Academic Eligibility

Federal regulations require Embry-Riddle to define minimum academic standards for students to remain eligible for financial aid. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is measured by quantitative and qualitative criteria to ensure students are progressing toward degree completion. If students are not meeting SAP, they are not eligible for financial aid

• The qualitative standard is the ERAU cumulative grade point average (CGPA).
• For undergraduates, the minimum ERAU cumulative GPA is 2.00. For graduate students, the minimum ERAU cumulative GPA is 3.00.
• The grading system is explained in the Student Catalog under the Academic Regulations and Procedures section.
• There are two quantitative standards. First, students must successfully complete 67% or more of the credit hours they attempt. Grades A, B, C, D and P are considered successfully completed.
• Second, students cannot attempt more than 1.5, or 150%, of the number of credit hoursrequired to graduate from their chosen primary program of study as listed in the Student Catalog under the Degrees and Programs section.
• SAP is measured annually at the end of the spring term.
• Students who are suspended, dismissed, or not permitted to continue their enrollment are not eligible for financial aid.
• Students who fail to meet SAP will have any future financial aid awards cancelled and an email notification will be sent to their ERAU email account.
• Visit the Standards of Academic Progress Policy website for full details.

Audited courses are courses in which no grade is earned, and coursework does not count toward a degree. As a result, Title IV aid cannot be awarded for those courses. Audited courses will not be included in a student’s enrollment status for financial aid disbursement.

Students may change their registration from “credit” to “audit” with the instructor’s signature until the last day of the withdrawal period (twelfth week of the fall and spring or the fourth week of the summer term).

However, when a student changes their registration from “credit” to “audit” AFTER the 100% Fee Refund Deadline, it will negatively affect their SAP Pace and Maximum Timeframe calculations because those audited courses will be considered attempted but not successfully completed credit hours. The 100% Fee Refund Deadline occurs on the fifth day of class for fall and spring and the third day of class for summer.

Students who enroll in courses applicable to their degree, receive federal aid, and then change ALL their credit courses to audit courses will be considered to have withdrawn on the date the last credit course was changed to an audit course. This may result in students having to return some of the disbursed federal aid (e.g. may owe the university money). Refer to the Return of Title IV Funds Policy for more information. Find more audit course information in the Student Catalog under Academic Regulations and Procedures.

Faculty may assign the temporary grade of incomplete (I) if a student is unable to complete the required work in a course because of medical emergency, death in the family, military duty, or other extenuating circumstances.

If a student does not complete the course by the end of the fourth week of the subsequent semester, the incomplete (I) automatically converts to an F grade. For graduate level courses, the Dean or Chief Academic Officer (CAO) may waive/extend this period.

Incompletes are considered attempted credit hours but not successfully completed credit hours for the SAP Pace and Maximum Timeframe calculations.

SAP does not have to be rechecked or recalculated when the temporary “I” grade changes in between formal SAP evaluations. Any grade changes will be accounted for in the next scheduled SAP evaluation. Find more in the Student Catalog under Academic Regulations and Procedures.

Students are required to submit official academic transcripts from each institution attended to the Embry-Riddle Office of the Registrar. Appropriate coursework completed at another accredited institution with a grade of A, B, C, P, or the equivalent may be accepted for credit.

Transfer credits that are accepted toward your degree program count as both attempted and successfully completed credit hours for the SAP Pace and Maximum Timeframe calculations.

The transfer GPA is not combined with the ERAU GPA and therefore is not included in the SAP CGPA calculation. Find more in the Student Catalog under Admissions and contact an academic advisor.

Limit of repeat attempts per the Catalog

Except flight courses, which may be repeated only once, a student may attempt any University course only three times, including the initial grade, repeat grades, and any withdrawals and audits. In the case of extraordinary, extenuating circumstances, a fourth attempt may be granted by the Chief Academic Officer or designee.

Effect on GPA and transcripts per the Catalog

The grade for each attempt will appear on the student’s permanent academic record. In determining the student’s CGPA, the grade for subsequent attempts at a course replaces the previous grade a maximum of two times. All subsequent attempts will be included in the CGPA calculations. Grades from courses taken off campus do not replace on-campus grades in the computation of the CGPA.

Effect on SAP per federal regulations

Repeat coursework can have negative consequences on a student’s SAP calculation. For courses repeated during the program of study, both the original and repeated credit hours will be counted as attempted credit hours for the SAP Pace and Maximum Timeframe calculations.

Effect on aid disbursement per federal regulations

The Financial Aid Office does not determine if a student may repeat a class, only if the student is eligible for federal financial aid for the repeated class. 

Federal regulations limit the number of times a student may repeat a course and receive financial aid for that course.

• Students may receive aid for repeating a previously passed course if it is the first repeat of the course AND is required for their degree program.
• Students may receive financial aid to repeat a previously failed or withdrawn course, however, they must still be maintaining the SAP standards.
• If a student fails their second attempt, no more financial aid will be given to repeat the course a third time. If the second attempt is a withdrawal, then financial aid is allowable for a third attempt if they are maintaining the SAP.
• When a student has completed any course twice with a passing grade (A, B, C or D), he or she is no longer eligible to receive aid for that course.
• If a student retakes a course that is not financial aid eligible, the credit hours will be excluded from the financial aid enrollment for that term.
  
  

Examples

Explanation of the Above Examples

Course 1: Yes, these credits are included in the financial aid enrollment because the student can repeat any failed or withdrawn course until a passing grade is received. Once a passing grade is received, financial aid can pay for the course one more time (one repeat). If a grade of A, B, C, D or F is made on the third attempt, the course will not count again in the calculation for financial aid enrollment.

Course 2: Yes, these credits may be counted, even though it was previously passed, because it is the first time the class is being repeated

Course 3: No, this course was previously passed twice, and this is the third attempt. Two attempts are the maximum attempts these credits can count toward financial aid enrollment because the course has been previously passed.

Course 4: No, the class credits are no longer considered for financial aid eligibility because it has been previously passed, and this is the second time it is being repeated.

Course 5: Yes, because this course has never been passed, so it may still be counted toward financial aid enrollment.

Course 6: Yes, because this course has only been passed once, and the fourth attempt will be considered the second attempt if he passes the class.

Course 7: Yes, because this course has only been passed once, and the second attempt is a withdrawal, so it is allowable for a third attempt.

Federal regulations limit financial aid to only courses that apply to a student’s chosen primary program of study.

Students who are approaching their maximum allowable attempted credit hour limit for federal aid will have their academic advisors notified. Academic advisors will be asked to review their courses and notify the Financial Aid Office if any student is enrolled in courses not applicable to their primary program of study.

This may cause a reduction or cancellation of financial aid. Please check with your academic advisors before enrolling in courses outside of your chosen primary program of study.

At any time, if you become ineligible for financial aid or have aid reduced after a disbursement is made, you will be financially responsible for all charges assessed to your account.

Consequences depend on:

• the number of credit hours being withdrawn (partial withdrawal or complete withdrawal of all classes in a semester)
• the date of the withdrawal
• the type and amount of financial aid received
• the amount paid for tuition and fees, and if applicable, dorm room and meal plan

Immediate consequences

Students who totally withdraw, drop all courses in a semester, or stop participating in all academic related activities AND receive aid, may owe the university money.

Financial aid is awarded to a student under the assumption that they will be enrolled for a specified period of time, such as a semester. When a student is receiving federal aid funds and are not enrolled as scheduled, the Financial Aid Office is required to determine if the student was enrolled long enough to keep all the aid paid to them (or applied to their bill). Therefore, the Financial Aid Office must calculate Return of Title IV Funds any time a student stops their enrollment before the end of the semester.

Students earn their federal aid disbursement in proportion to the number of days completed in the enrollment period. Aid is considered “earned” when a student has participated for more than 60% of the enrollment period. If a student did not participate for more than 60% of the enrollment period, the amount of federal aid that must be repaid will show as a balance due on ERNIE and the student will be notified by email. 

When a student stops participating and does not officially withdraw from their classes, the faculty will use their discretion to assign an appropriate grade and last date of attendance as describe in the Student Catalog under Academic Regulations and Procedures. Students who receive all F and FX grades for a semester are considered to have “unofficially withdrawn” and subject to the Return of Title IV Funds Policy.

Future consequences

Withdrawals negatively affect SAP and could jeopardize future aid eligibility. Withdrawn courses are considered attempted but not successfully completed credit hours for the SAP Pace and Maximum Timeframe calculations. If a student is not meeting SAP, they are not eligible for financial aid. Please review the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for full details.

Please note: Students who are not enrolled at least half-time during the academic year and borrowed Federal Student Direct Loans are required to complete Loan Exit Counseling online.

Students may appeal their Financial Aid Suspension. The appeal allows students to explain the circumstances that contributed to the academic problem, describe how they have eliminated those problems for the future, and upload supporting documentation.

SAP Appeals are only approved for extenuating circumstances that seriously affected a student’s academic performance.

The outcome of the appeal will depend on the nature of the circumstances, the quality of the documentation provided, and how well the student has demonstrated the ability to progress. Submission of an appeal does not guarantee approval. While there is no regulatory limit on the number of times a student may appeal their SAP status, the extenuating circumstances for the appeal cannot be the same.

We realize that sharing personal information can be difficult. Please know the appeal will remain confidential.

Instructions

To appeal, complete the SAP Appeal eForm, upload supporting documentation, and submit it to the Financial Aid Office.
To ensure the appeal is evaluated prior to the Fee Payment Deadline, submit the appeal and documentation by the priority date (at least 30 days before classes start). Incomplete appeals and requests for additional documentation will cause delays. Students must plan for alternative payment arrangements in the event of any delays. Students are responsible for all charges assessed to their account until an appeal has been approved.

The results of the SAP Appeal will be sent to the ERAU email account. Please note: Embry-Riddle’s decisions are final and cannot be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education. Students unsatisfied with the decision may submit additional information and documentation to the Financial Aid Office for reconsideration.

Visit the Standards of Academic Progress Policy website for more details on SAP Appeals.