Don’t lose your aid

All IU Indianapolis students are required to make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in an eligible degree or certificate program to be eligible for financial aid. Your academic progress is reviewed at least once a year to ensure that you are meeting our educational requirements and on track to graduate on time.

Federal regulations require that your entire Indiana University academic record be reviewed for SAP, including semesters in which you did not apply for or receive financial aid.

If you are a nondegree student eligible for financial aid, you must meet the same standards as an undergraduate student to keep your aid.

You must meet the following requirements to make satisfactory academic progress:

• Maintain a minimum program GPA
  

  You must maintain a cumulative program GPA of no less than the graduation requirements for your academic program.
  
  Transfer credit hours from outside the IU system don’t count toward your program GPA.

• Successfully complete your coursework
  

  To meet SAP requirements, you must successfully complete no less than 67 percent of your total attempted credit hours.
  
  Your completion rate is determined by dividing the hours you successfully completed by the total number of hours you attempted. For SAP purposes, the calculation goes to 3 decimal points and is then rounded. For example, if you take 9 credit hours but successfully complete only 6, that is a completion rate of 66.667% and you would not be meeting the 67% requirement.
  
  Hours successfully completed include those with grades of A, B, C, D, P, R, and S.
  
  If you received a grade of W, F, FX, or I in a course, you did not successfully complete that course. Hours from these courses are included in the total hours attempted in the formula above.
  
  Attempted hours may include:
  • Hours accepted for transfer
  • Repeated coursework
  • Coursework in which a student is granted academic forgiveness
  • Consortium coursework
  • Courses that are noncredit, remedial, or enrichment
  • English as a Second Language courses
  • Coursework completed in the Passport Program between IU Indianapolis and Ivy Tech Community College of Central Indiana
  • Transfer credit hours are counted as both attempted and completed. Audited courses are not included in the calculation.

• Complete your degree within a certain number of credit hours
  

  You must complete your degree requirements within 150 percent of the published credit hour length of your academic program. For example, if your degree requires 120 credit hours for completion, you must be on track to complete your degree requirements before attempting 180 credit hours (120 credit hours X 150 percent).
  
  We are required to select students when we determine they cannot meet the 150 percent requirement. We begin to select students when they have attempted 125 percent of the published credit hour length of their academic program. For example, if your degree requires 120 credit hours for completion, you will be selected for SAP when you have attempted 150 credit hours (120 credit hours X 125 percent).
  
  Changes in major, pursuit of a second degree, and transfer hours may impact eligibility based on number of hours attempted.

We will notify you. You can also see your status on the To Do List app in One.IU.

If you lose your aid eligibility due to lack of satisfactory academic progress, there are two options available to you:

1. Improve your status
   You can successfully complete coursework that improves your overall program GPA and/or completion rate to meet the SAP requirements. While we evaluate your progress annually, you may request a SAP review at the end of any semester of enrollment.
   
   If you’re nearing the 150 percent maximum timeframe, you can’t improve your status by continuing to take classes. In this case, you must submit an appeal.
2. Submit an appeal
   You can submit an appeal to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships SAP committee. Information on how to submit an appeal is included in the SAP notification email.
   
   A complete SAP appeal includes the following components:
   • Your completed appeal form, including information from your advisor when necessary.
   • A typed statement explaining the extenuating circumstances that contributed to your unsatisfactory academic progress during all periods of enrollment regardless of whether you received financial aid for those terms. Your statement should include details about steps you have taken to be successful moving forward or what you have done to address your extenuating circumstances.
   • Documentation supporting your statement, which may include:
     • For a medical condition: Documentation may include a statement from your physician, therapist or medical professional, hospital discharge or appointment summaries, etc.
     • For the death of family member: a copy of the death certificate or obituary.
     • For a divorce or separation: a court document or third party who can verify the situation.
     • For military service: official military orders.

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships SAP Committee will review your appeal. Decisions are made after careful evaluation of your unique circumstances, Federal Title IV regulations, and IU Indianapolis guidelines. You’ll be notified of our decision at your IU email account. You can expect a decision within 15 business days. During this time, you’re responsible for any tuition and fees (including late fees) that are charged to your account.

Appeal forms

2023–24 aid year (Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Summer 2024)

IU Indianapolis SAP appeal form

Submitting an academic progress appeal does not guarantee approval or aid eligibility.

If your appeal is approved

Check the Student Center to make sure you have no other financial aid to-do items. If nothing is listed, you can expect to receive a notification of your financial aid package within the next 10 business days.

If your appeal is denied

You must reestablish your eligibility to receive financial aid. Check your email for additional information. If your appeal was denied due to completion rate or GPA issues, you may become eligible by taking classes and paying for them on your own to meet minimum SAP requirements.

Regaining eligibility without an appeal

If you complete or take coursework and feel you have regained good academic standing and would like an evaluation prior to our official evaluation date in May, please notify our office.

Any change to your enrollment may result in a change to your financial aid eligibility, including:

• Decreases in enrolled credit hours
• Nonattendance in a class or unofficial withdrawal
• Official withdrawal

If any of these occur, you may be asked to return money you’ve already received and may not receive money you’re expecting.

For most types of financial aid, you need to be enrolled at least half time during any semester you’re receiving aid:

• Undergraduate: 6 credit hours
• Graduate: 4 credit hours

Note that waitlist hours aren’t counted when determining enrollment status—only classes you’re registered for will count.

Exceptions to the half-time rule

• Federal Pell Grants The amount of your Pell grant is determined by your enrollment status at the end of the 100 percent tuition refund period, so be sure to finalize your schedule before the end of this period.
• Frank O’Bannon Grants If you’re receiving a Frank O’Bannon Grant, you’re required to be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours through the 25 percent tuition period. If you were enrolled in 12 credit hours and received your award, then dropped below 12 credit hours, the grant will be removed from your account. This may create a balance on your bursar account that must be repaid.
• 21st Century Scholarship If you’re receiving a 21st Century Scholarship, you’re required to be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours through the 25 percent tuition refund period. If you were enrolled in 12 credit hours and received your award, then dropped below 12 credit hours, the grant will be removed from your account. This may create a balance on your bursar account that must be repaid.

How withdrawing from courses affects your aid

Withdrawing from all your courses during a semester can greatly impact your financial aid.

Return of Title IV funds (Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Direct Loans, and PLUS loans)

If you receive Title IV financial aid and officially withdraw from a semester or unofficially withdraw by ceasing to attend, federal regulations require a Return of Title IV Funds calculation to determine if any Federal Title IV aid must be repaid.

Withdrawals and state of Indiana awards (Frank O'Bannon and 21st Century Scholars)

If you officially withdraw from a semester or drop below full-time enrollment (12 credit hours) before the state census date (end of the 25 percent refund period or 28th day of the term), state regulations require the cancellation of Frank O'Bannon and 21st Century Scholars awards. This cancellation results in the removal of the financial aid credit from your bursar account, and the charge is your responsibility to repay. If your state aid is cancelled, you will receive a Financial Aid Notification (FAN) at your university email address with an update. FAN emails are sent daily.

Withdrawals and academic progress

Withdrawal from the semester after the official census date may impact future eligibility for federal or state financial aid due to satisfactory academic progress. Future satisfactory academic progress monitoring will include any courses dropped after the official census date as attempted but not completed hours.

How repeating courses affects your aid

If you repeat a course more than once in which you received a letter grade of D– or higher, federal regulations say that repeated course can’t be included in your enrollment status when we calculate your federal financial aid eligibility.

If you’re enrolled in 12 credit hours during which you repeat a previously passed 3 credit hour course for the second time, only nine of your credit hours can be used to calculate your financial aid eligibility. Your enrollment will be reported as three-quarter time rather than full time, which may affect your federal grants and loans.