Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

In order to maintain eligibility for financial aid with the qualitative standard, students must maintain the academic standing necessary to remain at University of the West of Scotland. The University has clear assessment guidelines for undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes. At Undergraduate level this requires an aggregate mark of 40% in all modules, with no component of assessment less than 30%. At Postgraduate level this requires an aggregate mark of aggregate of 50% in all modules, with no component of assessment less than 40%.

For programmes of more than two academic years, each aid funded student must have a grade point average or grade of at least C or its equivalent, in order to continue to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students who fall below this will be withdrawn for their loan programme.

Students who fail to maintain sufficient academic progress will be also be withdrawn from their academic programme, after they have exhausted all of their opportunities to resit as defined in the Regulations. The withdrawal of students will follow policies and procedures detailed in the assessment guidelines and our Withdrawal Guidance leaflet (PDF). Students who are readmitted to the programme may be issued a one-time waiver to continue receiving financial aid, details are specified below.

You must be registered for a minimum of half the full-time hours for a particular programme. In order to meet the quantitative standard, you must complete and pass exams and coursework or carry out research for your degree programme. You can find programme requirements in your Programme Handbooks, and wider guidelines as set out in the attendance policies for taught and research students.

In order to maintain eligibility for funds the maximum timeframe for completion of a degree programme may not exceed 150% of the published length of a programme.

UWS programmes are based on Credit Hours – each programme of study (Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Programmes) is fully described in the Programme Specification and Module Database and students will be advised on the number of modules that they are enrolled on. For the majority of taught programmes, students would normally complete six 20 point modules in the SCQF framework per annum. This means that their Quantitative element of their registration would expires when they had attempted 9 modules (150%) at any level.

At research level, students must complete their studies within 150% of the published timeframe. Students should be aware then that they will be bound by the shorter of the UWS maximum or FAFSA maximum, as outlined below:

Research Degree Type (normal registration / maximum UWS registration / maximum FAFSA registration)

• MRes (12 months / 24 months / 18 months)
• MPhil (24 months / 36 months / 36 months)
• MPhil/PhD (36 months / 48 months / 54 months)
• PhD Direct (36 months / 48 months / 54 months)
• DBA (36 months / 48 months / 54 months)

Please also note:

• Periods when a student does not receive funds will be included in the maximum timeframe.
• Students who transfer from another institution will have the time spent at the first institution included in the maximum timeframe measured in Credit Hours. Credit Hours from another institution that are accepted towards the student’s educational programme at UWS must count as both attempted and completed hours.
• Periods of formal interruption to study from a course will not be included in the maximum timeframe for the purposes of the academic programme but may result in withdrawal of loan funds. Students will not be permitted an interruption or Leave of Absence of more than 180 days for the purposes of their Loan Programme.

The student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress is determined by a combination of Programme Assessment Board decisions along with the pace of completion which can be affected by module incompletes, withdrawals, repetitions or transfer credits.

The UWS FSA Funding Team will monitor each loan funded student’s performance at every disbursement point, ensuring that both qualitative and quantitative expectations are being met.

Students will normally be expected to complete their studies at a rate of 67% Minimum Pace of Completion Calculation). If a student withdraws from a module or fails to complete it in an assessment period, this will count as a zero towards their quantitative assessment. Transfers in will carry the normal credit hour in any calculation. Resits will gain credit in the period they have been passed.

At UWS, there is a maximum module mark of 40% for resits in levels 10 and 11 in the SCQF framework, and so resit marks are capped for the purposes of degree classification.

The UWS FSA Funding Team will monitor the maximum timeframe, the minimum pace of completion, and the academic marks for each module in parallel with the Programme Assessment Boards on a Semester basis. The assessment used for Satisfactory Academic Progress will be identical to that used for the official grade.

A student who fails either measure of SAP will become ineligible for aid, but may receive a Financial Aid Warning initially. This is a temporary one payment period status, which allows the student to continue receiving aid.

A student may also be placed on Financial Aid Probation - a status under which a student can remain Title IV-eligible after being found not to be making Satisfactory Academic Progress. The student placed on probation must either be on-track to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements by the end of the subsequent payment period (no academic plan required, based on the financial aid appeal), or, if the student will require more than one payment period to meet SAP requirements, UWS will require the student to develop an academic plan to meet the SAP requirements. Students cannot be placed on Financial Assistance probation unless they submit an appeal and appeal had been approved.

Students may seek to bring credits from other institutions towards the requirements of a programme at application. All applications will be fully evaluated and any credit that is applicable will be accepted. Students will then be exempt from some classes and assessments but will still have to meet minimum credit requirement for their loan programme eligibility.

The University will only use credit gained at UWS to calculate degree classification, but will use credit hours towards qualitative and quantitative SAP calculations.

Students who decide to change their degree or programme objective will be evaluated similarly to transfer Students with the exception that the grades previously earned at UWS will be used to measure qualitative requirements.

If you have completed a degree programme and wish to study another degree at the same level, you must apply to that degree programme as would any other applicant and meet the admission requirements for the new programme. Federal loan eligibility will be limited to the aggregate programme maximums under Federal Regulations.

However you should note that current UK Immigration rules require students to study at a level higher than previously – for Visa Purpose. Please check current regulations prior to application.

As a student receiving financial aid, you will be evaluated prior to each disbursement of Direct Loans (with the exception of the first disbursement). This evaluation process will consider your progress as per the qualitative and quantitative standards detailed above. You will be required to submit the Progress Review Form to your Personal Tutor/Programme Leader for sign-off before each disbursement.

You will be notified in writing of being placed on Financial Aid Warning or Probation on the basis of the evaluation stated above. An appeal procedure for verifiable or unforeseen circumstances is available if you believe you meet these criteria. Please note the University cannot waive the satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirement for any student.

Students who fail to achieve the required qualitative and quantitative standards will be placed on Financial Aid Warning for one payment period. Aid is disbursed during this period.

Students may appeal their Financial Aid Warning, via written appeal within ten days of receipt of the notice of Warning. Students who appeal will be informed in writing of the decision, which is final.

Students who have been notified of Financial Aid Warning may appeal if one or more of the following circumstances exist:

• Death of a family member (parent, spouse, sibling, child, etc.)
• Extended illness of the student that causes the student to be absent from studies at the University for at least 15 days
• Extended illness of an immediate family member that places hardship on the student. Immediate family members include parent, spouse, sibling or dependent
• Mitigating or extenuating circumstances as determined in line with UWS Extenuating Circumstances guidelines

Students who appeal should address in detail any extenuating circumstances that have affected the student’s academic performance and what has changed that will allow the student to make SAP at the next evaluation. The letter of appeal must be received within ten days of receipt of the notice of Warning. All documentation to support the appeal must accompany the appeal letter at the time of submission.

Students who successfully appeal are placed on Probation. UWS must determine that the student should be able to improve and make SAP standards after one term of Probation and may be required to fulfil an Academic Plan with specific conditions. Aid will be disbursed during this period.

Students who meet SAP standards after Probation/Plan will be placed back into good financial aid (SAP) standing.

Students whose appeals have been denied will be provided with an alternative Plan by UWS to re-establish eligibility.

Students cannot have 2 consecutive terms of Probation.

Please note that students undertaking any part of their course in the USA or drop below 50% FTE are not entitled to Federal Aid. This regulation is not covered by the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy above and therefore is not subject to a Financial Aid Warning, Probation or Appeal.

Financial Aid Warnings and Probation are related solely to students’ eligibility to receive Federal Student Financial Assistance from the US Department of Education and will not affect their enrolment status.