Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

To meet SAP requirements, a student must remain in good academic standing. Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum cumulative  (grade point) average required for their program at all times. Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative (grade point) average of 70% at all times.

Read our SAP Policy here.

For students who have applied for or who are in receipt of Direct Loan funding, the Office of Student Awards & Financial Aid will monitor academic progress, including pace of degree completion, on a term by term basis to ensure loan recipients continue to meet SAP requirements. 

To continue to receive US Federal Student Aid while on academic probation, a student must demonstrate that they experienced unanticipated, extenuating personal circumstances that prevented them from successfully completing their previous academic term. While the University of Windsor will permit a student to continue with their studies for an additional term while on academic probation,making an effort to regain good academic standing, US Federal Student Aid – University of Windsor SAP requirements will potentially restrict a student after one term unless a student can demonstrate that they experienced extenuating circumstances. This policy applies to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Students must remain on pace to complete their degree program within 150% of the published program length. For instance, a student enrolled in a general (three year/thirty credit) undergraduate degree program must complete degree requirements within 45 attempted courses in order to be considered for Title IV Direct Loan funding. Transfer courses, voluntary withdrawals and course repeats are considered "attempted courses" for the purpose of determining SAP. For students registered in a graduate program that is 2 years or 6 academic terms in length, the graduate student must complete their degree requirements within 9 academic terms.

Federal student aid applies only to classes that apply to your degree program. It does not apply to continuing education courses, English as Second Language courses, courses you take after finishing degree requirements, etc. Courses which are for personal/professional enrichment are NOT ELIGIBLE for federal student aid.

Students may not receive federal student aid twice for a course for which they have already received credit. This means that if a student receives a “D” in the course and gets credit for it, but retakes the course to get a better grade, the student is not eligible to receive aid for the class taken the second time.

Students enrolled in summer session must meet the same incremental and grade point requirements they would if they attended a regular fall or winter session. Similarly, periods when a student does not receive Title IV funding are counted toward the maximum time frame allowable for completion of degree requirements.

Transfer credits which are counted towards degree requirements are considered when determining the maximum time frame allowable for degree completion and receipt of federal student aid. Non-degree related transfer credits are not considered as courses required to complete degree requirements and are therefore not included in the degree “time to completion” standards.

Students may not receive aid for courses in a degree program for which they have already received a degree. For instance, if a student receives a Master’s Degree in History, the student is not eligible for financial aid for further courses in the Master’s in History program.

Once a student has completed degree requirements, whether or not the degree has been conferred, the student is no longer eligible for federal student aid. For example, if a student has completed the requirements of her/his degree program, but the degree cannot be conferred because the student’s cumulative average is less than 60%, the student cannot receive federal student aid to take classes to increase her/his average. Further, any class for which the student received credit should be a class that applies to the student’s degree program. 

Students denied financial aid because of failure to satisfy SAP requirements may appeal the denial in writing to the Student Awards Administrator if there are mitigating circumstances no later than the end of the first week of classes of the term immediately following the term where SAP has not been maintained. The appeal letter must:

• Describe in detail and document all circumstances which the student believes are relevant to his or her inability to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements
• Detail the steps that the student has taken to ensure that the cause issues have been resolved and will no longer present a barrier to the student’s academic progress.
• Must submit letters of appeal and supporting documents to the attention of:
  Student Awards Administrator
  Student Awards & Financial Aid
  University of Windsor
  401 Sunset Ave.
  Windsor, ON N9B 3P4
  Fax: (519) 971-7087;
  Email: usfinaid@uwindsor.ca
  Reference: US Federal Student Aid SAP Appeal
• In the case where an appeal made on the basis of mitigating circumstances is denied, the student has no further recourse.
• A student may request an appointment to discuss the matter with the Student Awards Administrator by calling 519-253-3000 Ext. 3300 or by sending an email to award1@uwindsor.ca.
• If a student becomes ineligible for financial aid due to a lack of satisfactory academic progress, he or she may regain eligibility by meeting the SAP policy without the benefit of federal student aid at the University of Windsor for one term of study. To do this, the student must enroll and successfully complete all courses which are applicable to their degree at the University of Windsor until such time their cumulative average is sufficient to meet SAP policy. If a student successfully completes one term of full-time study but has not reached a minimum cumulative average of 60%, the student may submit an academic plan that demonstrates that they are committed to attaining the minimum cumulative average of 60% requirement.

Note: If at any point a student becomes mathematically unable to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements, whether based on credits attempted, years completed, or cumulative average, federal regulations mandate the termination of financial aid.