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Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Process for Undergraduate Students

All undergraduate students who file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are subject to the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy. Upon receipt of the results of your FAFSA, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will evaluate your SAP status before awarding you financial assistance. We evaluate your progress every year you apply for financial aid. If you were unable to meet the grade point average, pace, or maximum time requirements during your previous enrollment, we will send you an email message regarding this matter . Students who do not meet SAP standards cannot receive financial aid. However, if extenuating circumstances contributed to your inability to meet SAP requirements, you may request reconsideration by submitting the Appeal Form, with appropriate supporting documentation.

Note: The financial aid office will provide a different appeal form, one that does not appear on this website, for students who have exceeded the maximum time requirement. However, the following information remains a resource for all students who choose to appeal.

Students may reestablish eligibility for financial aid by resolving their academic deficiency. If you believe you meet SAP requirements after a period of noncompliance, use the Appeal Form to notify us of the possible change in your status. We will reevaluate your transcript to confirm your compliance with SAP requirements. Remember that your JMU transcript must reflect this change.

Extenuating or Mitigating Circumstances

If extenuating circumstances contributed to your inability to meet SAP requirements and you need financial assistance to attend school, you should submit an appeal. Mitigating or extenuating circumstances may include:

  • Illness
  • Death in the family
  • Family problems (e.g., parents' separation or divorce)

This is not a comprehensive list. Any documentable event(s), outside your control, that prevented you from meeting SAP standards may qualify.

Appeal Form

The Appeal Form gives you the opportunity to tell us about the event(s) that contributed to your unsatisfactory progress.

In your appeal form, you must:

  • Describe the extenuating circumstance(s) that led to your noncompliance.
  • Explain what has changed that will allow you to meet SAP requirements in the future.
  • Describe the timeframe of your extenuating circumstance(s) for the period that you failed SAP.

We realize that sharing personal information can be difficult. Be assured that your statement will remain confidential. Only financial aid personnel will review your appeal.

Supporting Documentation

To confirm your extenuating circumstance(s), you must attach documentation from an objective third party (e.g., physician, counselor, lawyer, social worker, teacher, religious leader, academic adviser, JMU Office of Disability Services, and JMU Health Center).

Your third party documentation must:

  • Be submitted on official stationary or by email from a valid JMU email account.
  • Verify that the extenuating circumstance(s) will no longer influence your future academic performance.
  • Confirm the timeframe referenced in your appeal.

After reviewing your appeal form and supporting information, we may request additional documentation for clarification purposes.

Appeal Decision

We will review your appeal within 30 days of receipt and notify you by email of its status. You will receive either our decision to grant your appeal, deny your appeal, or a request for additional documentation. If we grant your appeal, we will place you on probation for one semester and give you an academic plan. Your academic plan will specify the conditions you must meet to continue receiving financial aid for a specified period. An award notice will follow once we complete the review of your FAFSA.

If you fail to meet the terms of your academic plan, you will not qualify to receive financial aid for the subsequent semester. Any future appeal(s) will require new extenuating circumstances and a new (and different) academic plan. Of course, students may reestablish eligibility for financial aid at any time by resolving their academic deficiency.

Students whose appeals are denied may choose to apply for an alternative loan. However, it may be necessary to secure a creditworthy cosigner to qualify. Review loan options at:

http://www.jmu.edu/finaid/altloans.shtml