Financial Aid and Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

As defined in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 34, for purposes of determining student eligibility for assistance under a title IV, Higher Education Act program, the university must establish, publish, and apply reasonable standards for measuring whether an otherwise eligible student is maintaining satisfactory academic progress in their educational program.

Northwestern Health Sciences University's policy of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requires a student to meet both a Scholastic Standard (qualitative-grade requirement) and a Program Standard (quantitative-work completed). Supportive Services are available through the Office of Student Affairs to help ensure scholastic success. A student who does not meet the SAP requirements may lose eligibility to receive student financial aid from federal, state, and institutional sources.

SAP is used to establish a student's eligibility to continue to receive financial aid. SAP will be monitored at the end of each financial aid payment term, defined as the fall, winter, and summer trimesters.

A student may continue to receive financial aid by meeting all the following criteria which have been established as the minimum standards for meeting SAP requirements at Northwestern Health Sciences University. This policy replaces all previous SAP policies.

Minimum Trimester and Cumulative Grade Point Average Requirement: A student must maintain a minimum trimester and cumulative grade point average (GPA) to retain financial aid eligibility. A minimum GPA of 2.0 must be earned.
Minimum Trimester and Cumulative Completion Rate Requirement: A student must maintain a minimum trimester and cumulative completion rate. A student must successfully complete at least 67% of trimester and cumulative attempted credit hours by the end of each trimester. The completed percentage is determined by dividing credit hours earned by the number of credit hours attempted. Note: While grades of W, WP, and WF have no impact in GPA calculations, these grades are included as attempted credit hours as required by federal regulation.
Maximum Time Frame Requirement: The maximum number of credit hours allowed for receipt of federal student aid to complete a program of study is 150% of the scheduled credit hours required to complete the program of study.

Financial Aid Warning Status

A student who does not meet the SAP requirements at Northwestern Health Sciences University may be placed in Financial Aid Warning status. Financial Aid Warning lasts for one trimester and does not require action, such as an appeal, by the student. This option is permitted at Northwestern Health Sciences University as SAP is reviewed at the end of each payment period. The payment period is equal to one trimester.

A student placed in Financial Aid Warning status is notified of the status at the beginning of the subsequent trimester.
There is no limit to the number of times a student may be placed in Financial Aid Warning status. It is possible for a student to be placed in Financial Aid Warning status for a subsequent payment period, but not in consecutive trimesters.
- For example, if a student is not meeting SAP requirements after the fall trimester, the student may be placed in Financial Aid Warning. The student could meet SAP requirements during the following summer trimester and subsequently not meet SAP requirements during the fall trimester. The student could again be placed in Financial Aid Warning status at the conclusion of the subsequent fall trimester. The student cannot have successive trimesters in Financial Aid Warning status.

Financial Aid Suspension Status

A student in Financial Aid Warning status who continues to not meet SAP requirements in the next trimester of enrollment will be placed in Financial Aid Suspension status. A student in Financial Aid Suspension status may not receive financial aid until the suspension status is successfully appealed or the student meets the required SAP measures. The student may submit an appeal, and if the appeal is approved, the student will be placed in Financial Aid Probation status and may continue to receive financial aid.

Financial Aid Probation Status

A student in Financial Aid Suspension status who submits an appeal which is approved will be placed in Financial Aid Probation status. A student in Financial Aid Probation status will be permitted to receive financial aid during the trimester of the approved appeal. At the end of one trimester of Financial Aid Probation status, the student must:
- Meet SAP standards; or,
- Meet the requirements of the academic plan set out in the approval of the SAP suspension appeal.
If the student does not meet these requirements, the student will again be placed in Financial Aid Suspension status.

SAP Appeal

When a student becomes ineligible for financial aid due to failure to meet SAP standards, the student may submit a SAP Appeal to the Office of Financial Aid for consideration. Mitigating circumstances to present in an appeal may include:

Death of a relative
Personal injury or illness
Other special circumstances such as difficult transition to NWHSU, family issues, legal troubles, work or budget problems, etc.

Submitted SAP Appeals will be reviewed within fifteen business days. The student will be notified by campus email if the appeal is approved or denied.

Additional SAP Information

Dual Degree Programs/Changed Majors

Students who are enrolled in a dual degree program or who have changed majors may file a SAP Appeal to request an extension of the maximum time frame provision of the SAP policy. Appeals will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Second Degrees

Students seeking a second degree may file a SAP Appeal to request an extension of the maximum time frame provision of the SAP policy. Appeals will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Transfer and Audit Credit Hours

Transfer and Financial Aid Consortium Agreement credit hours accepted by the university will be included when calculating a student’s credit completion ratio and maximum time frame, but not the student’s GPA. This includes credit hours earned from non-Northwestern Health Sciences University programs. Audit credit hours are not considered either attempted or earned. Credit hours earned at a foreign institution are included in the SAP evaluation if the university accepts the credit hours.

Repeated Coursework

Repeated courses will count toward enrollment status, attempted credit hours and maximum time frame.

Summer Sessions Courses

All hours attempted and completed in the summer sessions are treated as any other trimester credit hours in determining SAP.