Satisfactory Academic Progress


  • The federal government, through the authority of the Higher Education Act, has instituted guidelines relating to satisfactory academic progress (SAP) for students receiving federal financial aid.

  • SAP must be met for students to receive federal financial aid through Title IV programs, effective the Fall 2011 academic term.

  • Among the required elements of the federal SAP guidelines are that the school’s policy provides for “consistent application of standards to all students within categories of students (e.g., full-time, part-time, undergraduate, and graduate students),” “GPA or other comparable assessment measured against a norm,” “the pace at which a student must progress to complete the program within the maximum timeframe,” and “frequency of SAP evaluation” (Department of Education, 34 CFR 668.34).

  • A student will not receive federal financial aid under Title IV programs if he or she does not demonstrate SAP as defined by the university.
Course Syllabi and SAP
SAP will be achieved as outlined in the objectives set forth in the syllabi listed below:

Recording Procedures for SAP
The student must complete Section I of the NSU—FSE Dissertation Progress Report (below) within the final 3 weeks of each term. The completed report should be sent immediately to the student’s dissertation committee chair.

NSU—FSE Dissertation Progress Report