Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard

Federal regulations (General Provision CRF668.34) require that all students meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) towards the completion of their degree to maintain eligibility to receive assistance from all Title IV Programs: Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Work Study, Teach Grant, and Direct Loans. Please review the CUNY SAP requirements sections listed below for Undergraduate and Graduate students.

Undergraduate Students

In order to meet SAP towards a degree, for purposes of receiving federal student financial assistance (Title IV aid), an undergraduate student must meet the minimum standards specified below.

Minimum GPA Requirements
0.5-12 attempted credits requires a minimum GPA of 1.5	13-24 attempted credits requires a minimum GPA of 1.75	25 or more attempted credits requires a minimum GPA of 2.0

Accumulate credits toward graduation in accordance with the CUNY SAP Regulations (Maximum Timeframe & Pace of Progression):
Credits Attempted	15	30	45	60	75	90	105	120	135	150	165	180
Require this number of Earned Credits	0	5	16	27	42	50	63	72	84	95	110	120

Graduate Students

In order to be making SAP towards a degree, for purposes of receiving federal student financial assistance (Title IV aid), a graduate student must meet the minimum standards specified below.

1. Minimum GPA – maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 or better as required by the academic department or have an academic standing consistent with the requirements for graduation.
2. Maximum Time-frame – may not attempt more than 150% of the credits normally required for completion of the degree.
3. Pace of Progression – must accumulate credits toward the degree greater than or equal to two-thirds the cumulative credits attempted at the institution.

Annual SAP Review

All undergraduate and graduate students (whether aid recipients or not) will be measured against each of the three SAP components at the end of the spring term to determine eligibility for receipt of federal student financial assistance in the upcoming year.

Undergraduate and graduate students who fail to meet CUNY’s federal SAP policy are placed on financial aid suspension and lose their eligibility to receive assistance from all Title IV programs. Students will remain ineligible until they take the necessary steps to regain compliance with the appropriate progress standard.

All students who have been placed on financial aid suspension may appeal through the established institutional SAP appeal process to retain eligibility for Title IV assistance. Students may appeal any component of the SAP standard they have not been able to meet including not meeting the minimum GPA and exceeding the maximum timeframe for program completion. An appeal must be based upon extenuating circumstances resulting from events such as personal illness or injury, illness or death of a family member, loss of employment, changes in the academic program, or other special circumstances. The appeal must include:

The reasons why the student failed to meet SAP requirements and
What has changed in their situation that will allow the student to meet SAP requirements at the next evaluation.

The appeal may be granted if the school:

Determines that the student will be able to meet the appropriate SAP standards by the end of the next payment period (semester); OR
Develops an academic plan for the student that, if followed, will ensure that the student will either be able to meet the appropriate SAP standards by a specific point in time or achieve completion of his or her academic program.

Click this link to view the SAP Appeal Instructions. For more information on the Appeals process, please visit the Academic Standards and Appeals website.

Appeal Deadlines for the 2026-2027 Academic Year

Summer 2026: 8/11/2026

Fall 2026: 12/21/2026

Spring 2027: 5/27/2027

A student who has been granted an appeal will be placed on financial aid probation. Students in this status have their eligibility for Title IV program assistance reinstated for one payment period (semester). At the end of the probationary semester, the institution must review the student’s academic progress to determine whether the student has met the appropriate SAP standards or has fulfilled the requirements specified in the student’s academic plan. A student who once again meets the appropriate progress standards after the probationary semester will continue to receive Title IV assistance until the next scheduled progress evaluation.

As long as the student complies with all of the conditions of the academic plan student aid eligibility continues and is monitored on semester-by-semester basis.

While there is no limit on the number of times that a student may file a SAP appeal, “back-to-back” appeals, by federal regulation, cannot be granted to those who failed to satisfy the conditions of an appeal granted for a term immediately preceding the term that the new appeal would be applied to.

Other than having eligibility restored through filing a successful appeal, a student on financial aid suspension may regain eligibility only by taking action that brings the student into compliance with the appropriate institutional progress standards. The mere passage of time is insufficient to restore Title IV eligibility to a student who has lost eligibility due to not meeting SAP standards. Therefore, students may not re-establish eligibility solely by leaving the institution for at least one year because this action, by itself, would not bring the student into compliance for Federal SAP. Students who choose to remain enrolled without receiving Title IV aid may request a review of their academic record after any term in which they were on financial aid suspension to determine if they were able to re-attain the appropriate standards.

For all Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress Inquiries, please email us at sap.finaid@lehman.cuny.edu. Students must include their full name, EMPLID, contact information and allow 5-7 Business Days for a response.