Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

To comply with federal regulations and to ensure that students receiving Title IV Federal Financial Aid are making progress toward degree completion, Parker University has established this policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). All students at Parker University are expected to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and to make ongoing progress toward graduation, regardless of program or funding sources. There are two standards that must be met: a qualitative and a quantitative standard.

The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy at Parker University is required for regulatory compliance with Title IV of the Higher Education Act, which mandates that institutions set minimum academic standards for students receiving federal aid. This policy ensures the responsible allocation of financial aid resources, promotes academic achievement and progression, and provides a transparent framework for student accountability. It also facilitates university intervention for students at risk of falling behind, safeguarding both student success and institutional eligibility for federal funding.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Satisfactory Academic Progress is comprised of two standards: qualitative and quantitative. Parker University calculates Satisfactory Academic Progress for all students for each enrolled program at the completion of each trimester. Students placed on Warning or are Dismissed are notified via email to their Parker University student email address within one week following the end of the trimester. The notification outlines any action to be taken by the student including advising and appeal processes.

Qualitative Requirement

The qualitative standard requires that a student achieve a minimum cGPA as defined in the Requirements for Program Completion. Transfer credit hours and all courses with a final grade (passing or failing) are calculated in the cGPA.  

Quantitative Requirement

The quantitative standard requires students to complete their program of study within 150% of the normal timeframe allotted for completion of the program. Transfer credit hours, repeated courses, withdrawn, and all attempted courses that meet degree requirements are considered in the determination of this 150% normal time frame. The normal timeframe is measured in credit hours attempted (rather than terms) to accommodate schedules of full-time and part-time students. To ensure completion of a program within the maximum timeframe, Parker University requires students to successfully complete 67% of credit hours attempted per term of enrollment. All students must have completed a minimum of 67% of the credit hours attempted to graduate within 150% of the normal timeframe.

Satisfactory Academic Progress for the Texas Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) Program

Recipients of the Texas Tuition Equalization Grant must earn and maintain a cGPA of 2.5 and complete at least 24 credit hours per year (Graduate students must complete 18 credit hours per year) and be enrolled at least ¾ time. The minimum quantitative completion rate is 75% (and is higher than the Federal minimum completion rate of 67%).

Type of Student Accounts Subject to SAP Policy

These standards apply to all student account types (those receiving veterans’ benefits, state aid, tuition remission, institutional aid, and cash-paying students). The Veterans’ Administration is notified of unsatisfactory progress of a student receiving VA Benefits who is placed on Warning. If a student receiving VA Benefits is placed on Dismissal, VA Benefits can be terminated. A student terminated from VA Benefits due to unsatisfactory progress may be recertified for benefits upon successfully appealing the dismissal and being placed on Probation.

Students enrolled in more than one program of study concurrently, regardless of account status (those receiving veterans’ benefits, those receiving institutional aid and cash-paying students), are subject to the same satisfactory academic progress standards for each enrolled program. Specific programs may have standards that are stricter than the university Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.