Satisfactory Academic Progress
for Graduate Students and Students-at-Large
In accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by Congress, NIU has established a satisfactory academic progress policy for graduate students and students-at-large.
Federal and state financial aid programs covered by this policy are:
- Federal Work Study (FWS)
- Stafford Loan (subsidized and unsubsidized)
- Certain alternative loans
The satisfactory academic progress policy is in effect each academic year of a student's enrollment. Satisfactory academic progress is evaluated after the completion of each term of enrollment. Students who have unsuccessful term(s) will receive written notification of their status.
Requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress
In accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by Congress, NIU has established a satisfactory academic progress policy for graduate students and students-at-large.
- Rate of Completion Requirement - complete at least 67% of credit hours attempted after 2 terms of enrollment and subsequently each academic year.
- Earned A, B, C, or S grades are considered completed semester hours of credit.
- Withdrawals, incompletes (grades of I or IN), and courses in which grades of D, F, U, P, NR or G have been received are not considered completed semester hours of credit.
- NIU courses resulting in withdrawals, incompletes or NR or NG grades and courses being repeated will be counted in the calculation of hours attempted.
- Audits are not included in the total number of semester hours attempted.
- Undergraduate courses (except audits) count in hours attempted; they might be counted as completed hours only is the courses are required (for example, deficiencies) to meet the degree requirements.
- Grade Point Average Requirement - cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher after 2 terms of enrollment and subsequently each academic term.
- Failure to maintain the grade point average requirement has implications regarding academic status - see "Academic Probation and Dismissal" in the Graduate Catalog.
- Maximum Time Frame Requirement - Graduate students are expected to complete degree requirements after having attempted not more than 150% of the number of hours of course work required for the degree program, including required deficiency courses.
- Student-at-large hours and credit accepted in transfer courses are included in the hours attempted, as are all terms of enrollment at NIU, whether or not financial aid was received.
- Ex: A master's degree in political science requires 30 semester hours. Student may receive financial aid for no more than 45 attempted semester hours if they are pursuing this degree.
- Students who exceed this 150% credit hour limit are immediately ineligible for financial aid. Such students may formally appeal their ineligibility for financial aid by following the guidelines under the "Appeals Procedures" within this page.
Failure to make Satisfactory Academic Progress
Failure to meet the rate of completion requirement or the grade point average requirement will result in the following:
Students who are not making satisfactory academic progress at the end of the spring semester will be placed on financial aid warning and will be send a letter notifying them of their financial aid warning status. Students on financial aid warning may continue to receive financial aid for the next term of enrollment.
If the deficiency is not remedied by the end of the next spring semester, the student's awards are placed on hold and he or she will receive a second written notification of lack of progress.
Students may formally appeal their ineligibility for financial aid. If the appeal is approved, the student will then be awarded financial aid for another term of enrollment. If an appeal is required, the student's SAP status will be monitored every term of enrollment.
Appeal Procedures
Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Financial Aid Office and must included a written review from the Associate Dean of the Graduate School. Note that federal regulations restrict those circumstances that may enable an appeal to be successful; the university does not have full discretion in this regard. The Student Financial Aid Office considered the student's written appeal, the written evaluations, and these regulations when making a final determination.
