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Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Federal regulations require schools participating in Title IV student financial aid programs to establish, publish and apply reasonable standards for measuring whether a student has maintained satisfactory progress in his or her course of study.
The University of North Dakota has published academic standards which all students are required to meet in order to retain satisfactory standing and to continue enrollment at the University. Recipients of and applicants for financial aid are subject to the satisfactory rate of progress standard as described below.
Students who fail to make satisfactory progress toward either the academic standard (qualitative determination - see below) or the rate of progress standard (quantitative determination - see below) will be contacted by a Student Financial Aid Office staff member and will be notified that they are ineligible to receive federal financial assistance until eligibility has been reestablished. Federal financial aid includes: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, State Student Incentive Grant, Federal Work Study, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Nursing Loan, Federal Direct loans, Federal PLUS Loan, Federal GradPLUS Loan, Health Profession Student Loans, and Primary Care Loans.
Academic Standard (Qualitative Determination)
You must be eligible to re-enroll in the next term in order to meet this standard. Your cumulative grade point average will be reviewed at the end of each regular period of enrollment.
Undergraduate Students: Students who have attended UND for two years (defined as 4 academic semesters) or more must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00. All other undergraduate students who meet the University's minimum academic standards as defined in the UND Undergraduate Catalog meet this standard.
Graduate Students: Graduate students who have been in attendance for two academic years or more as a graduate student must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average to meet this standard.
Law Students: Law students who have been in attendance for two academic years or more as a law student must have a minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average to meet this standard.
Medical Students: Medical students don’t received grades, therefore they do not have a GPA. Medical students who meet the Medical School’s academic standards as defined in the Medical School Bulletin and who are eligible to re-enroll in the next term, meet this standard.
Rate of Progress Standard (Quantitative Determination)
The cumulative total of credit hours attempted and completed will be used to determine satisfactory rate of academic progress.
Maximum Time Frame
The maximum time frame standard will be reviewed at the end of each regular period of enrollment for Undergraduate, Graduate and Law students. Medical students will be reviewed annually at the end of the academic year.
Students exceeding maximum credits and pursuing a second degree or multiple majors will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
- Undergraduate Students: Undergraduate students shall be making satisfactory progress for financial aid purposes if their program of study is completed within 150% of the length of the program (a maximum of 187 attempted credits for all programs except Accountancy, Chemical Engineering, Medical Laboratory Science, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Finance, Geological Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Nursing).
- Post-baccalaureate students (not admitted to graduate, law, or medical programs of study) enrolled in an educational program that leads to an undergraduate degree or teacher certification are also subject to the undergraduate maximum time frame standard.
- Graduate Students: Students admitted to the Graduate School shall be making satisfactory progress for financial aid purposes if their program of study is completed within a maximum of 135 attempted credits.
- Law Students: Students enrolled in the School of Law shall be making satisfactory progress for financial aid purposes for if their program of study is completed within a maximum of 135 attempted credits.
- Medical Students: Students enrolled in the MD program shall be making satisfactory progress for financial aid purposes for a if their program of study is completed within a maximum of 218 attempted credits
Minimum Percentage of Completed Hours
The percentage of completed hours standard will be reviewed at the end of each semester for Undergraduate, Graduate and Law students. Medical students will be reviewed annually at the end of the academic year.
In order to earn enough credits to graduate within the above maximum number of attempted hours, students are required to successfully complete two-thirds (66.667%) of the cumulative credit hours attempted.
Attempted Credits
Credits enrolled in as of the census date (see SFA Calendar for the current term's census date) or added after the census date are considered attempted; credits dropped after the census date are considered attempted but not completed in the percentage of completed hours standard.
Completed Credits
Successfully completed credit hours are those for courses in which a student receives a "passing" grade with the following exceptions, which will not count as credit hours completed:
- Undergraduate grades of Incomplete (I), CD (EHD only), NR, U, Withdrawal (W), CW (EHD only), and F.
- Graduate School grades of I, CD (EHD only), NR, D, U, W, CW (EHD only), and F.
- Law School grades of I, NR, U, W, and F.
- Medical School grades of U, W, and NR.
Coursework that does not count toward the graduation requirements at UND (i.e. Math 102 Intermediate Algebra, all audited coursework) is also not counted in the Rate of Progress Standard.
Transfer Credits
Credits attempted at other post-secondary institutions and recorded in transfer by the University will be included in the determination of both credit hours attempted and credit hours completed.
Repeated Courses
Credits for repeated courses are counted as attempted but not completed. A repeat course is only counted once as a completed course.
Changing Majors and Multiple Majors
Students that have not met completion rate standards who have changed majors or who are pursuing multiple majors that have petitioned will be reviewed on a case by case basis
Re-Establishing Satisfactory Progress
Students who have failed to meet the academic standard and/or the rate of progress standard will be contacted by a Student Financial Aid Office staff member once their satisfactory academic progress has been evaluated. Students may reestablish a determination of maintaining satisfactory progress through the following procedures:
Academic Standard (Qualitative Determination)
- Suspended or Dismissed Students: Students who have been suspended or dismissed for failure to maintain the University's minimum academic standards as defined in the UND Bulletin corresponding to his or her enrolled status as an undergraduate, graduate, medical or law student, must petition their respective college for reinstatement. Appropriate forms can be obtained from the Dean's Office of the corresponding college. Suspended or dismissed students who have been reinstated will be deemed to be meeting the academic standard for the purposes of this policy provided that they meet all other eligibility criteria stated herein.
- Failure to Maintain the Required Cumulative GPA: Students who fail to meet the required cumulative grade point average may reestablish satisfactory academic standing by successfully bringing their cumulative grade point average up to the required minimum.
Rate of Progress Standard (Quantitative Determination)
Students may re-establish a satisfactory rate of progress by successfully completing two-thirds of the cumulative credits attempted.
Exceptions to the SAP Policy
SAP Q&A and Definitions
SAP Petition Form (completed by student)
SAP Documentation Form (completed by third party - advisor, counselor, etc.)
