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Yale SOM's Policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress and Program Completion for Title IV Funds (Federal Student Aid)

Federal regulations require institutions to monitor each student’s progress toward earning a degree within the maximum time frame permitted for the student’s degree or course of study. Failure to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) jeopardizes a student’s eligibility to receive federal financial aid.

Academic Standard: All students must maintain the relevant Quality Standard for the degree program in which they are enrolled. Further information on academic grounds for dismissal, the Academic Standards Committee, and appeals of academic dismissal can be found in the chapter Rights and Responsibilities of Students.

Maximum Timeframe: All required course work for the MBA or EMBA programs must be completed within six years of the date of matriculation. For MAM and MMS degree program students, all course work must be completed within five years. If the degree program has not been completed the relevant timeframe, the student will be dismissed from the program. Additional information on Leaves of Absences can be found in the chapter General Information.

Pace: In addition, if a student withdraws from courses, resulting in the pursuit of less than 67% of the credits attempted in aggregate, the student’s total estimated costs and eligibility for financial aid will be recalculated.

If a student is not making satisfactory academic progress, they will be notified by the Dean of Students and the Financial Aid Office will place the student on 'financial aid warning' until the end of the next term. . During the “financial aid warning” term, the student may receive financial aid, despite the determination of not meeting SAP. Students on “financial aid warning” who fail to return to SAP by the end of the term will lose their future financial aid eligibility, unless they successfully appeal and are placed on “financial aid probation.”

A student who has not successfully met SAP by the end of the “financial aid warning” term has the right to appeal the loss of financial aid eligibility. Appeals must be submitted to the Dean of Student's Office in writing within two weeks of receiving notice that the student did not meet SAP after a term on “financial aid warning.” The appeal must include information about why the student failed to meet SAP, and what has changed, or is expected to change, that will allow the student to meet SAP in the future. The written appeal should be accompanied by documentation that verifies the extenuating circumstances (e.g., death of a relative, an injury or illness of the student, or other special circumstances). The Dean’s Office shall notify the student of the outcome of the appeal within ten business days of receiving it. If the appeal is approved, the student is placed on “financial aid probation” until the end of the next term, and may receive financial aid during that term. Students on “financial aid probation” are required to meet with the assistant dean responsible for academic matters to establish an individual academic plan to enable the student to meet SAP at some point in the future, according to specific benchmarks established by the plan. Students on “financial aid probation” who fail to meet SAP by the end of the “financial aid probation” term, or fail to meet the benchmarks of their individual plans on time, will not be eligible for financial aid for the subsequent academic term. Students who are ineligible for financial aid may reestablish eligibility in future terms by meeting SAP.