Marquette University is required by federal regulation to apply qualitative and quantitative standards in measuring academic progress for financial aid purposes. These standards apply to all students who receive institutional, state and federal Title IV and Title VII funds administered by the university. Federal Title IV programs include Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Direct Stafford and PLUS Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Work Study, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. Title VII programs include HHS Health Professions Loans, the HHS Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students, the HHS Loan for Disadvantaged Students, the HHS Nurse Faculty Loans and Federal Nursing Student Loans.

Marquette has established the following criteria in conjunction with federal regulation published on Oct. 6, 1993, Federal Register Part 668.16 and in the Higher Education Amendments of 1986.  New rules for SAP became effective July 1, 2011, and are in effect for periods of enrollment beginning August 24, 2011. Progress will be evaluated annually after the spring semester for pace and after every semester for students who are RWAR’d or on a SAP plan. Termination is effective for the next term of enrollment. Notification of termination will be sent electronically to the student’s Marquette email address.

Progress for students working on a 2nd degree begins at the start of the new degree.

I. Qualitative Standards of Academic Progress

Financial aid recipients are governed by the performance standards of the school or college in which they are enrolled.

Undergraduates 

• 1–24 attempted credits — student must maintain a cumulative 1.500 GPA
• 24+ attempted credits — student must maintain a cumulative 2.000 GPA
• After two years of attendance (including transfer credits) or junior standing (whichever occurs first), undergraduates must maintain a cumulative 2.000 GPA.

Law

• After the end of the second term of attendance, a student must maintain a cumulative 1.900 GPA (full-time students).
• After the end of the third term of attendance, a student must maintain a cumulative 2.000 GPA (full-time students).
• 27 – 45 attempted credits - student must maintain a cumulative 1.900 GPA (part-time students).
• 45+ attempted credits - student must maintain a cumulative 2.000 GPA (part-time students).
  

Graduate School

• 1 - 9 attempted credits - student must maintain a cumulative 2.500 GPA.
• 9+ attempted credits - student must maintain a cumulative 3.000 GPA.
  

Graduate School of Management (GSM)

• 1 - 9 attempted credits - student must maintain a cumulative 2.500 GPA.
• 9+ attempted credits - student must maintain a cumulative 3.000 GPA.

Health Sciences Professional (HESP)

• Physical Therapy: After the end of the first term of attendance, a student must maintain a cumulative 1.500 GPA. After the end of the second term of attendance, a student must maintain a cumulative 2.200 GPA.
• Physician Assistant: After the end of the first term of attendance, a student must maintain a cumulative 2.000 GPA. After the end of the second term of attendance, a student must maintain a cumulative 2.800 GPA.
• Student must meet academic standards as defined by the College of Health Sciences.

Dental

• After the end of the third term of attendance, a student must maintain a cumulative 2.000 GPA.

Incompletes, withdrawals and transfer of credits from other institutions (including consortium credits) are not included in the MU GPA. Course repeats are only included once in the GPA according to the MU policy for repeat coursework. ESL coursework is included in the GPA.

If your college has required you to withdraw for academic reasons, you will have failed Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid purposes and you will be ineligible for financial assistance for the subsequent semester. You may appeal this determination.

II. Quantitative Standards of Academic Progress (Pace)

Students must complete their academic programs and receive their degrees within a maximum time frame to continue receiving Title IV financial aid. Listed below is the maximum number of credits (including AP, test, and transfer credits) a student may attempt toward degree completion.  At the point it is determined that students are unable to complete the program within the required maximum time frame, they will receive notification that they are no longer eligible to receive Title IV financial aid. In addition, students who have completed their academic program requirements but have not conferred (taken) a degree will be notified they are ineligible for Title IV aid.

In addition, the following quantitative standards must be met:

Undergraduate
Students must earn 67% of their cumulative credits attempted

Graduate School, Graduate School of Management, Law and Health Sciences Professional
Students must earn 75% of their cumulative credits attempted

Doctor of Dental Surgery
Students must earn 80 percent of their cumulative credits attempted.

• Note: Grades of I, IX, NC, UNC, X, ADW, UY, W, WA, UW and U, unreported grades, grades of F or audit after the add/drop semester deadline are counted as attempted but not earned credits. Repeat courses are only counted once in the cumulative earned. Credits are counted for all terms in which students didn’t receive aid as well as credits waived under academic amnesty policies. Part-time attendance counts in the max time frame calculation. ESL coursework counts toward attempted and earned credits. Marquette currently does not offer remedial or enrichment courses.

III. Failure to Meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards

Quantitative (Pace) and Qualitative

Effective July 1, 2011, SAP “warning” status has been eliminated by federal regulation. A student who fails SAP cannot enter a “warning” status and receive aid for the subsequent term.   A student who fails SAP has the option to “appeal”.  See Section IV for Appeal procedures and requirements

If a student in an ineligible status receives aid, Full repayment will be required of all funds received, excluding employment earnings. A student working under the Federal Work Study program will have his/her employment terminated. When a student has made satisfactory progress as outlined above after a particular term at Marquette without the benefit of student financial aid, the student must contact the Office of Student Financial Aid and request a Satisfactory Academic Progress re-evaluation. The student will then be reinstated to an eligible status.

NOTE: Per state statute: Eligibility for WI Covenant Scholars Grant and WI Covenant Foundation Grant ceases if the scholar does not maintain acceptable academic standards (i.e. SAP) as prescribed by the student’s institution of higher education. After eligibility for the grant(s) ceases, it is not able to be reinstated.

IV. Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Procedures

1. Student must complete the Appeal form and forward to the appropriate College advisor  for completion. The basis of your appeal may include, but is not limited to, the following extenuating circumstances: personal injury or illness, family difficulties, interpersonal problems, death of student's relative.
• NEW: All appeals must include an advisor approved academic plan that, if followed, will ensure that the student is able to meet Satisfactory Academic standards by a specific point in time. A student is considered to be on “Financial Aid Probation” the first semester after their appeal is approved.
2. Results of the appeal will be communicated electronically to the student’s Marquette email address from the Office of Student Financial Aid.
3. Deadline – Appeals must be submitted no later than two weeks prior to the end of the term for which aid is desired. Allow up to 3 weeks for processing appeals.
4. Recommendation of the college is final.

The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form for each college can be found here.

V. Reinstatement of Eligibility

When a student has made satisfactory progress as outlined above for a particular term at Marquette without the benefit of student financial aid, the student must contact the Office of Student Financial Aid and request a Satisfactory Academic Progress re-evaluation. The student will then be reinstated to an eligible status for the subsequent term.

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Updated: October 22, 2012