In order to receive financial aid from the Federal aid program, the State of Alaska program or from institutional funds¹, a student must be fully admitted to an eligible degree or certificate program. In addition, the student must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward his/her educational goal as defined below:²

1. Federal regulations found in 34 CFR 668.34 require, as a condition to participation in federal student aid program, that the University have a satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy that monitors:
   1. Quality—this is monitored by the cumulative grade point average (GPA). To maintain eligibility for financial aid students must stay in good academic standing by maintaining a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA for undergraduates and a minimum 3.00 for graduates.
   2. Quantity—this is monitored by evaluating the percentage of attempted credits in which passing grades are earned. The minimum satisfactory completion rate is 67% (rounded to nearest 1%). Passing grades for this purpose are letter grades of A, B, C, D, or P. This is an ongoing average, and not a semester or annual percentage.
   3. Maximum Timeframe—the final component requires that students complete their degree program within 150% of the required credits of the program. For example, if a student is in a bachelor’s degree program that requires 120 credits to graduate, the student may receive funding for the first 180 credits attempted.
2. Academic progress will be reviewed at the end of each semester to ensure the student has met the minimum GPA requirements and completed 67% of attempted credits at the University of Alaska and credits that have been taken at other institutions and transferred into the student’s degree program.
3. Grades of AU, DF, F, I, W, NB, NC and NP indicate unsatisfactory completion of courses for financial aid purposes. DF grades assigned for thesis work in progress will be allowed as satisfactory for one year only. Failure of a student to satisfactorily complete the required percentage of credits will result in the suspension of most types of financial aid.
4. First-time freshmen with no prior post-secondary academic history are considered to be making satisfactory academic progress for the first semester of enrollment.
5. Satisfactory academic progress must be maintained and is reviewed even during terms in which aid is not received.
6. Academic Disqualification, Dismissal or Removal from Program will result in immediate loss of aid.

Incomplete Grades: Incomplete courses will not be considered complete until official confirmation has been received in the financial aid office showing satisfactory completion of the incomplete with a passing grade.

Repeat Courses: Students may receive financial aid funding once for repeating a previously passed class; a failed course may be repeated until it is passed.

Remedial Coursework: Students who enroll in remedial coursework (less than 100 level) may receive financial aid.

Pass/Fail or Pass/No Pass Coursework: Non-academic grades do not carry points and are not used to calculate GPAs. No Pass or Fail grades will count as non-completion of a course and will reduce the completion rate. 

Telecourses and e-Learning Courses: These courses count toward the credit hour load and may be used to fulfill credit hour requirements for financial aid if the courses are required for a student’s degree program. NOTE: Students are still required to complete these classes within the term that they enroll (year-long correspondence courses are NOT eligible for financial aid).

Challenge courses and 500-level courses: These courses are NOT fundable by any type of financial aid.

Withdrawals: Students who totally withdraw from the university, after receiving financial aid, may be liable for refunds and/or return of Title IV funds. Additional information can be found in the University catalog or on the Financial Aid website.

Institutional Funds: Students receiving most scholarships, grants, or tuition waivers from UA are expected to meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements listed in this document. Please be advised, however, that some scholarships and waivers require a higher GPA for continued receipt.

Other Sources of Aid: Students receiving scholarships or financial aid from such sources as State of Alaska, BIA, regional and village corporations, civic groups, and private organizations will be evaluated under the requirements of the funding agency.

Notification: Notifications regarding lack of satisfactory academic progress and appeal decisions will typically be emailed to the student. Academic progress can be reviewed via UAOnline.

Financial Aid Warning: A student in good standing who fails to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements will be placed on Warning for the first semester s/he falls below the cumulative 67% standard and/or who fails to meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement.

Financial Aid Suspension: Financial aid suspension will result from:

1. Failure to complete the minimum percentage of credits and/or cumulative GPA required after being on Financial Aid Warning.
2. Academic Disqualification, Dismissal, or removal from program as defined by the academic catalog.
3. Exceeding 150% of the maximum number of credits required for graduation from the student’s program.
4. Failure to meet the requirements of an appeal approval and/or academic plan.

Appeals: A student may appeal the suspension of their financial aid if they can clearly demonstrate unusual circumstances. Students must provide a written statement explaining in their unusual circumstances and how they plan to be academically successful in future semesters. Appeals are reviewed by the individual universities. Students with approved appeals will be placed on Financial Aid Probation and eligible to receive aid. Additional information and guidance regarding this process is available through the UAA, UAF or UAS Financial Aid Office. 

Reinstatement: A student who cannot or does not want to appeal, or whose appeal has been denied, may regain eligibility by attending course(s) without financial aid. The student will be reinstated once the 67% cumulative completion rate and minimum cumulative GPA has been reached, if the student is within the 150% timeframe and is in good academic standing with the University.

Disbursements: Appeals may be approved for current or future semesters only, and cannot be approved for a prior term. Funds cannot be disbursed for prior semesters when a student had failed to maintain satisfactory academic progress.

¹

Employee and Dependent Tuition Waivers do not require admission to a degree or certificate program.

²

Private loans, grants, and scholarships may have different criteria for satisfactory progress.