Academic Requirements for Federal Aid
To be eligible for any federal/state program, the student must be:
-
A United States citizen or eligible non-citizen
-
Matriculated (i.e. pursuing a degree or certificate)
-
Making Satisfactory Academic Progress as defined by Queensborough
Financial Aid Questions?
Satisfactory Academic Progress
You must make satisfactory academic progress in your program of study to continue receiving federal financial aid at QCC.
There are 3 parts to the college’s federal satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standard:
1. Minimum GPA — You must have at least the minimum GPA based on the number of credits attempted according to the chart below . Courses with a grade of W, WN, WU, WD, and INC are counted toward the total number of attempted credits.
Attempted Credits Minimum GPA
0 – 12 1.5
13 – 24 1.75
25 and higher 2.0
2. Pace of Progression — You must successfully complete (earn) a minimum number of credits that you attempt according to the chart below. C ourses with a grade of W, WN, WU, WD, and INC are counted toward the total number of attempted credits.
|
Credits Attempted |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
30 |
|
Credits Successfully Completed (earned) |
1.6 |
1.7 |
1.8 |
1.9 |
2.0 |
3.2 |
3.3 |
3.5 |
3.6 |
3.75 |
5.2 |
5.4 |
5.6 |
5.8 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Credits Attempted |
31 |
32 |
33 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
37 |
38 |
39 |
40 |
41 |
42 |
43 |
44 |
45 |
|
Credits Successfully Completed (earned) |
7.75 |
8 |
8.25 |
8.5 |
8.75 |
12.24 |
12.6 |
12.9 |
13.3 |
13.6 |
17.6 |
18.1 |
18.5 |
18.9 |
19.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Credits Attempted |
46 |
47 |
48 |
49 |
50 |
51 |
52 |
53 |
54 |
55 |
56 |
57 |
58 |
59 |
60 |
|
Credits Successfully Completed (earned) |
21.2 |
21.6 |
22.1 |
22.5 |
23 |
25.5 |
26 |
25.5 |
27 |
27.5 |
30.2 |
30.8 |
31.3 |
31.9 |
32.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Credits Attempted |
61 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
75 |
|
Credits Successfully Completed (earned) |
34.2 |
34.7 |
35.3 |
35.8 |
36.4 |
38.3 |
38.9 |
39.4 |
40 |
40.6 |
42.6 |
43.2 |
43.8 |
44.4 |
45 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Credits Attempted |
76 |
77 |
78 |
79 |
80 |
81 |
82 |
83 |
84 |
85 |
86 |
87 |
88 |
89 |
90 |
|
Credits Successfully Completed (earned) |
47.1 |
47.7 |
48.4 |
49 |
49.6 |
52.7 |
53.3 |
54 |
54.6 |
55.3 |
57.4 |
58 |
58.7 |
59.4 |
60 |
3. Maximum Time-frame — You may not attempt more than 150% of the credits normally required to earn your degree. This means that you may not attempt more than 90 credits for an Associate’s Degree, and may not attempt more than 45 credits for a Certificate Program.
Annual Evaluation for Satisfactory Progress
Your total academic record will be measured against each of the 3 parts of the college’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standard at the end of every spring term to determine whether you are meeting the standard of progress. All courses that appear on your permanent academic record and all courses accepted for transfer count towards the pace of progression and maximum time-frame requirement, even if you received no federal financial aid for those courses.
Financial Aid Suspension
If at the point of the evaluation you have not met one or more of the 3 parts of the college’s Satisfactory Academic Progress standard, you will not be eligible to receive federal financial aid. Federal financial aid includes Federal Pell Grants, SEOG, Work-Study, and Direct Loans.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Procedures
Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form
Students wishing to submit a 2025-26 SAP Appeal should click the blue box below, which will bring you to Student Forms. This is our secure online portal used to complete financial aid forms and submit documents. Supporting documentation must be submitted at the time you are submitting your appeal.
When you click on the link it will prompt you to create a Student Forms Account if you have not already done so. There will be a blue bar that says "SAP Appeal" which you must click on to complete an appeal. You must have filed a 2025-26 FAFSA at least 10 days ago in order to complete & submit a SAP Appeal. If you haven't completed your FAFSA at least 10 days ago the SAP Appeal will not be displayed as an option for you. You will need to file your FAFSA and wait 10 days in order to submit an appeal.
Deadlines:
Summer '25: August 1, 2025
Fall '25: November 7, 2025
The above deadlines are the last day a SAP Appeal could be submitted to be considered for aid for that semester. QCC must have received your 2025-26 FAFSA prior to the above deadlines in order for you to submit a SAP Appeal and be considered for aid for the semester indicated.
Submission of an appeal does not guarantee approval. If your appeal is not approved, you are responsible for all tuition and fees.
Re-establishing Eligibility
Other than having eligibility restored through filing a successful appeal, you may only have your federal financial aid eligibility restored by taking actions that result in you meeting the SAP requirements.
If you remain enrolled without receiving federal financial aid, you may request a review of your academic record after completing the term, if you are now meeting the Federal SAP requirements. To request a review of your academic record send an email to SAP@qcc.cuny.edu, letting us know you are now meeting the SAP requirements. If the standard is met, you will regain eligibility for the remaining terms of the academic year. The passage of time alone does not restore your federal aid eligibility.
Important Federal Notes
- The attempted credits usually reflect course load maintained in a student's permanent record at the college.
- The accumulated credits should reflect credits that the student earned toward the completion of the degree program in which the student is enrolled.
- Enrollment in remedial courses will not be included as attempted credits for financial aid.
- Withdrawals which are recorded on a student's permanent record will be included as attempted credits and will have an effect on the student's capability to meet the appropriate standard. A Retroactive “non-punitive” withdrawal may result in the requirement for a student to repay any assistance received as a result of the student's enrollment at the time of receipt of the student assistance.
- Courses with incomplete grades are included as attempted credits. However, these courses cannot be used as credits accumulated toward the degree since successful completion is the criterion for positive credit accumulation.
- Repeated courses can generally be accepted toward degree requirements once. However, each time a student attempts a course, it is included as part of the attempted credit record. Therefore, repeated courses, regardless of the prior grade, reduce the student's capacity to meet the appropriate credit accumulation standard.
