Policies for Students Receiving Federal Financial Aid
The University of Rhode Island is required to monitor the academic progress of students who receive financial aid to ensure that they are making steady progress towards completing their degree or certificate. All University of Rhode Island students who receive financial aid must meet the criteria stated in this policy. Programs governed by these regulations include:
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Work Study
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
- Health Professions Loan
- Nursing Student Loan
- William D. Ford Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
- William D. Ford Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
- William D. Ford Federal Direct PLUS Loan
- Most private/alternative student loans
- University of Rhode Island grant and scholarship programs (including Merit* and Talent Development programs)
- R.I. State Scholarship programs (including Academic Promise and Onward We Learn (formerly known as “URI College Crusade”)
*Merit scholarships are subject to additional academic progress renewal criteria. Please see our website for more information.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Review and Notification
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is reviewed once annually, after the Spring semester. Students who have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by this date for the upcoming year will have their progress evaluated and are notified by email if not meeting SAP requirements. Students who file their FAFSA after this date will be reviewed manually before any financial aid is offered.
In addition to maintaining good standing within your college, your academic performance must meet two main SAP components:
1. Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA)/Qualitative Standard
2. Pace/Quantitative Standard (the percentage of credits you have successfully completed out of the credits you have attempted)
Students who do not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements will immediately lose eligibility for financial aid for the next academic term. This ineligibility will include the Summer session, even if the courses have already begun. Students who request Summer aid prior to the annual SAP evaluation may be subject to a “hold” on their summer aid disbursement until their SAP status is confirmed.
Options for Students who Lose Financial Aid Eligibility
Students who are not meeting SAP requirements and are not dismissed from the University may either:
- Continue their education at URI without financial aid and notify Enrollment Services once they are meeting the SAP requirements to request re-evaluation for the next period of review. Note that there are some alternative (private) student loans that will lend to students who are not meeting SAP.
OR
- Appeal the SAP decision: All students have the right to appeal the suspension of their financial aid if there were extenuating or unusual circumstances that caused difficulty meeting the SAP requirements.
Please note that readmission to a program or removal from academic probation does not automatically constitute eligibility for federal aid.