Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) & Appeals

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

THE APPEAL PROCESS IS CONDUCTED 100% ONLINE/VIRTUALLY, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. START THE APPEAL PROCESS BY COMPLETING A REQUEST FORM.

Appeal Request Form

Eligibility

To be eligible to receive federal and state aid, you must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward a degree, certificate or transfer. Maintaining SAP requires three elements:

Pace

Complete at least 67% of the units you attempt.

GPA

Maintain a cumulative (overall) GPA of 2.0 or higher.

Maximum Timeframe

Complete your educational program within 150% of the standard timeframe for the program.

Failure to meet the PACE and/or GPA standard for two consecutive terms in a row will result in the suspension of your financial aid. Students who have reached the 150% Maximum Timeframe will automatically be suspended regardless of GPA or PACE. Review the details of the SAP policy and definition of terms.

Need Help Understanding Your SAP Status?

At the end of each term, after grades are posted, a process is run to determine what your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) status is. Students are notified by email of their status and can also check it by logging into InsideBC and checking the Financial Aid tab.

Below is a simple chart to help you understand what your status means for your financial aid

Status	Effect on Financial Aid
Satisfactory Progress	None. You will still be eligible to receive aid if you continue to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher, complete at least 67% of units you attempt overall, and have below 90 attempted units.
Warning or Warning Not Enrolled	None. You will still be eligible to receive aid if you continue to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher, complete at least 67% of units you attempt overall, and have below 90 attempted units.
Approaching Maximum	None. You will still be eligible to receive aid if you continue to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher, complete at least 67% of units you attempt overall, and have below 90 attempted units.
Suspended or Max Units for Program	You can continue to receive the CA College Promise Grant (or BOG waiver) and some scholarships. You are ineligible for all other forms of State or Federal Aid. If you have extenuating circumstances you may file an appeal.

Appeals

If you have been suspended from receiving financial aid, either for exceeding the maximum timeframe or for failing to meet the GPA or completion rate standards, you are entitled to go through the appeal process for financial aid reinstatement. Federal law allows schools to approve appeals if extenuating circumstances* affected a student's ability to maintain SAP.

How to Appeal

To be considered for an appeal, you must:

Have an extenuating circumstance which affected your ability to maintain SAP.
Have submitted a FAFSA or Dream Act application for the award year you are appealing.
Review and follow the Appeal for Financial Aid Reinstatement Instructions.
Attend a Financial Aid Appeal Workshop (via Zoom or Self-Directed Online).
You must wait at least 48 hours after attending the Financial Aid Appeal workshop to submit your forms electronically.

*Appeals not meeting the “extenuating circumstances” category will not be accepted. Submission of an appeal does NOT GUARANTEE the reinstatement of your financial aid. You should be prepared to pay for your books and other school related expenses pending the outcome of your appeal.

APPEAL SUBMISSION AND DEADLINE DATES

FALL 2023: Completed SAP appeals, with all attached documentation, must be received by the Financial Aid Office no later than 10 business days prior to the end of the fall semester in order to be reviewed. The last day to submit appeal documentation for fall 2023 is November 27, 2023.
SPRING 2024: Completed SAP appeals, with all attached documentation, must be received by the Financial Aid Office no later than 10 business days prior to the end of the summer semester in order to be reviewed. The last day to submit appeal documentation for spring 2024 is April 29, 2024.
SUMMER 2024: Completed SAP appeals, with all attached documentation, must be received by the Financial Aid Office no later than 10 business days prior to the end of the semester in order to be reviewed. The last day to submit appeal documentation for summer 2024 is July 17, 2024.

Support Services at BC

If you find yourself struggling to make SAP, Bakersfield College offers a variety of academic, counseling, and other support services that can help you get back on track. Learn more at the links below.