Satisfactory Academic Progress

All students who receive federal and/or or state financial aid must make satisfactory academic progress to remain eligible for awards.  Satisfactory academic progress for federal and state financial aid programs is based on three measures:

Cumulative Grade Point Average, Pace of Progression based on credit hours completed compared to attempted, and a Maximum Time frame for degree completion.

While the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy is a minimum requirement to maintain financial aid eligibility, students are encouraged to work closely with academic advisors and college personnel to achieve their educational goals. Good financial planning includes selecting meaningful coursework, completing all registered classes with satisfactory grades, and seeking your degree in a timely manner.

The following describes the Baptist Health Sciences University (Baptist University) standards for each of these three measures, and how these standards are reviewed:

Cumulative Grade-Point Average Standard

The following standard applies to the combined transfer/Baptist University cumulative GPA. Students must meet the following minimum. Quality points are those credits used to compute the grade-point average including grades of A, B, C, D, F, or WF. The first attempt of a course that is repeated is excluded from the quality hour computation.

Must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA to receive federal and/or state student aid.

Pace of Progression Standard

​All students are required to complete a minimum of 67% of all credit hours attempted. Courses with a grade of "D" or better count as completed. Credit hours attempted include audits, incompletes, withdrawals, repeats, and failed classes.

Maximum Timeframe

The maximum timeframe for the completion of an undergraduate degree is limited by federal regulations to 150% of the published length of the degree program. Most undergraduate programs at Baptist Health Sciences University are to be completed with 122 credit hours. The maximum number of hours during which a student is eligible to receive financial aid is 183. The 183 hours includes transfer hours and all attempted hours. Credit hours attempted include audits, incompletes, withdrawals, repeats, and failed classes.

Review of Progress Standards

 GPA - is reviewed annually at the end of each spring trimester.

 Pace of Progression - is reviewed annually at the end of each spring trimester.

Timeframe - is reviewed annually at the end of each spring trimester.

NOTE: If a student is on financial aid probation after having an appeal approved, SAP measurements will be reviewed at the end of each semester.

Notification/Appeals

After the end of each spring trimester, the academic records of all students who are receiving or applying for federal financial aid will be reviewed. Students whose financial aid eligibility is suspended as a result of failure to meet one or more of the standards of satisfactory academic progress will be notified by the Student Financial Aid Office.

Each student must complete a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal on the basis of: student injury or illness, death of a relative, or other special circumstances. Each student's appeal must:

 1) Explain why satisfactory academic progress has been failed;

 2) Include documentation of the aforementioned explanation; and

 3) Indicate what has changed in the student's situation that will allow the student to make satisfactory academic progress at the student's  next evaluation. 

In addition, if a student is appealing due to maximum timeframe, the student must also submit a Graduation Plan signed by the student's academic advisor.

According to federal regulations, financial aid appeals can only be approved for one trimester at a time. If the appeal is approved, the student will be asked to accept and follow an Academic Plan designed by the Financial Aid Office.   After the plan is accepted, the student will be placed on financial aid probation, and granted an approved academic progress standing for one trimester. The Academic Plan is designed to help students maintain financial aid eligibility while they bring their grades and/or progression rate back up to good standing.

The student's grades and progression rate will be reviewed at the end of each trimester. Once they have returned to good financial aid standing, they will no longer be on financial aid probation. If they have not regained good financial aid standing, but met the terms of their Academic Plan for the trimester, financial aid probation will be extended for one more trimester with no need for a new appeal.  However, students who are also failing the maximum timeframe standard may need to submit a new graduation plan.  

Students who do not meet their Academic Plan, or do not return to good financial aid standing are no longer eligible to receive financial aid.  Students are then responsible for paying their own fees and are not eligible for aid until the standards of satisfactory academic progress are met.

Students have the following options to maintain or restore financial aid eligibility:

• Improve academic performance enough to meet the standards,
• Successfully follow the academic plan as instructed and developed by the Student Financial Aid Office, or
• Submit additional satisfactory academic progress appeals for different extenuating circumstances.

A student may have a maximum of three (3) satisfactory academic progress appeals during their academic career at Baptist Health Sciences University. 

Financial Aid Programs Affected by SAP

The following is a list of financial aid programs affected when a student is not meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
• Federal Work Study
• Federal Direct Loans (subsidized & unsubsidized)
• Federal Direct PLUS Loan
• Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA)
• Hope Lottery Scholarship Programs
• Other aid as may be determined by the Financial Aid Office