Financial Aid

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP)

(Revised 7/1/2023)

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards

The University has adopted the satisfactory progress standards below for all degree-seeking students, those receiving financial assistance and those not receiving financial assistance. This mean that an enrolled degree-seeking student must make satisfactory academic progress toward obtaining an appropriate degree during each academic term. These standards are applicable to all degree programs and for all federal financial aid programs (i.e., Pell Grant, FSEOG, and Direct Loans); state financial aid programs (i.e., KEES, CAP, and KTG); and institutional financial aid programs (i.e., KCU awards, KCU grants and KCU scholarships) administered by Kentucky Christian University. 

Policy. At Kentucky Christian University, in order to continue enrollment, a student must demonstrate satisfactory progress by maintaining a minimum grade point average (a qualitative measure). For financial aid purposes only, a student must also successfully complete a minimum number of the total hours attempted (pace, a quantitative measure). The University’s satisfactory progress policy is that degree seeking-students are making satisfactory progress when they meet the following requirements:

1. Undergraduate GPA– An undergraduate student who has attempted up to 29.99 credit hours at KCU or another institution must have at least 1.86 cumulative GPA (based on a 4.00 grade point scale) at KCU at the end of the current semester. A student who has attempted 30 or more credit hours at KCU or another institution must have at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA at KCU at the end of each semester.
2. Graduate GPA– A graduate student must have at least a 2.6 cumulative GPA at the end of their first semester. A graduate student with a cumulative GPA below 2.6 will be placed on academic and financial aid probation for the following semester and must earn a term grade point average of 3.0 or above during the probation term. A cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required to graduate in all graduate degree programs.
3. Pace– For financial aid purposes only, a student must successfully complete a minimum of 67% of the cumulative credit hours attempted during each academic year, including accepted transfer credit hours. Successful completion for this purpose is receiving a grade of “D-“ or better. Satisfactory pace is determined at the end of each academic year.

Procedures. The specific procedures the University uses in applying these satisfactory progress standards are as follows:

1. The final grades for a completed semester are reviewed by the Registrar to determine the satisfactory GPA for all degree-seeking students.
2. Remedial courses, courses taken for audit, and courses in which an earned grade of NC, P, S, U, WD, WP, or WF are not figured in the calculation of a student’s grade point average.
3. GPA and pace percentages are calculated with standard rounding rules to the third digit after the decimal point.

For financial aid purposes only:

4. The pace measure for a completed academic year- cumulative hours completed divided by the cumulative hours attempted- is reviewed by the Director of Financial Aid to determine satisfactory pace progress of all degree-seeking students.
5. Hours attempted for purposes of this policy are defined as those for which a student receives a grade of any form of A, B, C. D. as well as a grade of F, XF, WD, WP, WF, I, IP, P, R, S, or U. Accepted transfer hours will be considered in calculating the total number of hours attempted.
6. Hours completed are defines as those for which a student receives a grade of any form of A, B, C, or D, as well as a grade of S.
7. A grade of F, XF, WD, WF, WP, I, IP, P, R, or U will not qualify as successful completion of hours attempted.
8. Withdrawing from a course at any point after the drop/add period will be considered attempted hours and will negatively affect the student’s completion rate or pace, which could have an effect on the student’s future financial aid.
9. If otherwise eligible, a student is eligible to receive financial aid during a term of probation and/or during a term in which they may be repeating a course.
10. A full-time student retains financial aid eligibility if they have attempted no more than 150% of the time required for their current academic program (e.g., 6 years for a 4-year degree program, 3 years for a 2-year degree program).
11. A student retains financial aid eligibility if they have attempted no more than 160% of the credit hours required for their current academic program (e.g., 180 credit hours for 120-credit hour degree program, 90 credit hours for a 60-credit hour degree program).

Probation and Suspension. Failure to meet the satisfactory progress standards described above will result in academic probation and/or financial aid probation. If the standard GPA is not reached at the end of the probationary semester, academic suspension and/or financial aid suspension will follow.

Students who are on academic probation are not allowed to carry a class load of more than 15 credit hours in the following semester. NOTE: When feasible, students should re-take courses in which they performed poorly as soon as possible, as a higher grade when the class is retaken removes the previous poor grade from the GPA calculation.

Any full-time student whose semester GPA falls between 0.50 and 1.0 is automatically placed on academic probation for the following semester, regardless of the student’s cumulative GPA.

Any full-time student whose semester GPA falls below 0.50, regardless of the student’s cumulative GPA, is placed on academic suspension. Students who are academically suspended cannot take any classes at KCU (online classes included). They must take and pass 12 transferrable hours in core academic courses with a minimum grade of “C” in each course. Then, they may apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions. If possible, courses not passed at KCU should be taken to improve their academic standing upon return.

Suspension Appeal. Academic suspension may be waived if the student’s GPA is within .25 points of the necessary cumulative GPA. For information concerning this waiver, the suspended student should contact the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Students who are placed on academic suspension and who do not meet the requirements for an

Academic Suspension Waiver may appeal to the Enrollment Management Committee. The student must submit a written appeal. In their appeal, they must explain why they failed to meet the minimum standards and what has changed or will change to allow them to demonstrate satisfactory progress in the future. They must describe any extenuating circumstances that should be considered by the Committee. Students should also paint a clear, concise picture for the Committee of any specific changes in behavior, study habits, etc., that they will make in order to ensure a better opportunity for success. They must submit their written appeal to the Vice President of Student Services, who will take the appeal to the Enrollment Management Committee for consideration. Students will be notified of the decision of the Committee within two business days of the Committee’s meeting. If the suspension appeal is granted, the student will be considered to be on academic and financial aid probation and their financial aid eligibility may be reinstated for the following semester (one payment period). Students who are placed on academic suspension for a second time may be considered for readmissions only after two years from the beginning of the second semester.

Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility. If a student’s financial aid eligibility is suspended for failure to maintain satisfactory progress as defined above, it may be reinstated after the students demonstrates satisfactory progress. One option for reinstatement is for the student to enroll in and successfully complete a subsequent academic term at KCU (fall, spring) at his or her own expense. Another option for reinstatement is for the student to take and pass 12 transferable credit hours in core academic courses with a minimum earned grade of “C” in each course. Then, they may apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions.

If the student meets the minimum standards after considering the results of the self-pay or transfer term, the student should submit a written appeal to the Director of Financial Aid explaining that they have completed a subsequent term at their own expense or at another institution and they now meet satisfactory progress standards to regain financial aid eligibility. The reinstatement decision of the Director of Financial Aid is final.

A student who is placed on financial aid suspension for not meeting the 67% Pace measure of satisfactory progress may submit a written appeal to the Financial Aid Director that is based on the student’s injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other special circumstances. The written appeal must explain why the student failed to make satisfactory progress with regard to Pace and what has changed that will allow them to make satisfactory Pace progress at the end of the next payment period. If the student’s financial aid suspension appeal is granted, the student will be placed on financial aid probation for the next payment period. If the Financial Aid Director determines that the student will require more than one payment period to meet the 67% Pace progress standard, the Director will develop and academic plan for the student that will be reviewed at the end of each payment period while the students is on financial aid probation. If the student with an academic plan fails to make progress with the academic plan, the student’s financial aid suspension will be reinstated. The student’s financial aid eligibility remains intact while the student is on financial aid probation. The suspension appeal decision of the Financial Aid Director is final.