Student Financial Services is required by federal regulations to periodically review financial aid recipients to ensure that they are making academic progress toward the completion of their program of study. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid recipients is measured by both qualitative and quantitative standards and is an assessment of a student’s cumulative academic record while in attendance at the institution.
Understanding Your SAP Financial Aid Status
Meeting SAP Status
- GPA: 2.0 cumulative GPA
- Pace: Number of credits completed divided by number of credits attempted needs to be equal to or greater than 67%
- Timeframe: Total attempted credits are less than the 150% credits to graduate the program.
Financial Aid Warning Status
- The first semester you do not meet either the GPA or Pace SAP standards; you will be placed in a Financial Aid Warning status.
- During the subsequent semester you are still eligible for financial aid, however you are one semester away from losing your financial aid eligibility.
Financial Aid Suspension Status
- If you do not meet the GPA or Pace standards by the end of your warning semester, or fail the Maximum Timeframe standard, you will lose your financial aid eligibility.
- You can appeal to regain it by submitting a SAP appeal form.
Financial Aid SAP Academic Plan Status
- If your SAP appeal is approved, you will be on Academic Probation status for one semester and can receive financial aid.
- Follow SAP probationary conditions.
- Failing conditions returns you to Financial Aid Suspension, but you can appeal again.
How to Complete a Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal form (only complete the form if you receive a financial aid suspension notice).
Students can access the appeal form using the links provided below for your home college
Lakes Region Community College
NHTI- Concord’s Community College
River Valley Community College
White Mountains Community College
Steps to complete the appeal
- Select academic advisor and click continue.
- Complete section 1, explaining the circumstances that impacted your performance and what has changed.
- Click to sign at the bottom, select next, and then submit on the next page: this will submit the appeal form to your advisor.
- Upon submission, you will receive an email prompting you to schedule an appointment with your advisor.
- Once you have met with your advisor, they will complete Section 2, and the form will be submitted to the financial aid office.
A decision will be emailed to students within 10 business days of receipt of all documentation, if we have all the documentation and grades needed. More complex cases may require more time.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Deadline Policy for Federal Financial Aid
To ensure timely review and processing of federal financial aid eligibility, students must submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeal within four (4) weeks from the start date of their first course in the semester. Appeals submitted within this timeframe are guaranteed review for the applicable term, provided all required documentation is included. Appeals received after the four-week deadline may not be reviewed in time to determine eligibility for federal financial aid for the current semester.
Additional Supporting Information
There are three SAP standards that students are required to maintain to be eligible for financial aid:
Qualitative Standard – Cumulative GPA (CGPA) Component
A student must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average as noted below. A GPA calculator is available at https://www.ccsnh.edu/admissions/sap-calculator/.
| Total GPA Hours at Institution | Associate Degree or Certificate Program |
| 0-13 | 1.50 |
| 14 – 27 | 1.70 |
| 28 – 40 | 1.80 |
| 41+ | 2.00 |
Quantitative Standard – Pace (Completion Rate) Component
A student must successfully complete at least two-thirds (67%) of the total credits he/she attempted throughout his/her academic career at the college. All attempted credits, including transfer credits, will be included in the quantitative calculation.
Maximum Timeframe Component
To be eligible for federal student aid, students must complete the program of study within 150% of the total required program credits. For example, a student enrolled in a 60-credit degree program must complete the program before exceeding 90 attempted credits. Developmental and remedial classes may be excluded from the 150% calculation. Throughout enrollment, as soon as it can be determined that student is not on target to graduate within 150% of the standard program length, financial aid will be suspended.
Additional detailed information can be found on the Financial Aid Student Handbook.
Contact Information
Great Bay Community College: 603-427-7600 x7501, [email protected]
Lakes Region Community College: 603-366-5220, [email protected]
Manchester Community College: 603-206-8110, [email protected]
NHTI – Concord’s Community College: 603-230-4013, [email protected]
Nashua Community College: 603-578-8903, [email protected]
River Valley Community College: (603) 542-7744, [email protected]
White Mountains Community College: 603-342-3050, [email protected]