Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal regulations require that all students receiving financial aid while attending Sierra College meet established standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students who complete their financial aid folder late in the academic year will be evaluated for Sierra College progress prior to the awarding of funds. A student’s progress may be evaluated more than one time each academic year.

Sierra College students are evaluated against the following three standards. Failure to comply with any of these standards will result in termination from Financial Aid.

1. Students must maintain a cumulative (overall) 2.0 GPA each semester.
2. Students must complete the following number of units based on their units attempted with 2.0 GPA:
   

   UNITS ATTEMPTED	UNITS TO COMPLETE (2.0 GPA)
   Full-Time (12 or more units)	9 units
   3/4-Time (9 to 11.5 units)	8 units
   1/2-Time (6 to 8.5 units)	6 units
   Less than 1/2-Time (0.5 to 5.5 units)	All enrolled units

3. Students may receive financial aid until a total of 90 units have been attempted, regardless of how much aid has been received.

Failure to meet these standards will result first in probation (warning) at the end of the first semester and termination (ineligible for financial aid) at the end of the second semester. Failure to complete any courses for which financial aid was received (i.e.: “W”, “I”, “F”, “NC” grades) will result in immediate termination from financial aid.

Petitions for Reinstatement

A student who has been terminated from Financial Aid may appeal to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee for reinstatement, providing the student is eligible to enroll at Sierra College.

To apply for reinstatement after termination due to a unit deficiency or failure to maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA, the student must fill out a Petition for Reinstatement form. The request will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Advisory Committee. Reinstatement may be granted for documented medical problems, family emergencies, and other circumstances outside the student’s control. Typically, the student whose petition is denied must make up the unit or GPA deficiency without financial aid before being reconsidered for reinstatement. After making up the deficiency, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office of the completion of such deficiency.

Approved reinstatement does not guarantee eligibility for all financial aid programs. Aid may be reduced and/ or loans may be approved.