The Department of Education and Student Financial Assistance Programs require schools and colleges to develop and apply a consistent standard of academic progress in determining student eligibility. The Government requires that students who apply for financial aid at West Valley adhere to this regulation by meeting Qualitative and Quantitative Standards.
All periods of the student's enrollment count when assessing academic progress, even periods in which the student did not receive financial aid funds.
Financial Aid requires a declared major and enrollment in a Title IV eligible program (minimum 16 semester units). Each Satisfactory Academic Progress evaluation includes both the semester and cumulative grade point average (GPA) and pace of progression completion rate.
If a student is enrolled in an educational program of more than two academic years, at the end of the second academic year, the student must have a GPA of at least a "C" or it;s equivalent, or have academic standing consistent with the West Valley requirements for graduation.
SAP will be evaluated at the end of each term: Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
COVID-19 Special Consideration
Guidance from the US Department of Education and the CARES Act provides additional flexibilities to institutions regarding the calculation of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements to receive aid.
Any credits a student attempted but could not complete due to COVID-19 national emergency may be excluded from the SAP quantitative/pace calculations.
*COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ended May 11, 2023.
- Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 at each SAP evaluation
- Grades for remedial and ESL courses count in the GPA calculation
Pace: Students must complete 67% of the units attempted overall attempted units. This is to ensure students are making progress towards their goal.
- Completion rate is computed by dividing the total number of units completed by the total number of units attempted (including courses with earned "W" grade and units transferred into the institution).
Time Frame: Students must complete their educational objective (graduation, transfer, certificate, etc.) in a period of time that is no longer than 150% of the published length of the declared program of study.
- For degree and transfer programs of 60 units, maximum time frame is 90 units
- For eligible certificate programs, maximum time frame varies (i.e. 30 unit program = 45 units maximum)
- Up to 30 remedial units and ALL ESL units will be excluded from Maximum Time Frame calculations. Transfer units will count towards the Maximum Time Frame.
- All units attempted including incomplete and withdrawals are counted in the calculation
- Repeated courses will count toward attempted units. SAP policy allows for a student to receive Title IV funds for retaking a previously passed course (one time only per passed course).
- Academic Renewal is a process through which a student can apply to have credits attempted and grades earned in previous semesters excluded from the calculation of the student’s grade point average. Financial aid regulations make no provision for the concept of academic renewal; therefore, all courses are counted towards the evaluation of SAP.
- Any credits a student attempted but could not complete due to COVID-19 national emergency may be excluded from the SAP quantitative/pace calculations.
Students that meet cumulative GPA requirements at the end of the semester, in addition to quantitative-pace of progression, and time frame requirements for SAP.
SAP Standards
Qualitative –Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)
- Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 at each SAP evaluation
- Grades for remedial and ESL courses count in the GPA calculation
Quantitative – Pace
- Students must complete 67% of the overall attempted units
- Completion rate is computed by dividing the total number of units completed by the total number of units attempted. Includes courses with earned “W” and units transferred into the institution.
Quantitative – Maximum Time Frame
- A period of time that is no longer than 150% of the published length of the academic program in which the student is enrolled
Students not making SAP at the end of a term, will be automatically placed on one term of “Warning” status for the subsequent term. Students may receive aid during a warning payment period. Students not making SAP at the end of a “Warning” semester are determined to be ineligible (disqualification) for federal and state aid until they reestablish eligibility again by meeting SAP standards.
Warning Status
- Unit Completion – At the end of the last semester of enrollment the student did not earn the require number of units (67% of units attempted)
- Cumulative GPA – At the end of the last semester of enrollment the student did not earn a 2.0 cumulative GPA
- Maximum Time Frame – At the end of the last semester of enrollment the number of degree applicable units that the student attempted is approaching the end of the student’s academic program maximum time frame. If at the end of the semester the student reaches the maximum time frame, he/she will be disqualified.
SAP Probation – a status assigned to a student who is failing to make satisfactory academic progress and who submitted an appeal that was successfully approved. Eligibility for aid may be reinstated.
- Students can regain eligibility by making SAP at the end of one term of probation
- Students must complete 67% of the units attempted along with a cumulative 2.0 GPA while on probation
- Students must follow their academic plan while on probation
The school will verify each term that the student is following the academic plan and/or meeting terms of probation; if not, the student becomes ineligible for federal and state student aid until SAP standards are met.
Students not making SAP two semesters in a row will be automatically placed in one term of "Disqualification" status in exception of maximum time frame.
Disqualification Sub-statuses
- Disqualified – Unit Completion - In the last semester in which the student attempted units, the student did not earn the 67% required number of units for the enrollment status.
- Disqualified – GPA - In the last semester in which the student was enrolled, the student did not earn a cumulative 2.0 GPA two semesters in a row.
- Disqualified – Maximum Time Frame- At the end of the last semester the number of units the student attempted exceeded the maximum time frame of the academic program. .
- Disqualified – BA/BS Degree – Students with a BA/BS Degree are disqualified. Students may submit an appeal and if approved, may be eligible for Federal Work Study and/or Direct Loan.
- Students may reestablish their eligibility by meeting the Pace of Progression – 67% completion rate standard along with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
- If a student loses financial aid eligibility due to not meeting SAP requirements, the student may appeal the ineligibility by submitting a Financial Aid SAP Appeal Form with supporting documentation to the West Valley College Financial Aid (WVFA) office. If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on financial aid probation. During the financial aid probation period, a student remains eligible for financial aid.
- Students can submit the Financial Aid Appeal online.