Maintaining Eligibility
To maintain eligibility to receive financial aid, students must meet the following requirements:
- Be a degree-seeking student.
- Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
- Be enrolled at least half-time.
Scholarships & Financial Aid monitors SAP at the end of every semester. Professional programs, including law, medical, veterinary medicine, dental and pharmacy students, are reviewed annually. Please note that SAP and minimum enrollment requirements may differ by financial aid program.
If a student does not meet the requirements for SAP, they have the right to appeal and provide information about extenuating circumstances that may have hindered their progress. Appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Dropping and withdrawing from classes are counted as unsuccessful completions when calculating SAP and may affect a student's current financial aid. This can lower the completion rate, and if it falls below the required level, it may result in the loss of financial aid eligibility in future terms.
Components
There are three components to SAP. If a student does not comply with any component, they may lose aid eligibility.1. Minimum Grade Point Average - (Cumulative TAMU GPA)
- Undergraduate Students: 2.0
- (Includes Undergraduate students in the College of Nursing, College of Dentistry, and School of Public Health)
- Graduate Students: 3.0
- (Includes Graduate students in the College of Nursing, College of Dentistry, School of Law, College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, and School of Public Health)
- Professional Programs:
- Veterinary Medicine Students: 2.0
- Law Students 2.33
- Medical Students: 2.0
- Dentistry Students: 2.0
- Pharmacy Students: 2.3
2. Completion Rate (Deficit Hours)
Students must successfully complete a minimum percentage of all credit hours attempted. This percentage includes all institutional and transfer credit hours, regardless of whether or not financial aid was received. Grades of W, F, I, U, Q, X, NG, and grade exclusions are not considered to be adequate grades for completion.- Undergraduate Students: 75%
- (Includes Undergraduate students in the College of Nursing, College of Dentistry, and School of Public Health)
- Graduate Students: 67%
- (Includes Graduate students in the College of Nursing, College of Dentistry, School of Law, College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, and School of Public Health)
- Professional Students:
- Veterinary Medicine Students: 67%
- Law Students: 67%
- Medical Students: 67%
- Dentistry Students: 67%
- Pharmacy Students: 67%
3. Maximum Hours (Excessive Hours)
Students are expected to complete their degree within a maximum timeframe, including transfer hours earned as well as institutional attempted hours. They may not receive financial assistance beyond the following:- Undergraduate: 134% of degree requirements
- (Includes Undergraduate students in the College of Nursing, College of Dentistry, and School of Public Health)
- Students enrolled in a second bachelor's degree will also be held to the 134% degree requirement calculation. However, only credit hours from their first degree that apply to the second degree will be counted as attempted hours. The total attempted hours will account for previous degree hours plus current degree hours attempted.
- Graduate Students: 150% of degree program requirements
- (Includes Graduate students in the College of Nursing, College of Dentistry, School of Law, College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, and School of Public Health)
- Professional Students:
- Veterinary Medicine Students: 200 hours
- Law Students 135 hours
- Medical Students: 291 hours
- Dentistry Students: 246 hours
- Pharmacy Students: 219 hours
Warnings
Students who do not meet SAP minimums will be placed on a warning status at the end of the semester. During the next semester of enrollment (warning semester), they will still be eligible for financial aid. If SAP standards are not met by the end of the warning semester, the student will become ineligible for financial aid but may submit an appeal. The appeal process is outlined below.Please note that annually reviewed professional students (law, medical, veterinary medicine, dental and pharmacy) who do not meet SAP requirements will not receive a warning semester, but will have the opportunity to appeal.
Notifications
Students who fail to meet SAP minimums are not eligible to receive financial aid. Students will be notified of their ineligibility through their TAMU email address and the Financial Aid Portal.Continuing Eligibility
Students who graduate from Texas A&M but do not meet SAP standards are ineligible for aid for additional coursework at the same degree level (e.g., teacher certification or post-baccalaureate work). However, they may consult a Financial Aid advisor to explore eligibility options. SAP will be re-evaluated for students starting a new degree level (e.g., undergraduate to graduate or professional) based on performance at that level.Grading Errors
Grade changes that take place after a SAP evaluation will be included in the next official evaluation at the end of the following semester. If a grading error is corrected after a SAP evaluation was completed, students may contact our office by phone, email, or in person to request a recalculation of SAP status using the corrected grade. Recalculations will not be done for an Incomplete (I) grade.If extenuating circumstances prevented a student from meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements, federal regulations allow the student to appeal the resulting loss of financial aid eligibility.
Students may submit an appeal through the Financial Aid Portal. In the appeal, students must explain the extenuating circumstances that affected their academic performance, provide supporting documentation and describe the steps they are taking to improve.
- Log in to Howdy
- Search for Financial Aid Portal, and follow the link to the portal
- In the left menu, select Status and review items listed under "To-Do"
- Complete and submit the online SAP Appeal Form(s)
- Print the Academic Advisor Appeal Questionnaire Form and meet with assigned Academic Advisor to complete. Once finished, upload this to the Financial Aid Portal.
- After the above steps are complete, a link will be available in the Financial Aid Portal to schedule an appointment with a financial aid advisor.
If an appeal is approved, the student will be placed on financial aid probation and must follow an academic plan designed to help them meet SAP requirements in future semesters. If the student does not meet the terms of the probation, financial aid eligibility will end, and any remaining aid will be canceled. Additional appeals for the same issue are not permitted. To regain eligibility after failing to meet the terms of the academic plan, students must meet SAP requirements on their own without the benefit of financial aid.
Scholarships & Financial Aid does not recognize the GPA that results from the submission of the Grade Exclusion Form. Grade-excluded courses will be calculated in the financial aid GPA based on the grading mark earned in each course (D, F, or U).
Students must complete at least 75% of all coursework attempted. Since grade-excluded courses cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements, they will be considered attempted but not passed. This will impact cumulative hours completed and possibly leave undergraduate students to fall below the minimum 75% completion rate that is required for Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Grade exclusions may also impact student loan eligibility. Annual loan limits are determined based on classification. Grade exclusion may change a student’s grade level/classification.
*Grade exclusions are no longer an option available to students after August 2013.
Please see the chart below for enrollment status for undergraduate, graduate and professional students. Veterinary Medicine students enrolled in graduate coursework during the summer and students in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) will follow the graduate enrollment requirements.
For Federal, State and Institutional Aid (including scholarships), the following will apply:
| Classification | Fall | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | Full-time: 12 Three-quarter: 9 Half-time: 6 | Full-time: 12 Three-quarter: 9 Half-time: 6 | Full-time: 12 Three-quarter: 9 Half-time: 6 |
| Graduate | Full-time: 9 Three-quarter: 7 Half-time: 5 | Full-time: 9 Three-quarter: 7 Half-time: 5 | Full-time: 6 Three-quarter: 5 Half-time: 3 |
For Federal, State and Institutional Aid (including scholarships), the following will apply to these Professional Programs: Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Law (JD), Medicine (MD), Dentistry (DDS), Pharmacy (Pharm D)
| Semester | Fall | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Students | Full-time: 12 Three-quarter: 9 Half-time: 6 | Full-time: 12 Three-quarter: 9 Half-time: 6 | Full-time: 8 Three-quarter: 6 Half-time: 4 |
Professional students enrolled in graduate coursework during the summer will follow the Graduate enrollment requirements.
Federal regulations require colleges to consider all educational financial assistance to be calculated in determining student eligibility. If it is determined an over award has occurred and needs to be resolved, it may result in funds being returned to an aid program and the student owing the University money.
Financial assistance includes:
- Grants
- Loans
- Scholarships
- Waivers, fellowships & assistantships
- Work Study
- Specific Veteran educational benefits
- Programs used to cover postsecondary educational expenses
An over award will be caused when a student receives more aid than their:
- Financial Need
- Enrollment eligibility
- Cost of attendance
Scholarships & Financial Aid is required to correct all over awards at the time they occur. If a student receives additional resources after all aid has been disbursed, then their aid will be adjusted as needed to keep eligibility for each aid program. If the adjustment results in the student owing a balance of $500 or more, Scholarships & Financial Aid (along with Student Business Services) will place a hold on their account. The hold will prevent course registration. Once payment is made, the hold will automatically expire.
Scholarships & Financial Aid awards all students assuming full-time enrollment. Students’ records are then reviewed each semester to determine if they are enrolled less than full-time. If students are enrolled less than full time, adjustments are made to their financial aid. This review and adjustment occurs each semester, before the financial aid disbursement date and again at census date (12th class day for fall and spring, 4th class day for summer).
| Award/Program | Requires Full-Time Enrollment | Is Prorated if not Enrolled Full-Time | Requires at least 3/4 time Enrollment | Requires at least 1/2 time Enrollment | Is Prorated if not Enrolled 1/2 Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College Access Loan | X | ||||
| Federal Direct Loan - Subsidized | X | ||||
| Federal Direct Loan - Unsubsidized | X | ||||
| Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan | X | ||||
| Federal Pell Grant | X | X | |||
| Federal SEOG | X | ||||
| Federal Work Study | X | ||||
| Private/Alternative Loan1 | Varies by lender | ||||
| Regents' Scholarship | X | ||||
| Scholarships2 | X | ||||
| Federal TEACH Grant | X | X | |||
| TEXAS Grant | X | X | |||
| Texas Aggie Grant | X | X | |||
| Texas Aggie Graduate Grant | X | X | |||
| Texas Aggie Scholarship | X | X | |||
| Texas College Work Study | X | ||||
| Texas Public Education Grant - Resident | X | X | |||
| Texas Public Education Grant - Nonresident | X | X | |||
| Texas Public Education Grant - International | X | ||||
(1) Refer to Alternative Loan Page for more information.
(2) Refer to the award donor or the Scholarship Handbook.
*The above chart is based on policy for Fall and Spring semesters. Please note summer award proration may differ.
Federal financial aid regulations require us to confirm whether a student began attendance in at least one course to establish eligibility for federal student loans. Based on the information we receive, adjustments to financial aid awards may be necessary and will likely result in a balance due to the University.
Instructors will confirm if a student began attendance or became academically engaged in courses through Howdy. Instructors may reference any of the following to confirm that a student began academic engagement:
If a student attended a class (in-person or synchronous online) where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students
If a student submitted an academic assignment
If a student took an exam
If a student participated in an interactive tutorial, webinar, or other interactive computer-assisted instruction
If a student participated in a study group, online discussion, or group project that is assigned by the institution
If a student interacted with an instructor about academic matters
Please note that the following DO NOT constitute attendance for financial aid purposes:
Logging into an online class without active participation (including accessing prerecorded lectures that do not allow for direct interaction between the instructor and students)
Living in university housing
Utilizing university meal plans
Meeting with an academic advisor or participating in group advising
Attending a voluntary or informal study group not assigned by the university
If the instructor confirms attendance in the class, financial aid will not be adjusted. If we do not receive confirmation for attendance in the course(s), we are required to adjust offered financial aid based on the remaining hours enrolled. If we do not receive confirmation for attendance for ANY enrolled course, we are required to cancel ALL federal financial aid.
In addition to potentially affecting current semester financial aid, drops and withdrawals are considered unsuccessfully completed coursework when determining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and will impact completion rate. If a student drops below the necessary completion rate, they may lose eligibility for financial aid in future semesters. For more information on SAP, please review the SAP information above.
To determine the amount of aid the student has earned up to the time of withdrawal, Scholarships & Financial Aid will divide the number of calendar days the student attended classes by the total number of calendar days in the semester (minus any scheduled breaks of 5 days or more). The resulting percentage is then multiplied by the total federal funds that were disbursed (either to the student’s university account or to the student directly by check or direct deposit) for the semester. This calculation determines the amount of aid earned by the student, which they may keep (e.g., if the student attended 25% of the term, the student will have earned 25% of the aid disbursed). The unearned amount – total aid disbursed minus the earned amount – must be returned to the federal government by the University or the student. Scholarships & Financial Aid will notify and provide instructions to students who are required to return funds to the government.
Allocating Returned Title IV (Federal) Aid
Funds that are returned to the federal government are used to reduce the outstanding balances in individual federal programs. Any state or institutional aid received may also be subject to reduction or cancellation, based on the same withdrawal date used to calculate the return of federal funds.Financial aid returned (by the University and/or by the student or the student's contributor) must be allocated in the following order:
- Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans
- Subsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans
- Federal Direct Parent (PLUS) Loans
- Federal Pell Grant
- Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants
- Federal SEOG
- TEACH Grants
Recipients of financial assistance must comply with the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy, outlined above. Withdrawing may affect a student’s SAP and future financial aid eligibility at Texas A&M University, as they will not have completed the required number of credit hours for which aid was awarded.
Federal regulations limit financial aid eligibility for repeated coursework. The following examples outline situations that are allowed or not allowed under these rules.
Allowed: A student who received an unsatisfactory or failing grade in a course may retake the course to earn a passing grade. There is no limit on the number of times a failed course may be repeated.
Allowed: A student enrolled in 15 or more credit hours, including a previously passed 3-credit-hour course, will not have financial aid eligibility affected if at least 12 credit hours (full-time enrollment) are not repeated courses.
Not allowed: A student who earned a grade of A or B in a course is not eligible for federal financial aid to repeat the course. However, financial aid will not be affected if the student is enrolled in at least 12 other credit hours in addition to the repeated course.
Not allowed: A student who earned a D in a course, retook it for a better grade and earned a C, and wants to take it a third time will not receive financial aid for the repeated course. In this case, financial aid will not be affected if the student is enrolled in at least 12 other credit hours in addition to the repeated course.
Caution: A student who earned a passing grade, such as a C or D, may only retake the course one time with financial aid coverage.
Allowed: The student received an unsatisfactory or failing grade in the course and wants to take the course again to receive a satisfactory or passing grade. The student can take the course again. There is no limit to the number of times a student can retake a course if they continue to receive a failing grade.
Allowed: The student is enrolled in 12 or more credit hours, including a previously passed 3-credit-hour course. The student’s financial aid will not be affected because they are in 9 credit hours (full-time) that are not repeated courses.
Not allowed: The student received an A or a B in a course at Texas A&M and wants to take it again. The student will not get federal financial aid for this class because they have already received a passing grade. However, the student’s financial aid will not be affected if they are enrolled in 9 other credit hours in addition to the repeated class.
Not allowed: The student received a D in a course, then retook it for a better grade and earned a C. The student wants to take it a third time for a better grade. The student will not get financial aid for this class because they have already repeated the class once and received a passing grade each time. However, the student’s financial aid will not be affected if they are enrolled in 9 other credit hours in addition to the repeated class.
Caution: The student received a C or a D in a course and wants to take it again for a better grade. A course can only be retaken one time if the student received a passing grade.