Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Good Standing

All SAP requirements have been met and you are eligible to receive all types of financial aid (as available).

Alert

All SAP requirements have been met and you are eligible to receive all types of financial aid (as available). You have attempted between 110 - 150 percent of the total number of credits required to complete your degree/certificate, nearing the 150 percent credit limit. 

• We recommend that you meet with your academic advisor to ensure you are on track for graduation.
• Be sure to only take classes required to earn your degree or certificate.

Warning

All SAP requirements have been met and you are eligible to receive all types of financial aid (as available).  The first semester of not meeting SAP requirements is a warning semester. You must meet overall SAP criteria by the end of the term to avoid becoming Ineligible for Aid.

• If you are not meeting the minimum GPA (2.0) or completion rate (67%), you will be placed on financial aid warning status for one term.
• If you're able to increase your GPA or completion rate back to the minimum requirement after your semester of warning you will move back into good standing.
• Students who complete zero percent of the credits they attempt during a semester do not qualify for a Warning semester and will immediately become Ineligible for Aid for the following term.

Ineligible for Aid

You will be placed on SAP and will not be eligible to receive financial aid for one or more of the following reasons:

• Your cumulative GPA is below 2.0 for at least two (2) terms (This includes your semester of warning).
• You fail to complete at least 67% of all credit hours you attempt (This includes your semester of warning).
• You complete 0% of your attempted credits during a term
• if you have attempted 150+ percent of the total number of credits required to complete your degree or certificate

Forms of aid impacted by SAP

• Colorado Student Grant, Federal Pell Grant and Work-Study
• Institutional need-based aid
• All institutional scholarships
• Most outside scholarships
• Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
• Parent PLUS Loan
• Most alternative student loans (or we could say sub and unsub loans and I am not sure about plus loan we can discuss it)

I've received a negative SAP status and need to appeal so I can get financial aid. What should I do?

Step 1. Payment Options

Financial aid awards do not always cover all charges. You are responsible for ensuring that your tuition bill gets paid. If you do not have enough financial aid and scholarships to cover your charges, then you are responsible for setting up a payment plan or dropping your classes.    

You are welcome to verify with financial aid if a payment plan is necessary. You may set up a payment plan with the Cashier’s Office or online via your CCDConnect account. View payment options and details.

Step 2. Appeal

The appeal form is available here.

Appeals must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the first day of the semester or financial aid awards may be canceled. You are responsible for either dropping your courses or making a payment arrangement. 

If you have already been offered financial aid, you will want to meet these deadlines to avoid your financial aid being canceled.

Step 3. The Review Process

Once we receive your appeal, the review committee makes appeal decisions on a case-by-case basis considering the following criteria:

• federal and state financial aid regulations,
• your overall academic history,
• documentation from previous appeals,
• your plan for future academic success,
• the supporting documentation that you include in your appeal, and
• recommendations from academic advisors.

Step 4. After Your Appeal: Appeal Decisions

Approval

If your appeal is approved, you will be notified via your CCD student email account and will then be placed on "probation" for the semester you are currently attending or the next semester you attend CCD.

Probation

If you are not currently meeting SAP standards but the Financial Aid Office has approved your SAP appeal, you are on "probation" and you are eligible to receive financial aid for your probationary term.

While on probation, your academic progress will be monitored and you must complete 100 percent of your attempted credits each semester, earning C grades or better in each class, until you reach "good standing." You will be notified through your CCD email of the conditions of your "probation."

If you fail to meet the conditions of your "probation," you may become ineligible for aid for the following term. You would have the right to submit a new SAP appeal for that semester. Be sure to only take classes required to earn your degree or certificate at all times. This is monitored closely during "probation" periods.

Denied Appeals

If your SAP appeal is denied, you may be required to complete a semester at CCD of at least half-time (six or more credits) while paying on your own, without the benefit of financial aid, including student loans. If you complete such a semester on your own, earning Cs or better in all attempted classes, you may appeal again to request to have your financial aid reinstated. Appeals are never guaranteed to be approved.

If your SAP appeal is denied and you have additional information to provide that was not included in the denied appeal, you have the right to appeal the denial decision once to a review committee. The review committee's decision is final and cannot be appealed. If your appeal is denied by the review committee as well, you will be expected to pay for a semester of at least 6 credits without the benefit of financial aid and complete 100 percent of your attempted credits, earning Cs or better in all classes, before another appeal will be considered on your behalf.