Satisfactory Academic Progress

Our students must meet minimum cumulative GPA standards and attempt a certain number of hours each semester to retain financial aid eligibility. Cumulative attempted hours includes all work completed at Furman, as well as all accepted transfer credits and credits earned in high school through the Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exams. However, credits transferred to Furman are not used in computing grade point averages.

• Undergraduate students entering Furman from the fall 2019 semester forward must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or above in all coursework completed through Furman.
• Graduate students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.00.

Quantitative Pace: Federal regulations require that a student must make steady progress toward the completion of their degree. This pace is calculated by dividing the total cumulative hours earned by the cumulative number of hours attempted. A student must have earned a minimum of 67 percent of all hours attempted after each academic period.

• Calculation: Total earned hours (including transfer hours) divided by Total attempted hours (including transfer hours).

Maximum Time-frame: Federal regulations also specify that a student must complete their degree within 150 percent of the published length of the program. At Furman, undergraduate students are required to earn 128 credit hours to graduate. Graduate programs vary between 32-42 credit hours (please check your program requirements).  That means the maximum time frame for a student to receive federal aid is 192 attempted credit hours. There is no appeal process for the maximum time frame regulation.

• Calculation: Total attempted hours (including transfer hours) divided by published length of program in credits (Example: Undergrads- 128)

• Incomplete grades: The designation signifies that the work of the course has not been completed or the examination has been deferred because of illness or some other cause beyond the control of the student. When an incomplete grade is finalized, it would be factored into the student’s SAP calculation at the time of the next formal evaluation.  The school will not retroactively change a student’s SAP status when the grade of “I” becomes a final grade since, at the time of the SAP evaluation, the grade of “I” was a valid grade.
• Grade changes: The school is only required to include changed grades in the SAP evaluation that is performed at the time of the next SAP evaluation period (end of each semester).  SAP evaluations do not take place in the middle of payment periods.
• Pass/Fail: Pass/Fail courses do not affect a student’s grade point average (GPA) and are not factored into the qualitative component of the SAP calculation, but the courses do count towards the quantitative measure (pace of progression).
• Grade of “W” (Withdrawal from the course): The “W” grade was entered into Workday after the conclusion of the add/drop period.  A grade of “W” will not impact the cumulative GPA evaluation for SAP; however, it will impact the percentage of completion.
• SOAR Accommodations: If the student has academic accommodations to lessen their enrollment load, then those plans will need to be submitted to the Financial Aid Office for financial aid purposes (SAP).  The SOAR Office representative may email our office with the plan.  The student’s SAP status will only be calculated based on their approved standards.
• Travel Study:  The mark indicates that grades are still pending for a Furman travel study course. Students who were enrolled in student abroad programs must request a transcript from the participating university to be sent to Furman University (home institution).  If the transcript is not received at the time of the SAP calculation, then the grade is calculated as an incomplete grade.
• Grade of “Repeat” Degree-seeking students at Furman may not repeat for credit a course for which a passing grade has previously been awarded at Furman. A student may repeat a failed course, in which case both the failing (F) grade and the subsequent passing grade will appear on the academic record and be calculated in the grade point average.
• Transfer Credits- A student may transfer credit to Furman from another regionally accredited institution for courses that are equivalent to Furman offerings or that would otherwise fit into the liberal arts curriculum at the university, for which a satisfactory grade (C- or better in a traditionally graded course) was recorded. Transfer credits that count toward the student’s current program must be counted (as both attempted and completed hours).
• Periods of Non-attendance: Furman will not alter the maximum time frame (maintain the original time period)

Other Information regarding attendance:

• Withdrawal from the University: If a student withdraws from the university after the withdrawal deadline for courses in a given term, the student record will normally reflect a withdrawal (W) designation in those courses in which the student had passing grades at the date of withdrawal. A failing (F) grade will be recorded in those courses in which the student had failing grades at the date of withdrawal. Grade determinations for student withdrawals necessitated by serious illness, injury or similar emergencies will be made at the discretion of the Vice President for Student Life and/or the Associate Academic Dean. A grade of “W” will not impact the cumulative GPA evaluation for SAP; however, it will impact the percentage of completion.
• Leave of Absence: A request for a leave of absence is made to the Associate Academic Dean prior to the term for which the absence is requested. A leave will normally be one semester. Under no circumstances shall the leave extend beyond one year. The SAP review will result in an “undetermined” status for the academic period for which the student ceases enrollment.  The last period of attendance SAP review will “count” towards the student’s financial aid eligibility for the next enrolled semester of attendance.Example: Student was enrolled in fall 2022 and spring 2023. At the conclusion of spring 2023, the student SAP evaluation results in a “warning.” The student takes a leave of absence for fall 2023 (“undetermined” SAP status) and returns for enrollment in spring 2024. The student will still be under a “warning” for spring 2024 and eligible for aid for one semester.

Beginning in Fall 2021, Satisfactory Academic Progress will be evaluated at the end of each academic period for all undergraduate and graduate students.   Students will receive an email of their Satisfactory Academic Progress status from the Office of Financial Aid. The following Satisfactory Academic Progress categories are applicable with student financial aid records.

• Passed: (passing all SAP measures) student may receive aid for next academic period.
• Warning: (after one semester of not making SAP)- student may still receive aid for next academic period.
• Failed: (after two semesters of not making SAP)- student cannot be awarded Title IV (federal) financial aid or SC Tuition Grant (state need-based grant).  In order to reinstate this specific financial aid, the student must appeal to the Office of Financial Aid at Furman. Submission of an appeal does not guarantee approval.
• Probation: (appeal approved or passed temporary measures) -student may continue receiving financial aid for one semester. If it determined the student can meet SAP standards in one semester, no academic plan will be required. If the student cannot meet the SAP standards then an academic plan will be required and reviewed on a semester basis.  If the student meets the requirements at the end of the semester, their SAP status will update to Passed.  If the student is not able to meet the requirements, then they will become ineligible for Title IV aid or the state need-based grant.

Furman students who are not making satisfactory academic progress at the end of the semester will be notified via email that they are not meeting federal standards. These students will not be awarded federal financial aid for the upcoming semester. To appeal, you may write a formal letter (email) of appeal and include documentation, as necessary.

Submitting an Appeal

A formal letter, or email from the student including applicable documentation explaining any mitigating circumstances and how the circumstances have or will be resolved in order to achieve academic progress must be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid. Mitigating circumstances are considered to be any situations beyond the student’s control that prevent them from successfully completing the required number of hours attempted or earning the required cumulative GPA.

Some examples of mitigating circumstances include student illness, family illness, other family problems, interpersonal problems with other students, problems adjusting to college life, balancing school, employment obligations, and others. A financial aid counselor may determine if other circumstances documented by the student may be considered.

Examples of acceptable documentation include:
• Medical records- Letter from a physician or counselor on letterhead indicating the dates you were under their care
• Signed letter on official letterhead from a therapist, counselor, member of a religious organization, or another person with a professional relationship with the student & who was aware of the circumstance
• Third-party documentation of death such as an obituary, funeral notice, or death certificate
• Accident reports, police records, court records, etc.
• Documentation to support attempting more than the maximum number of units allowed for your program (Maximum Time Limit appeals only)

Do not submit original documents; they will not be returned. Make sure all copies are legible. Letters from relatives and friends are not accepted.

Appeal Decision Process

In most cases, financial aid counselors have the responsibility of reviewing and making a decision regarding an appeal. However, if the counselor can not make a decision, the financial aid appeals committee will meet and make the decision to approve or suspend aid.

If the appeal is approved, the financial aid counselor will award aid only for one semester on a probationary status. The student will be sent an email explaining that if the student fails to make satisfactory academic progress for that semester, financial aid will not be awarded in the future unless the student passes an academic plan or passes the SAP measurements.

If the financial aid appeals committee agrees that the student should be denied aid based on the latest appeal, notification will be sent to student via email, and alternative financing options will be suggested to the student. The student may decide to self-pay or take a leave of absence. However, a student does not regain eligibility for aid by sitting out a semester. Instead, that student will need to make an additional appeal prior to returning to Furman to be considered for eligibility. A student does not automatically regain eligibility for aid if it has been suspended for a semester.