Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress – Undergraduate, Graduate, and Seminary

Federal regulations require that financial aid recipients meet certain academic standards to be eligible for federal financial aid. To ensure financial aid recipients are making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), academic transcripts are reviewed at the end of each term to determine eligibility for the next term. All terms of attendance are reviewed, including periods in which the student did not receive financial aid. The following guidelines have been established by Lincoln Christian University.

Undergraduate Students

Minimum Cumulative GPA
The following sliding scale of minimum GPA applies to all students.

  • Undergraduate after one semester: 1.50
  • Undergraduate after two semesters: 1.75
  • Undergraduate after three semesters: 2.00

Minimum Credit Completion Requirement
A student must have earned 67 percent of the total hours attempted to be considered eligible for financial aid. Undergraduate and graduate credits cannot be commingled.

Transfer hours will be included in hours attempted. The phrase “hours attempted” is defined as the sum of the hours for all LCU courses and transfer courses for which registration charges were incurred. This includes “W” courses for which no refund was given.

Maximum Time Frame Requirement
Eligibility is terminated at the point when the total hours attempted equals 150 percent of the total degree hours (e.g., 130 hours required X 150 percent = 195 maximum allowable hours). Students will be suspended as soon as it is mathematically not possible to graduate within the Financial Aid Warning and Suspension. Recipients are placed on financial aid warning for the next semester of enrollment when they fail to meet the GPA and credit completion requirement. Students are suspended from receiving financial aid if they do not meet the SAP by the end of their warning term.

A student may make a written appeal to the Financial Aid Committee if the minimum GPA or credit completion requirement is not met. Appeal forms are available in the Financial Aid Office. Part of the appeal process is establishing an academic plan with the student’s advisor. If appeal is granted, a student will be on financial aid probation and will be granted one additional semester of financial aid, until satisfactory academic progress is re-established or the student has successfully followed the academic plan.

Students on financial aid suspension will not receive any form of federal, state, or LCU financial aid (grants or employment). Financial aid eligibility may be reinstated when all requirements of SAP are met. Students suspended from receiving financial aid are not eligible for financial aid. This suspension pertains only to financial aid and does not prevent students from enrolling and paying for classes on their own.

Graduate and Seminary Students

Minimum GPA
Graduate students must maintain a GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) and must have earned 67 percent of the total hours attempted to be considered eligible for financial aid. Undergraduate and graduate credits cannot be commingled.

Transfer hours will be included in hours attempted. The phrase “hours attempted” is defined as the sum of the hours for all LCU courses and transfer courses for which registration charges were incurred. This includes “W” courses for which no refund was given.

Maximum Time Frame Requirement

Eligibility is terminated at the point when total hours attempted equals 150 percent of the total degree hours (e.g., 130 hours required X 150 percent = 195 maximum allowable hours). Students will be suspended as soon as it is mathematically not possible to graduate within the 150 percent timeframe.

Financial Aid Warning and Suspension

Recipients are placed on financial aid warning for the next semester of enrollment when they fail to meet the GPA and Credit Completion requirement.

Students are suspended from receiving financial aid if they do not meet the SAP by the end of their warning term. A student may make a written appeal to the Financial Aid Committee if the minimum GPA or Credit Completion requirement is not met. Appeal forms are available in the Financial Aid Office. Part of the appeal process is establishing an academic plan with one’s advisor. If appeal is granted, a student will be on Financial Aid Probation and will be granted one additional semester of financial aid unless satisfactory academic progress is re-established or the student has successfully followed the academic plan.

Students on financial aid suspension will not receive any form of federal, state, or LCU financial aid (grants, scholarships, student loans, student employment). Financial aid eligibility may be reinstated when all requirements of SAP are met. Students suspended from receiving financial aid are not eligible for a financial aid deferment. This suspension pertains only to financial aid and does not prevent you from enrolling and paying for classes on your own.

Please note that Financial Aid Warning and Suspension are separate conditions from Academic Probation. It is possible, for instance, to be on Financial Aid Warning or Suspension because of not meeting the Maximum Time Frame Requirement, even though academic progress (e.g. grade point average) is acceptable.