1. Standards of Academic Progress
(SAP)
Created by Chuck Anderson
11/16/2012

2. What is SAP?
Students seeking to receive federal student aid
(such as Pell, SEOG, and Federal Direct Student
Loans) are required to meet a minimum level of
academic success in three critical areas.
1. Cumulative Grade Point Average
2. Percentage of attempted courses achieved
with a passing grade
3. Maximum Time Frame

3. Measurement 1: GPA
Students are required to achieve and maintain a
minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher on
all college-level course work attempted.

4. Measurement 2: Percentage
Students are required to achieve and maintain a
completion rate of 67% or higher of all credit
hours attempted.
• This measurement includes all courses (such as
developmental studies) and even those courses
the student may have attempted without the use
of financial aid as a means of payment.

5. Measurement 3: MTF
Students are required to complete their degree
program within 150% of the time needed to
complete. Example, typical Associate Degree
program is 60 credit hours, the student has up to 90
hours to earn the degree.
Note: This measurement includes ALL hours
attempted, even those attempted while pursuing
another degree and hours attempted completing
developmental courses.

6. When are students evaluated for SAP?
KCTCS permits a student to enroll in two semesters
before measuring the student for SAP standards
(per regulations by the US DOE).
• This measurement looks at two semester where
the student successfully enrolled in classes and
received any type of grade (including semesters
with part-time enrollment or classes taken while
in high school).

7. SAP Evaluation Codes
1. MEETS: Assigned to students who meet the
satisfactory levels in all 3 evaluation areas.
2. WARN: Assigned to students during the first
term that fall under the minimum GPA and
Percentage levels.
3. SUSP: Assigned to students who remain
under the minimum GPA and Percentage
levels for a second consecutive semester or
have passed the MTF limits.

8. Student is Suspended, what now?
When a student has been suspended for not
meeting SAP, the student is no longer eligible to
receive federal student aid.
However, if the student has experienced
extenuating circumstances, the student may file
an appeal seeking to have their financial aid
eligibility reinstated.

9. Appeal Process
Students filing SAP appeals must complete the following:
1. KCTCS SAP Form
2. Type-written letter detailing their circumstances as to why
they could not meet SAP and how those circumstances
have now changed and they can achieve academic success
and complete their academic program.
3. Attach documentation to support the reasons stated in
the letter (such as medical documentation).
4. KCTCS Academic Plan of Action Form (requires meeting
with an academic advisor to determine the classes
needed to complete their program and the anticipated
date of graduation).

10. Appeal documents complete, now
what?
The student (and only the student) is
responsible for submitting the completed SAP
appeal documents to the HCTC Financial Aid
Office at the Hazard or Lees Campus.
When submitted each appeal is logged-in and
stamped for date and time submitted. The
review of each appeal is to take place in the date
order the appeal was submitted.

11. Appeal Review
1. Submitted appeals are reviewed outside the
HCTC Financial Aid Office.
2. The decision of the SAP review committee is
FINAL.
3. The students receive an email for the HCTC
Financial Aid Office on the committee’s
decision.

12. Appeal Approved 
• The student’s status is changed from SUSP to
Probation by the HCTC Financial Aid Office.
• Their financial aid packages will be updated if
needed and anticipated financial aid will
appear on the student’s account the next
business day after the aid is loaded.

13. Approval Conditions
• Student must achieve academic success for
any semesters while under Probation.
• Student must achieve a minimum semester
GPA of 2.0 or higher.
• Student must pass their classes and remain on
track to graduate as stated in their appeal.
• Student must follow their academic plan as
stated on the KCTCS Academic Plan of Action
Form.

14. Appeal Denied 
Students denied in the SAP appeal process are
not eligible for any type of federal student aid or
other aid tied to the federal student aid program
(such as state grants).
In general, the student is offered the
opportunity to “work” their way back into
consideration for reinstatement of financial aid
eligibility.

15. Working your way back…
As stated in the federal government’s regulations of
financial aid programs, a student who fails the college’s
SAP process, must work their way back in to eligibility as
stated by the college.
1. Student is required to satisfactorily complete a
minimum of 6 consecutive credit hours with a grade
of “C” or higher (must be classes that count toward
completion of the student’s academic program, NO
DEVELOPMENTAL COURSES).
2. After completion of the above, the student may
submit a new appeal to be considered by the review
committee.

16. Working your way back (cont.)
• The U.S. Department of Education states the
student is to work their way back according to
the policy of the college.
• Students who elect to “sit out” a semester or
more are still required to “work” their way
back in to consideration of financial aid
eligibility.

17. What makes a successful appeal?
1. Completion of the required SAP form.
2. A well written and detailed letter of the
student’s circumstances.
3. Documentation supporting the student’s reason
for not meeting SAP.
4. Completion of the KCTCS Academic Plan of
Action.
5. A proper program of choice for the student to
complete and a well planned approach to
completing the program.

18. Reason for Appeal Denials
• Demonstrates NO academic achievement.
• Poorly completed appeal documents.
• No documentation.
• Documentation not matching the student’s
circumstances our dates of events not matching dates
of when the student was previously enrolled.
• One or two line letters.
• Letters blaming everyone for the student’s problems.
• Improper choice of academic program.

19. Reason for Appeal Denials (cont.)
• Appeal in the previous semester or in
semesters before and continues to display
poor academic work.
• Cannot pass online classes and continues to
enroll in online classes.
• The student’s program of choice is an Allied
Health PENDING program.
• The student cannot pass the required courses
for their chosen program.

20. Parking Lot
Can a student be on SAP, complete a successful
appeal and get out of the SAP problems?
• Yes, a student can fall under the guidelines,
complete a successful SAP appeal and later
achieve satisfactory SAP levels for GPA and
percentage. But that student must graduate
within the required MTF timeline.

21. Parking Lot
Can a student who has exceeded their allowable
number of credit hours, take other courses not
needed for completion of their program?
No, students who have exceeded their limit on
hours can only enroll and receive aid for the
hours needed to complete their HCTC program
(pending a successful appeal).

22. Parking Lot
A student has completed their chosen HCTC
academic program and wants to take additional
classes to transfer to a 4-year college or university.
The student has exceeded their maximum time
frame, can the receive aid at HCTC?
NO. Any aid paid to students can only go for classes
needed to complete an HCTC program. The college
granting the student’s diploma is the one to pay aid.

23. Parking Lot
Can a student change their major while working
under an appeal?
It is possible, however, the new program must
be completed within the same time frame or
less.

24. Parking Lot
Student has completed their HCTC academic program and
has exceeded their allowable number of credit hours.
Can they seek approval for a 2nd HCTC program?
Factors to consider:
• Can the program be completed in 2 semesters or less?
• Has the student exhausted more than 60% of their
lifetime Pell grant limit and/or student loan funding
levels?
• Could the program lead to employment?

25. Parking Lot
Student was denied a SAP appeal in the past,
has successfully completed 6 credit hours and
has filed a new appeal. Will the appeal be
automatically granted?
NO. There are no automatic appeal approvals
and the student’s new appeal will receive the
same extensive evaluation as other appeals.

26. How often does a student have to file
a SAP appeal?
KCTCS mandates any student who does not
satisfactorily meet SAP guidelines to file an
appeal for each semester they enroll and seek to
receive federal student aid (including loans).

27. What is the limit on the number of
appeals that a student can file?
The are NO limits on the number of appeals a
student can file. We cannot prevent a student
from filing an appeal or establish any guidelines
that could be deemed “discriminating” to any
student or any groups of students.

28. Other factors to consider…
• The number of semesters a student has
received a federal Pell grant.
• The amount of student loan funds a student
has received while attending college.
• The student’s goals, are they attainable?
• The student’s current class schedule. Is the
student placing themselves in harm’s way?
• Other…

29. Conclusion
• Please call our office anytime you have a
question regarding SAP.
• All members of the financial aid staff are
capable of answering your SAP questions?
• As new issues arise, we can work together to
address and take the actions needed in the
best interest of our students.