Maintaining SAP
Undergraduate and graduate students must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) towards the completion of their degree in order to remain eligible for state and federal financial aid. Review the categories below to learn what it means to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Minimum GPA
To be in good academic standing you must earn a minimum GPA based on attempted credits as follows: for 0.5-12 credits a minimum GPA of 1.5, for 13-24 credits a minimum GPA of 1.75 and over 24 credits at least a GPA of 2.0.
- 4 Year Programs – You must have a GPA of at least “C” or the equivalent at the end of the second academic year. This means that you must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA after being at the school for 4 semesters or 6 quarters without regard to enrollment status.
- Graduate Programs – You must achieve a grade point average of at least 3.00.
Maximum Time Frame
“Attempted credits” are courses you registered for and did not drop before the last official withdrawal date.
- The credits you have attempted must not exceed 150% of the credits normally required for the degree.
For example: if the credits needed for the degree is 120, you can attempt no more than 180 credits.
Pace of Progression
- Graduate Programs — You must complete 2/3 of the credit hours that you attempt.
- Baccalaureate Degree Programs — You must complete a percentage of the total number of credits that you attempt, as follows:
| Attempted Credits | Earned Credits |
|---|---|
| 15 | 0 |
| 30 | 5 |
| 45 | 16 |
| 60 | 27 |
| 75 | 42 |
| 90 | 50 |
| 105 | 63 |
| 120 | 72 |
| 135 | 84 |
| 150 | 95 |
| 165 | 110 |
- Associate Degree Programs — You must complete a percentage of the total number of credits that you attempt, as follows:
| Attempted Credits | Earned Credits |
|---|---|
| 15 | 0 |
| 30 | 5 |
| 45 | 16 |
| 60 | 27 |
| 75 | 42 |
| 90 | 50 |
| 105 | 63 |
| 120 | 72 |
| 135 | 84 |
| 150 | 95 |
| 165 | 110 |
- Attain a minimum GPA as specified in the chart below for each payment requested.
- You are allowed a total of 48 TAP points for your entire undergraduate degree. You use 6 points for every full-time TAP payment. You may receive up to 6 semesters as an associate degree student. For some special program you can earn up to 10 semesters and 60 allowed a total of 60 points.
- You must be enrolled full-time, that is, enrolled for at least 12 credits or equated credits that meet the requirements of your curriculum/major.
- In your first TAP semester, you must be taking at least 3 degree credits as part of your full-time course load. You must take a minimum of 6 degree credits every semester after your first TAP payment.
- If you repeat a course that you previously passed, you may not count the repeated course towards full-time enrollment for TAP purposes. If you repeat a course that you previously failed, you may include that course towards full-time enrollment for TAP purposes.
- Remedial courses may be counted toward either full-time or part-time enrollment for TAP purposes. However, to qualify for TAP, you must always be registered for a certain number of degree credit courses.
- To receive TAP payments you must make academic progress towards a degree. The minimum academic requirements are indicated in the charts below.
For more information regarding the standard of Satisfactory Academic Progress
for the purpose of determining eligibility for New York State student aid, visit the HESC.ny.gov website.
Beginning with the 2015-16 academic year, for ADA students who received their first state award during the 2010-11 academic year and thereafter, and who are enrolled less than full-time, good academic standing will be determined using new SAP standards which does not modify the requirements for disabled students, but aligns them to be equivalent with those required of full-time students.
Learn More About ADA Part-time SAPIf you are required to file an SAP appeal, you will be notified.
To file an appeal, you must:
- Submit the SAP Appeal form before or during the term for which you are requesting aid
- Include supporting document(s) with the appeal which supports your extenuating circumstance(s)
- Submit your appeal by February 10, 2022.
If you have questions, please email our office at rtiv@hunter.cuny.edu.
Access the SAP Appeal Form