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Dallas College

Satisfactory Academic Progress

To keep getting financial aid every semester, you must move forward in your program of study. You must meet all three criteria:

  1. 2.0 cumulative (overall) Grade Point Average (GPA)
  2. Must complete 67% of all attempted credit hours
  3. Credit hours that do not exceed 150% of the minimum number of hours required to complete your program of study

Read more about Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) or view a flowchart of the process below.

The SAP Process

A visual flowchart of the Satisfactory Academic Progress process. A text version of the content is available below the image.

The SAP Process — GPA and Pace of Completion

This is a repeat of the content in the image above in a list format.

  1. Do you meet the SAP requirements?
    1. Yes. You are OK for financial aid.
    2. No. Move forward to Warning.
  2. Warning. You are still eligible for Financial Aid. If you’re put on Warning, visit with a Financial Aid Literary Coach to see what you need to do.
    1. If you meet the requirements by the end of the semester: The Warning status is removed. You are OK for financial aid.
    2. If you do not meet requirements by the end of the semester: Move forward to Financial Aid Suspension.
  3. Financial Aid Suspension. You may submit an application.
    1. Financial Aid will send SAP appeal engagement and appeal application instructions via Workday Student Notifications and Task Box. 
    2. If your appeal is approved, you will be put on Probation status.
    3. If you appeal is denied, you will stay on Suspension until you meet SAP requirements. You must pay for tuition until you regain financial aid eligibility.
    4. SAP status is calculated at the end of each semester. When you meet the requirements, you'll be taken off Suspension and will be OK for financial aid.
 

Once you have exceeded the 150% maximum time frame, your SAP status moves to Max Timeframe Suspension. Once you have reached the 150% maximum time frame, you are no longer eligible for a warning semester, or able to meet all SAP requirements in future semesters due to exceeding 150% of the minimum number of hours required to complete your program of study.

Maximum Timeframe Suspension

Flowchart titled “Maximum Timeframe” showing financial aid eligibility decisions. The chart asks, “Have you attempted over 150% credits required to complete your POS?” If No, it checks whether the student meets SAP GPA and pace. Meeting SAP results in “OK for financial aid.” Not meeting SAP results in “Suspension (can appeal),” leading to either “Appeal Approved – OK for financial aid” or “Appeal

Maximum Timeframe Suspension

This is a repeat of the content in the image above in a list format.

  1. Do you have available program hours?
    1. Yes. Move forward to SAP requirements.
    2. No. Move forward to Maximum Timeframe Suspension.
  2. Do you meet the SAP CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) and completion ratio requirements?
    1. Yes. You are OK for financial aid.
    2. No. Move forward to Financial Aid Suspension.
  3. Maximum Timeframe Suspension. You are not eligible for financial aid. You can complete an appeal application to determine future financial aid eligibility.
    1. Financial Aid will send Maximum Timeframe notification and appeal application instructions via Workday Student Notifications and Task Box.
    2. If your appeal is approved, you will be placed on Probation status.
    3. If your appeal is denied, you are not eligible for financial aid and must cover all educational expenses out of pocket.
Updated January 7, 2026