Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal and state regulations require that all financial aid recipients meet specific academic standards as part of the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. Except for some private and institutional funds, all forms of financial aid (grants, loans and work-study) are affected by this policy. Satisfactory Academic Progress is determined at the end of each semester a student is enrolled in.

The Financial Aid Office at FRCC is required by the US Department of Education to review the academic progress of each financial aid recipient, including periods when financial aid was not received. In order to remain in good standing for financial aid eligibility, students must meet and maintain standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress.

What is Satisfactory Academic Progress?

A student's entire academic history at Front Range Community College is considered, including periods when financial aid was not received. The four components of Satisfactory Academic Progress are:

• Cumulative GPA: 2.0 or above
• Cumulative completion rate: 67% or above
• Maximum time frame for the degree or program: Students must complete a degree or certificate prior to attempting 150% of the number of credits needed for their degree or certificate.
• Successful completion of at least one course in any attempted semester.

Who Needs to Appeal?

• Students who withdraw and/or fail to complete all of their courses during a single term.
• Students who do not meet SAP standards for two terms.
• Students who failed to meet the conditions of a previously approved appeal's probationary plan.

Any student who is ineligible for financial aid has the opportunity to appeal their status with the FRCC Financial Aid Office. Financial aid staff notifies students via their CCCS student email account if they are not meeting any of the above standards and need to appeal. If you know you will not meet one of the above standards during the semester, please contact the Financial Aid Office to learn about your appeal options. Students can view the complete Colorado Community College Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for additional information. The appeal form may be accessed under financial aid forms.

Appeal Forms

To complete a financial aid appeal, you will need to submit your request via the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal form. Students should gather all supporting documentation before completing an appeal. Only complete appeals with supporting documentation attached will be reviewed.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Form

If you are appealing for a medical and/or mental health reason, you are required to have your doctor or mental health practitioner complete the FRCC Medical/Mental Health Documentation Form to include with your appeal. Due to privacy issues, do not submit doctor or practitioner notes, medical charts, etc. Only a complete and signed FRCC Medical/Mental Health Documentation Form will be accepted.

A student whose appeal has been denied by financial aid has the right to complete a second appeal to be reviewed by a separate committee. For more information about this process, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.

Processing Timeline

Satisfactory Academic Progress appeals are reviewed consistently throughout the year and students who have appealed through financial aid should receive a decision within two to three weeks after submitting the online SAP Appeal form. If additional documentation is requested, the timeline for review will be extended. We encourage students to check their student-issued CCCS email account, accessible through eWOLF, for updates on the status of their appeal.

The review time for secondary appeals can be three to four weeks. If additional documentation is needed or requested, this timeline may be extended. Additionally, appeal review time may be delayed in the months of August and January, due to high volume at the start of each term.