Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal Regulations mandate KCTCS modify its Satisfactory Academic Policy to hold students to a higher level of accountability. At the end of the academic term (Fall 2011) all students will be reevaluated to determine if they meet the new Federal requirements for Title IV Financial Aid that went into effect July 1, 2011. The delay in evaluation will give students who have not met the SAP standards in the past, an opportunity to improve their academic standing.

These changes to the SAP policy due to new regulatory guidelines include:

• Limiting students to only one consecutive probationary period
• Students must be on pace to progress toward graduation by a 150% of credit requirement
• Students must be enrolled in a program other than Undecided or Pending after attempting 30 credit hours.

Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA and complete at least 67% of their classes to remain eligible for financial aid. Students, who fail to maintain this standard for more than one consecutive term exclusively or in combination, will no longer be eligible for Federal or state aid.

Students must be evaluated to determine if they are able to graduate from their stated degree by attempting no more than 150% of the hours required to obtain the degree. This is referred to as Maximum Time Frame (MTF). For example, a student enrolled in a 60 credit hour associate degree program cannot receive financial aid beyond their 90^th credit hour attempted.

Students must be enrolled in a declared major or accepted in an eligible program other than “pending” or “undecided” to receive aid beyond their 30^th credit hour attempted. Students enrolled in a “pending” program must be evaluated to determine if they are eligible to be accepted in the desired program within a reasonable period. A reasonable period is a term that allows a student to be accepted and graduate prior to a student becoming ineligible for financial aid because he/she exceeds maximum time frame.

Students who are not meeting SAP standards will be responsible for payment to BCTC Student Billing by the billing due date. Students who are not meeting SAP standards are not eligible to charge books at the BCTC Bookstore or Yourbookstore.com under the Financial Aid Book Charge process. 

Appeal Process

Students who believe they have or had extenuating circumstances that prohibited them from making the SAP standards may appeal to the SAP Appeals Committee.  Students requesting their circumstance be reviewed for special consideration must:

• Complete a SAP Appeal Request form,
• Provide type written explanation of circumstance,
• Provide supporting documentation of circumstance (i.e. medical records, obituary, etc), and
• Provide a stated plan of goals, strategy to regain eligibility
• Submit an Academic Plan of Action form

The decision of the SAP Appeals Committee is final.

To review the SAP Appeal due dates and SAP Appeals Committee meetings please visit our Important Dates Page

Do you still have questions?  If so, refer to the SAP FAQs.

**NEW** Information for Summer Students needing a Plan of Action form

Students may use this form to request a SAP Academic Plan-of-Action Advising Form in the absence of their regular advisor during the summer term. Your request will be forwarded to a BCTC advisor, who will provide you with a Program Curriculum Sheet listing the classes required to earn a specific BCTC credential. You must submit that document as part of your appeal.