Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements

Effective: Spring 2020

Federal Regulations require that all students receiving Title IV aid meet specific academic requirements.  In compliance with these regulations, all financial aid recipients will have their progress evaluated at the end of each term. All coursework will be reviewed, regardless of whether the student received aid for those courses.  The financial aid satisfactory academic progress (SAP) guidelines for SJDC are as follows:

Academic Requirements

A student must meet all of the following:

  • Be enrolled in an eligible program for the purpose of completing an AA/AS Degree or Certificate.
  • Maintain a minimum financial aid cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0.
  • Complete 67% of the units attempted each semester.
  • Complete 67% of the cumulative units attempted.
  • Have not attempted 150% or more of declared program of study – this includes all known units taken at other Colleges and Institutions (30 units of remedial coursework can be excluded from this total).

Failed, Withdrawals, Incompletes and Repeated Courses

  • Failed (F) and Failed to Withdraw (FW) courses are not considered completed units. However, they will be included in the student’s cumulative GPA calculation and their units attempted. Grades of Military Withdrawal (MW) will not be included in the student's GPA or units attempted.
  • Courses with Excused Withdrawal (EW), Incomplete (I), Withdrawal (W), Failed to Withdraw (FW) and Fail (F) are considered unsatisfactory grades and are included in attempted units.
    • Exception: COVID-related EW's acquired during the COVID-19 pandemic period (Spring 2020 through Spring 2023) will not have a negative impact on students' SAP. These course units will be excluded from attempted units.
  • Repeated courses will be counted each time they are taken.

Financial Aid SAP Status

The following are the different statuses:

  • Meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress: the student is currently maintaining the Academic Requirements, as outlined above
  • Financial Aid Warning: the student did not meet the Academic Requirements (as outlined above) in the most recent attempted term
    1. The student will have one subsequent term to regain Meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) (as outlined under Academic Requirements)
    2. During the subsequent term, students on Financial Aid Warning will still receive financial aid
    3. Failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress after one subsequent term will result in Financial Aid Disqualification
  • Financial Aid Disqualification: the student has not met the Academic Requirements for two or more consecutive terms
    1. Once disqualified, students can regain eligibility by meeting the Academic Requirements above to be reinstated for financial aid eligibility OR file a financial aid appeal to be placed on Financial Aid Probation – see the section, Financial Aid Appeal Policy, for more information
  • Financial Aid Probation: the student has been reinstated for financial aid eligibility on a conditional basis. For more information, please see the section, Financial Aid Appeal Policy.