.
Applied/Migrated Credits Within the University - All credits earned at NCU that are accepted into the student’s current program of study are considered as both attempted and completed credits for calculation of the Course Completion Rate, are counted toward the SAP Maximum Timeframe, and are included in Program GPA calculations.
If a comparison of the original program and the program the student is entering results in the determination of a substantial change by the Office of the Registrar, the student is considered to be starting a new program. In this case, SAP will restart. See the Re-entry policy for further information.
Transfer Credits From Another Institution - All accepted transfer credits from an outside institution transferred into the student’s current program of study are considered both attempted and completed credits for purposes of calculating the Course Completion Rate. Graduate transferred credits are not included in SAP Maximum Timeframe or Program GPA calculations. Undergraduate transfer credits are included in SAP Maximum Timeframe but not in Program GPA calculations.
Course Withdrawals - All courses from which a student withdraws after the end of the drop period receive a “W” on the student’s transcript. These courses are considered attempted credits for calculation of the Course Completion Rate and are counted toward the SAP Maximum Timeframe.
Changing Programs - Students are only permitted to make a substantial program or degree change once per degree level in their tenure with the University. If a comparison of the original program and the program the student is entering results in the determination of a substantial change by the Office of the Registrar, SAP will restart. The substantial change definition remains the same for both re-entry and continuing students who wish to change programs. Refer to the substantial change section in the re-entry policy for more details.
SAP Evaluation Schedule
Undergraduate Programs – Students enrolled in undergraduate programs are evaluated for SAP after every 12 credit hours attempted in their programs.
Graduate Programs – Students enrolled in graduate programs are evaluated for SAP after every 9 credit hours attempted in their programs.
Term-Based Programs (School of Law) – Students enrolled in term-based programs are evaluated for SAP after each term in their program.
SAP Evaluation Statuses
Good Standing – A student is in good standing if: 1) No grades have been posted yet, or 2) If SAP has not been evaluated yet, or 3) Student is meeting minimum SAP requirements at time of evaluation, or 4) Student regained Good Standing after being placed on an Academic/Financial Aid Warning or Academic Probation/Financial Aid Probationary period.
Academic/Financial Aid Warning – A student is in an Academic/Financial Aid Warning status when they are not maintaining Good Standing pursuant to the terms of this policy at the time of any SAP evaluation. Financial aid may be received while in this status. If SAP is regained by the next scheduled SAP evaluation period, the student is returned to Good Standing status.
Academic Probation – A student is in an Academic Probation status when they did not regain Good Standing after being placed on an Academic/Financial Aid Warning. If the student wishes to maintain their financial aid, they will need to submit an Appeal. See below for directions on the Appeal process. If SAP is met by the next scheduled evaluation period and the Academic Plan was successfully followed, the student will regain Good Standing status.
Financial Aid Probation – A student is in Financial Aid Probation status only if they were first placed on Academic Probation and then decided to Appeal to reinstate federal financial aid. If SAP is met by the next scheduled evaluation period, the student will regain Good Standing status and will also remain eligible for federal financial aid.
Extended Probation – Special circumstances may permit a student to continue on Extended Probation and possibly receive federal financial aid for an additional evaluation period. A student is in Extended Probation status only if they were placed on Academic or Financial Aid Probation and fails to regain Good Standing status before the next evaluation point and has then decided to Appeal based on special circumstances. If SAP is met by the next scheduled evaluation period, the student will regain Good Standing status and will remain eligible for federal financial aid.
SAP (Academic) Dismissal – This status indicates a student was in a probationary SAP period and did not regain good standing by the next SAP evaluation. Students may appeal the dismissal to return to the University. Students who receive approval to return from academic dismissal are subject to the Re-entry policies and procedures. If ever it is determined that it is mathematically impossible for the student to regain good standing within the current program, the student may consider a different program. A student is allowed one substantial program change per degree-level without the submission of a SAP appeal.
*To protect the integrity of NCU, a student may also be Administratively Withdrawn. Refer to the Code of Conduct policy for further details.
** For students using educational benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA), upon reaching SAP Dismissal status, unsatisfactory progress will be reported to VA and educational benefits will be discontinued. Benefits may be resumed if the student reenrolls in the same program.
SAP Right to Appeal
Occasionally, a student’s academic progress may be delayed by circumstances beyond their control. A student may appeal:
- For federal financial aid to continue after the student has been placed on Academic Probation, or
- For an extension when it has been determined that a student cannot complete their program within the allowed attempted credit limits per their individual program requirements and will need more time to complete their degree program, or
- To get permission to make a substantial change of program if they have already made a substantial change once, or
- To return to the University and their program of study after being Academically Dismissed. All SAP Academic Dismissal Appeals must be submitted within 10 calendar days of the dismissal notification.
Students able to regain good standing status who wish to appeal for any of the above reasons should email their Academic and Finance Advisor or saphelp@ncu.edu to request a SAP appeal form. Completed SAP appeal forms, including supporting documentation, should be emailed to saphelp@ncu.edu for the SAP Appeal Committee to review. The SAP Appeal Committee comprised of various University leaders who meet on a periodic basis to review student appeals. Committee appeal decisions are made within 15 business days of receipt and are final. Students may not submit a second appeal for the same situation without new information documenting any extenuating circumstances not previously disclosed.
For consideration, students should provide the following:
- An explanation and/or document that they have suffered from extenuating circumstances such as death of a relative, injury, disability, illness or other special circumstances;
- Specific information in the Appeal regarding why they failed to meet SAP;
- An explanation as to what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow them to achieve SAP by the next evaluation.
NOTE: Please refer to the Code of Conduct , Academic Integrity , and Attendance and Continuous Enrollment policies information on administrative dismissals due to violation of academic and University policy.
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