Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements are meant to ensure that students are able to complete their academic program in a timely manner through achieving minimum academic standards.
We are required to evaluate students based on three standards; GPA, Pace of Progression, and Maximum Time Frame.
In an age of increasing accountability for the use of federal, state, and institutional student aid funds, institutions of higher education and their students must demonstrate that financial aid funds are being used to assist students in efficiently completing their academic goals.
While the University of West Georgia maintains an academic progress policy for the determination of a student’s continued academic eligibility for enrollment purposes, the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for Financial Aid purposes may be more stringent in some components in order to maintain compliance with Federal Student Aid regulations (34 CFR 668.34).
Steps to View your Current Status
- Visit the UWG OneLogin portal and log in using your UWG username and password
- Search for “Banweb”
- Select “Student Services and Financial Aid”
- Select “Financial Aid”
- Select “Satisfactory Academic Progress”
Note: If you are a graduate-level student (M.Ed, MBA, MA, etc) that has pursued a previous graduate degree at UWG, please contact us for your current program-specific GPA, Pace of Progression, and Attempted Hours.*
A student who has been placed on FA Suspension or Maximum Time Frame may appeal the SAP status decision only in cases of extenuating circumstances. Examples of extenuating circumstances for which a student may file a SAP Appeal may include a student's injury or illness, serious illness or death of an immediate family member, or other special circumstances. Each SAP Appeal will be reviewed individually and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis as outlined in the procedures given below.
The SAP Appeal process requires the submission of a written statement by the student outlining the extenuating circumstances which led to their academic difficulties, how the circumstances have changed, and the student's plan for improving their academic status. The statement must be submitted via the Financial Aid section of a student's OneLogin account and must specifically address the courses, grades, and terms of enrollment which are affecting the insufficient SAP standing. The statement should be written in a scholarly manner, including correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. The appeal must be accompanied by supporting documentation from at least two individuals who can corroborate the student's circumstances, which is to be uploaded via OneLogin. If the documentation is provided by a professional (business, medical, counselor, clergy, etc.), the documentation must include the institution's professional letterhead, the professional's credentials, and must be signed.
SAP appeals will be reviewed by a UWG committee comprised of F.A. staff. A student who wishes to appeal the decision of the SAP Appeal Committee may submit a request for a review by the 2nd Appeal Committee. Any further request for appeal will be sent to the Director of Financial Aid. The decision of the Director of Financial Aid is final.
If a student's SAP appeal is granted by either the SAP Appeal Committee, 2nd Appeal Committee, or the Director of Financial Aid, the student will gain eligibility for continued federal, state, or institutional financial aid eligibility for one semester only. The student and a representative from the Financial Aid Office will work cooperatively with the student's academic advisor and the Center for Academic Success to put together an academic success plan that will be monitored throughout the semester to be sure the student is making proper academic progress. In cases where it is mathematically impossible to bring the GPA or Pace of Progression ratio to required standards within one semester, the academic plan may be developed across multiple semesters, but it will be evaluated at the conclusion of each semester to be certain that the requirements at each checkpoint are being properly achieved by the student. *Please note that students are limited to 3 granted appeals*
If a student's SAP appeal is denied by either the SAP Appeal Committee, 2nd Appeal Committee, or the Director of Financial Aid, the student will not be eligible for federal, state or institutional financial aid until the student improves the GPA and Pace of Progression ratio to required standards.
The deadline to submit a SAP appeal application is 10 business days after the final payment deadline for the applicable semester. Fee Payment Deadlines
| Semester | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall 2021 | 09/01/2021 |
| Spring 2022 | 02/01/2022 (Please submit appeals no later than 01/07/2022 for review prior to the 01/18/2022 Fee Payment Deadline) |
| Summer 2022 | TBD |
- Summer SAP appeal deadline will be 10 business days after the Session II Payment deadline
- If the appeal is submitted after the 10 business day deadline it will be reviewed for the next semester.
- Please allow 5-7 business days for review of submitted appeals.
Instructions for Submitting an Appeal (PDF, 339K)
- Satisfactory – Student is meeting the GPA, Pace of Progression, and Maximum Time Frame requirements. Student is eligible to continue receiving federal, state, and institutional financial aid.
- Warning – Student is not meeting either the GPA or Pace of Progression requirements (or both). Student is eligible to continue receiving federal, state, and institutional financial aid for one semester only. Continued eligibility beyond the warning semester will be contingent on the student bringing the deficient requirements to the required minimum standards. *Please note: when exceeding the maximum time frame for your degree you will not receive a warning term*
- Suspension – Student is not meeting either the GPA or Pace of Progression requirements (or both) after a Warning semester. Student is not eligible to continue receiving federal, state, and institutional financial aid until the deficient requirements return to the required minimum standards.
- Maximum Time Frame Warning – Please note: when exceeding the maximum time frame for your degree you will not receive a warning term.
- Maximum Time Frame – Student has exceeded the number of attempted hours for the academic program. Student has exhausted all eligibility to continue receiving federal, state, and institutional financial aid.
- FA Probation – Student placed on FA Suspension or Maximum Time Frame provided an SAP Appeal which was approved by UWG review procedures. Student must complete the requirements of an academic plan which will be monitored by the Financial Aid Office in conjunction with other academic support offices. Student is eligible to continue receiving federal, state, and institutional financial aid for one semester only in coordination with the details of the academic plan. The student’s continued eligibility beyond the probation semester will be determined at the conclusion of each semester in coordination with the details of the academic plan.
In some instances, a student can be on both Financial Aid suspension or warning and on an Academic warning, probation, or suspension. Although Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress and Academic Standards of Progress are based on coursework, the requirements necessary to satisfy the suspension, probation, or warning differ. For more information about the Academic Standards of Progress, please visit our Academic Standards of Progress page.
If you have received an email from the Financial Aid Office directing you to this page, the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress information can be found below.
If you decide not to appeal, or if your appeal is not approved, you are welcome to explore a few of the alternative options below to cover costs.
- You may want to consider the payment plan option. The University of West Georgia is partnered with Nelnet Business Solutions (NBS) to allow students to pay tuition and fees in installments, helping make college more affordable. The Nelnet payment plan is a flexible payment option that allows payments with either credit/debit card, or automatic withdrawal from a checking or savings account. The payment plan is not a loan, and has no credit checks, interest, or finance charges associated with this option. This plan can cover any tuition, student fees, meal plan, and on-campus housing charges up to $4,500.00. Click here for more information: Nelnet Payment Plan
- You may want to consider exploring funding from private lenders. Below, we have included the link to our webpage which contains more information about some of the most common private lenders that our students have chosen in the past. Please keep in mind, these options are not guaranteed, and may be contingent on information we're unaware of (such as credit history, for example). Furthermore, you'll want to ensure that the lender you choose will lend to students on financial aid suspension. You also may explore private lenders outside the scope of what we’ve provided on our website, as this is simply a sampling of what lenders students have used in the past. Learn more information on our Private Student Loans page.