PROCEDURES FOR POLICY NO: 1-06
VCCS POLICY NO: N/A
REVISED DATE: 09/09/2024

  1. Purpose:

    To establish eligibility criteria for receiving financial aid funds based on academic performance at the college.

  2. Procedure and/or Process Definitions:

    Documentation: for the purpose of appeals, includes, but is not limited to, letters from physicians, licensed counselors, clergy, or other professionals not related to the student. Letters should be legible, on official letterhead and reference a time period that corresponds with semesters where the student had academic problems.

  3. Procedures:

    1. Upon submission of grades at the end of the semester/term, the Office of Financial Aid will review all grades of students that have submitted a FAFSA to determine academic/ financial aid status, using the college SAP process in the Student Information Center (SIS Navigation: VCCS Custom > Financial Aid > Satisfactory Academic Progress > College SAP Process).

    2. Once the college SAP process has been completed, the financial aid status will be placed in the Student Center section of the Student Information System. In addition to posting this information, students on financial aid warning and financial aid suspension will be notified via a message to their SIS Message Center. They will receive an email to their 91做厙 student email account directing them to the SIS Message Center to retrieve the message.

    3. Students who are placed on financial aid suspension status may complete and submit , Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal form, to the Office of Financial Aid.

    4. Once received by the Office of Financial Aid, the SAP Appeal along with all supporting documentation will be reviewed by the SAP Appeal Committee, composed of members of the Office of Financial Aid, College Student Services Staff, and College Academic Staff/Faculty.

    5. The SAP Appeal Committee will make a decision regarding the student's SAP Appeal within ten (10) business days.

    6. Within ten (10) business days, the Office of Financial Aid will notify the student of its decision. The decision will be sent to the student via the SIS Message Center. For auditing purposes, this message will not have an expiration date.

      1. If the appeal is approved, the SIS Message Center notification will outline the terms of the Academic Plan contract.
      2. If the appeal is denied, the SIS Message Center notification will detail the decision and provide some insight regarding the decision.
      3. If the appeal decision is denied, pending additional information, the SIS Message Center notification will detail the additional information needed and a timeframe for which the additional information must be submitted in order for the SAP Appeal to be re-reviewed without having to submit a new SAP Appeal.

    7. Once the Committee has made a decision, the student's record will be updated in SIS. If a student's SAP Appeal is approved:

      1. The student will be placed on an academic plan and the SAP Status on the Packaging Status Summary Page in SIS (Navigation: Financial Aid > View Packaging Status Summary) will be updated.
      2. The terms of the student's academic plan will be updated in SIS on the SAP Academic Program Plan (Navigation: VCCS Custom > Financial Aid > Satisfactory Academic Progress > SAP Academic Progress Plan)
      3. The student will be awarded financial aid based on their eligibility.

    8. Any student whose SAP Appeal has been denied will not receive federal or state financial aid for the term requested and no update is required on the student's record.

    9. If a student is placed on an academic plan, a student's grades are evaluated to ensure they meet the terms of the academic plan contract. If the student meets the terms of the contract, the student will be awarded for subsequent terms according to the contract. If the student fails to meet the terms of the contract, the student would be evaluated through the SIS College SAP Process and pending financial aid for future terms canceled. At this point the student does have the right to submit an additional SAP Appeal and supporting documentation, however, approval is not guaranteed.

  4. Other Information:

    Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Degree Audit Form