Graduate Academic Progress for Financial Aid

Satisfactory Academic Progress for Graduate Financial Aid Recipients

Wilmington University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Financial Aid Recipients is comprised of two components:  A qualitative and a quantitative. The qualitative component is measured by the student’s GPA; whereas, the quantitative component is measured by the successful completion of credits. Both components are described in detail below.

Qualitative Measure - Grade Point Average

The Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Federal Financial Aid (Title IV) Recipients mirrors the University’s academic policy with regard to GPA. Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. 

GPA review occurs at the end of every semester. Students who do not meet the required minimum will be placed on financial aid warning and must sign a Financial Aid Warning Letter, which indicates students:

Graduate students who do not attain the required 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA by the end of the next term of attendance will immediately become ineligible for financial aid.

Quantitative Measure – Completion Rate/Pace

In addition to GPA standards, students must progress at a 67% completion rate. This also includes all withdraws and repeated classes, each one counts once. (Example: MGT 6400 is taken and student withdraws. Student takes the class again and fails; then the student takes the class and passes, for federal financial aid purposes, this equals attempted 9 credits and passed 3 credits). That is, on a cumulative basis, students must successfully complete 67% of the credits attempted. Successful completion is defined as earning an "A", "B", "C", or "D" in a course.

Completion rate review occurs at the end of every semester. Students must attain and maintain a minimum completion rate of 67%. The policy for students who do not meet the minimum completion rate is as follows:

Quantitative Measure: Maximum Time Frame - (Maximum Number of Attempted Credits Allowed)

In addition to completion rate standards, students are restricted to the maximum number of credits for which they can receive financial aid. All students are expected to complete degree requirements within 150% of the number of credits required by the program. For example, if a graduate program requires 36 credits, students must complete it within 54 credits (36 x 150% = 54).

Treatment of Specific Academic Circumstances:

Treatment of W, I, F, FA and NA Grades, No Grade Reported and Repeated Coursework

Treatment of Change of Major

WilmU does not reset SAP for students who change their majors or seek additional degrees. All credits attempted and grades earned within the student's current academic level (undergrad or graduate) are included in the SAP determination.

Treatment of Remedial Courses

Math (095) and English (095) review courses offered at WilmU are zero credits, graded as pass/fail, do not count towards students’ federal student aid eligibility, and are not included in the SAP determination. 

Treatment of credits transferred into the university from other schools

All credits accepted for transfer to the student’s program of study by Wilmington University are taken into consideration under the quantitative measurement component of SAP as both attempted and earned credits. Grades earned at other institutions are not counted when computing the student's GPA.


Financial Aid Warning

You will be placed on financial aid warning for one semester if you fail to meet the GPA and/or overall credit completion standards. While on warning you may still receive financial aid.

Financial Aid Suspension

While on suspension, you are not eligible for most financial aid programs (the exceptions include some private loan programs and outside assistance that do not require Satisfactory Academic Progress).