Reviewed & Updated: August 2025
Students receiving financial aid must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) towards the completion of course requirements for an associate degree or eligible technical diploma. Students can only receive federal financial aid for credits that are required in their program area or identified remedial courses. All periods of enrollment (i.e. fall, spring and summer terms) and applicable credits are considered in determining SAP even if the student did not receive financial aid for them. To be considered achieving SAP at Nicolet College a student must meet all of the following three requirements:
1. Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement:
A student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better. Remedial credits will be considered in GPA. For repeat coursework, the highest grade received will be considered.
Transfer credits are not included in GPA.
2. Completion Rate Percentage Requirement:
A student must successfully maintain a cumulative completion rate of 67% of all credits attempted. Attempted credits are defined as the total credits in which a student is enrolled (including remedial, repeated courses, withdrawals, incompletes and transfer credits) even if the student did not receive aid for them.
Transfer credits are considered both attempted and completed for this calculation.
3. Maximum Time Frame Requirement:
Students must complete an associate degree or eligible technical diploma before 150% of credits required for graduation are attempted. (Example: If an associate degree requires 60 credits, a student must complete the degree before 90 credits have been attempted.) Students are ineligible for continued federal financial aid at the point when they cannot mathematically complete their program within the 150% time frame.
The student will begin a new 150% maximum time frame when they change or add a new program after receiving a successful appeal from the Financial Aid Office.
Remedial Courses:
A student admitted to an eligible program may take up to one academic year’s worth of remedial non-program credits to be included in the evaluation of a student’s SAP.
Repeated Coursework:
Once a student has received a passing grade in a course, they can only receive financial aid for one additional attempt at attaining a better grade. All repeats will be included in credits attempted, but only the highest grade will be included in GPA. All passing grades will be included in completed credits. A grade does not have to meet requirements for the program to be considered passing for repeat coursework.
Incompletes:
A grade of “I” (Incomplete) may be changed to a passing grade within one term from the date of award of this grade if the student satisfactorily completes all the course requirements as set by the course instructor. Otherwise after this period the “I” will be considered an earned “F”. Incompletes are not included in credits attempted until the final grade is determined. The grade is also not considered in calculating GPA. When the grade of “I” changes to a passing or failing grade, SAP is re-calculated prior to the students next disbursement of financial aid.
Transfer Credits:
They will not be included in GPA calculations but will be included in attempted and completed credits for completion rate and maximum time frame requirements.
Evaluation:
A financial aid recipient’s SAP is evaluated after the completion of each term or payment period (i.e. fall, spring and summer terms) including periods when a student does not receive financial aid. Student SAP calculations are updated when final grades are received.
Financial Aid Warning:
If the student does not meet the SAP standards, they will be placed on Financial Aid Warning for one term so they can get back in good standing while remaining eligible for financial aid. During this warning term, the student must meet the SAP standards at the end of the term or they will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension.
Financial Aid Suspension:
If the student does not meet the minimum SAP standards after their warning or probation term, they will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and will be ineligible for federal financial aid. Students can request an appeal to reinstate their financial aid if they have extenuating circumstances affecting their enrollment and academic progress.
Appeal Process:
Appeals cannot be based on a need for aid or lack of knowledge of the warning status. An appeal must be based on an unusual situation or condition which prevented the student from being successful (i.e. illness, injury, etc.). Documentation may be required. Students who believe their circumstances merit reconsideration may appeal their suspension by submitting a Financial Aid Appeal Form (available HERE.)
Financial Aid Probation:
Students whose SAP appeal is approved will be placed on Financial Aid Probation. After establishing an academic plan with their Success Coach, they may regain eligibility for one payment period. At the end of one probationary term, the student must meet SAP and the conditions of the appeal to be eligible for further aid. Students on probation who will not be able to meet the SAP standards at the end of the term but have met the conditions of their appeal, may be required to appeal again, or fulfill other designated requirements. Their probation may be continued for another term with the creation of a new academic plan with their Success Coach. This plan must ensure that the student will be able to meet SAP within a specific time frame. Students who chose not to appeal may continue their enrollment but will not receive financial aid and must self-pay until they meet the SAP standards of this policy or have a successful appeal decision.
Financial Aid Denial:
Students who did not meet the conditions of their probation or who had their appeal denied will be ineligible for a financial aid appeal until they successfully pass at least six credits with a 2.0 GPA in every class and do not withdraw from any classes. If they withdraw or get less than a 2.0 in any class, they must again pass six credits with a 2.0 GPA in a future term(s). Once they have met these requirements, they may appeal their suspension.
Withdrawals with Passing SAP versus Withdrawal with Failing SAP does not apply