Once you’ve submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and received financial assistance—whether through grants, loans, or work-study—it’s important to maintain your eligibility throughout the academic year and beyond.
The U.S. Department of Education requires students to demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to ensure continued access to federal financial aid. SAP is measured by both academic performance (grades) and the completion of required coursework, ensuring that students are on track to complete their degree or certificate within the established maximum timeframe.
Adhering to SAP standards is crucial for maintaining funding and successfully progressing toward your educational goals.
To remain eligible for financial aid, students must maintain the following minimum cumulative GPA based on attempted credits:
- 0–29 attempted credits: Minimum GPA of 1.50
- 30+ attempted credits: Minimum GPA of 2.00
All credits, including ESL and developmental courses, are factored into your cumulative GPA. Your GPA is calculated using all graded courses (A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, and F) listed on your transcript.
Grades for repeated courses that are excluded from your MassBay College GPA will also be excluded from the GPA used for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Keep in mind that your cumulative GPA on your MassBay transcript may differ from the GPA used to determine SAP eligibility.
You must successfully pass at least 67% of all credits attempted.
You must complete your program in less than 150% of the published length of the educational program. If you do not complete your program within this period, you are no longer eligible to receive financial aid.
Example: Liberal Arts is a 62-credit program. You cannot attempt more than 93 credits (62 credits X 150% = 93 credits) In order to maintain an acceptable pace of completion, students should be completing at least 66.66% of their attempted credits in order to complete their program of study prior to the 150% point.
If your financial aid is suspended, you have the right to appeal, provided you meet certain criteria.
You may appeal if:
To start the appeal process, complete the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Form available on the Financial Aid Forms page or request a form from the Financial Aid Office.
Submit your appeal to the Financial Aid Office by the deadlines listed on the appeal form.
Important: Appeals submitted after the deadline will be considered for the next term in which you enroll. Appeal decisions are not retroactive.
While waiting for your appeal decision, you are responsible for paying your own expenses (tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc.). Financial aid will not be disbursed until the appeal decision is made.
- Probation Status: If your appeal is approved, you will be placed on financial aid probation, allowing you to continue receiving financial aid while working to meet SAP standards.
- Requirements: Probation is contingent upon completing an academic progress plan and acknowledging the terms and conditions of your probation.
- Review Process: At the end of each probationary semester, your academic progress will be reviewed:
- If you meet the terms of probation but are still not meeting SAP, your probation will continue.
- If you meet the terms of probation and are now meeting SAP, probation will end, and you will continue to receive financial aid.
- If you do not meet the terms of probation or your academic progress plan, you will be placed on financial aid suspension and will lose eligibility for financial aid.
Note: Second appeals are unlikely to be approved.
If your appeal is denied and you have not paid your bill or withdrawn before the first day of classes, you will be responsible for any charges incurred.
Repeated Coursework: Students can receive financial aid for a course they previously failed until they pass it. They can also receive aid for repeating a course they passed with a grade of D or higher, but only once per class. Repeating courses can impact the student's completion rate and maximum timeframe.
Developmental Coursework: Students in eligible programs who take remedial courses can still qualify for financial aid, even if they take only remedial courses at first. However, they can receive aid for a maximum of 30 attempted developmental credits. These credits count toward the student's GPA, completion rate, and maximum timeframe.
You have met all three of the Satisfactory Academic Progress criteria.
If you don't meet the GPA or Completion Rate standards, you'll be placed on Warning for one semester. You can still receive financial aid, but if you don’t meet the standards during the Warning semester, you will be placed on Suspension. You can only have one Warning status in your lifetime at MassBay. Students who have coursework attempted before Fall 2019 are not eligible for a Warning semester.
If you don't meet the SAP criteria after a Warning or Probation semester, or if you exceed the Maximum Time Frame for your program, you'll be placed on Suspension. While on Suspension, you are not eligible for financial aid, including student loans. If you're academically dismissed, you will also be placed on Suspension.
If your Suspension is approved for appeal, you’ll be placed on Probation for at least one semester. You can receive financial aid while on Probation. Your academic progress will be reviewed at the end of the Probation semester. If you meet the SAP standards, you’ll return to "Meets" status. If you follow your academic plan but don’t meet all SAP criteria, you may remain on Probation. If you don't meet the terms, you'll be placed on Suspension.