Filing an Appeal

You may file an appeal to re-establish financial aid eligibility if you have a special circumstance which resulted in your inability to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards. You may also re-establish eligibility for financial aid after failing to meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements by using your own resources to attend and complete coursework until you meet the SAP standard for one semester.

Satisfactory academic progress appeal

You may submit an appeal each time you fail to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards. As part of the appeal process, develop a plan of action.  

• Less than 66.67% passed: Submit an appeal to document the reason(s) you were unable to meet the completion rate standard. Provide documentation, if available, to support your explanation.
• GPA deficiency:  If you are working with a staff, faculty member, assistant dean or other academic professional on campus please include a letter of support from this person with your appeal, if available.
• Academic disqualification:  If you are academically disqualified, you are ineligible for financial aid.
  • If you are reinstated by the university, you must submit an appeal to the Financial Aid Office requesting a review of your ineligible financial aid status. 

• Maximum units: Prepare an academic plan and submit it with your appeal and supporting documentation. 
  • If your appeal is approved, you must meet the terms of your approved appeal to continue receiving financial aid. Depending on the documentation you provide, approval could be for one or more semesters. However, you may be eligible for aid only for the units and semesters required to complete your degree, credential, or certificate.
  • If you do not complete your degree, credential, or certificate within your documented and approved time frame, you may submit an additional appeal or complete your degree objective without the benefit of financial aid.

Appeal approved

If you file a satisfactory academic progress appeal that pertains to your GPA or rate of progress, and the appeal is approved, you are placed on financial aid probation. You must meet the terms of your probation to continue receiving financial aid.

Financial aid probation: You are placed on financial aid probation after you receive an approved appeal.

• With an approved appeal, your units and grades will be evaluated at the end of your probationary semester, including summer term.
• If you are successful during your probationary semester, you are released from financial aid probation and may continue receiving financial aid.

• If you do not maintain satisfactory academic progress during your probationary semester, you will not be eligible to receive financial aid for the following semester.  You may re-appeal, if you fail to meet the SAP standard during your probationary period.

• With maximum unit appeals, there is no probationary term.

Appeal denied

A denied appeal goes through a secondary review process for final decision. If upon second review, the appeal is denied, you are not eligible for further financial aid. You may also re-establish eligibility for financial aid after failing to meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements by using your own resources to attend and complete coursework until you meet the SAP standard for one semester.