Filing an Appeal

You may be able to reestablish eligibility for financial aid after failing to maintain satisfactory academic progress by using your own resources to attend and complete coursework until you meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards for one semester, or you may choose to complete the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal checklist under your tasks in my.SDSU.

Satisfactory academic progress appeal

You may submit one appeal per degree program. As part of the appeal process, develop a plan of action. 

• Less than 75% passed: Submit an appeal if you can document extenuating circumstances beyond your control that affected your ability to satisfactorily complete your classes.
• You must be able to document the circumstance as well as the steps you have taken to resolve the situation and successfully move forward.
• Extenuating circumstances beyond your control might include, but are not limited to, your serious illness or injury, or a death in your family.
• GPA deficiency: If you are working with a staff, faculty member, assistant dean or other academic professional on campus please include a letter of support from this person with your appeal.
• Academic disqualification: If you are academically disqualified, you are ineligible for financial aid.
• If you are reinstated by the university, you will need to submit an appeal to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships requesting a review of your ineligible financial aid status.
• Maximum units: Prepare an academic plan and submit it with your appeal and supporting documentation. 
• If your appeal is approved, you must meet the terms of your approved appeal to continue receiving financial aid. Depending on the documentation you provide, approval could be for one or more semesters. However, you may be eligible for aid only for the units and semesters required to complete your degree, credential, or certificate.
• If you do not complete your degree, credential, or certificate within your documented and approved time frame, you may submit an additional appeal or complete your degree objective without the benefit of financial aid.

Appeal approved

If you file a satisfactory academic progress appeal that pertains to your GPA or rate of progress, and the appeal is approved, you are placed on financial aid probation. You must meet the terms of your probation to continue receiving financial aid.

With maximum unit appeals, there is no probationary term.

Financial aid probation: You are placed on financial aid probation after you receive an approved appeal.

• With an approved appeal, your units and grades will be evaluated at the end of your probationary semester, including summer term.
• If you are successful during your probationary semester, you are released from financial aid probation and may continue receiving financial aid.
• If you do not maintain satisfactory academic progress during your probationary semester, you will not be eligible to receive financial aid the following semester.
• Failure to meet the standards set forth in your approved appeal will result in your financial aid ineligibility.
• You may reestablish eligibility by meeting the standards on your own for one semester, without the benefit of financial aid.

Appeal denied

If your appeal is denied, you must use your own resources to attend and complete coursework until you meet the SAP standards for one semester.

1 appeal = 1 probationary semester

You are limited to one appeal per degree program.

If approved, you have one probationary semester in which you must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, or you lose eligibility for aid.