Definition of terms 

Good Standing: A student is in good academic standing if they meet the SAP policy's quantitative and qualitative standards. 

Cumulative GPA: A student's grade point average over the entire study period at Maryland Institute College of Art. This is also known as the cumulative scholastic average.  

Grade Point Average (GPA): This is SAP's qualitative measure. The Maryland Institute College of Art student grading system is based on a standard four-point scale. Pass/Fail Grades are calculated using a 3.0 GPA, which is calculated by dividing the total quality points earned by the number of credit hours attempted. 

Academic Semester Hours: The number of credit hours a student attempts in a semester. 

Annual Review Period: Students are reviewed annually, except for those suspended, on an academic plan, or on probation. Students will be reviewed at the end of each semester. 

Progress Toward Degree: The student is enrolled and successfully completing courses that meet the requirements for their declared program of study according to their degree requirements. 

Probation: Students whose appeals are approved will be placed on Probationary Status and eligible for financial aid for one semester. Students who successfully meet SAP requirements during the probationary semester will return to Good Standing. However, students who fail to meet the requirements will be ineligible for further federal student aid unless another appeal is submitted and approved. Otherwise, the student remains ineligible for federal financial aid until the minimum SAP requirements are met.  

Suspension: Suspension from Maryland Institute College of Art for failure to meet SAP expectations over multiple semesters.  

Appeal: The SAP appeal is a process by which a student not meeting the SAP standards petitions for reconsideration of financial aid eligibility. An appeal must contain explanations of the circumstances that prevented the student from meeting the required standards and what has changed in a student’s situation to allow the student now to make satisfactory academic progress at the subsequent evaluation.  A lack of awareness of withdrawal policies or requirements for satisfactory academic progress are unacceptable reasons to appeal.  

Academic Plan: This plan must be completed by the student’s academic advisor and outline the required semester course enrollment for the qualifying SAP semester to ensure the student is taking classes required for degree completion. Reviews will be conducted at the end of every semester. If a student does not meet the required GPA, withdraws, or fails courses while on an academic plan, they will be suspended from federal financial aid; however, they can submit a new SAP appeal.   

Attempted Semester Hours: The number of credit hours a student attempted to complete or enrolled in. 

Maximum Time Frame Suspension: Students receiving financial aid must complete their degree requirements within a limited time, which is called the maximum time frame. Students can receive federal financial aid for up to 150% of the credit hours required to complete their degree, and graduate students in the MPS Program can receive financial aid for up to 200% of the credit hours required to complete their degree.  

Completion Rate: Credit hour completion is the quantitative measure of SAP. The completion rate is the percentage of attempted credit hours a student successfully completes. To calculate the completion rate, divide the number of hours successfully completed by the total number of hours attempted. Students must complete a minimum of 67% of all credits attempted each academic year. Graduate MPS students must complete a minimum of 50% of all courses attempted. Grades of withdrawal "W," Fail “F,” or incompletes "I" are counted in credits attempted but not completed.  

Semester GPA: The grade point average for all courses taken in a specific semester. 

Financial Aid: Includes federal, state, and most alternative loans.  

Procedures: 

• The Enrollment Services Office will maintain and calculate the GPA for every enrolled student at the end of each fall, spring, and summer semester. The Enrollment Services Office is also responsible for transferring credits only applicable to the student’s intended program of study and transferring in the grades associated with those courses.  
• A review of each admitted degree-seeking student’s academic progress toward a degree will be conducted by the Financial Aid Office after final grades are posted at the end of the academic year or each semester if defined by an existing academic plan.  
• Academic Plans must be completed and signed by the student’s Academic Advisor.  

Evaluation Methods 

The following three SAP standards are monitored at the end of each academic year for Good Standing students and at the end of each semester for students on probation: 

• Minimum Cumulative GPA Standard (Qualitative): Maintaining a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 for undergraduate students, 2.70 for MPS students, and 3.0 for all other graduate students. 
• Completion Rate (quantitative): Maintaining a successful cumulative completion rate of at least 67% of all attempted credits (Passed Hours/Attempted Hours) and 50% completion rate for MPS students. Both institutional and accepted transfer credits will be counted as attempted and completed hours. The pace is calculated by dividing the number of successfully completed credits by the number of attempted credits. Students must pass at least 67% (50% MPS) of all attempted credit hours with a GPA of 2.0 for undergraduate students, 2.70 for MPS students, and 3.0 for all other graduate students.  
• Maximum Time Frame (Quantitative): completing program(s) of study within 150% (200% MPS) of the credits required for the program(s), even if multiple majors are being pursued. 

Master’s degree programs vary in length, consisting of 30 to 60 credit hours. The maximum time frame (MTF) is 150% (200% MPS) of the individual degree program’s required credit hours and are program specific: 

1. 30-hour program MTF= 45 credit hours 150% 
2. 30-hour program MTF= 60 credit hours 200% 
3. 60-hour program MTF= 90 credit hours 150% 
4. 120-hour program MTF= 180 credit hours 150% 

• Credit hours not completed, including official withdrawals, will be counted when determining the total number of attempted credits. Any failed course may be repeated until passed but will be counted in the overall attempted hours.  
• Financial aid applies only to program requirements. If a student has not applied for graduation but meets degree requirements and can confer a degree, all financial aid eligibility will cease.  
•  If the SAP review determines that it is mathematically impossible for the student to complete their program within the maximum time frame, the student will be suspended with the right to appeal.   

SAP Status 

After the SAP evaluation, each student is placed in one of the following statuses within eight weeks of the academic year's completion. Notifications will be sent to the student's official university email address.    

• GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING: Students are meeting the above SAP standards. 
• SUSPENSION: Students are placed on SUSPENSION status at the end of the first academic year if SAP Minimum GPA and Pace Standards have not been met. Students are NOT eligible for financial aid when on Suspension status. Students must submit a financial aid appeal to the Financial Aid Office for review. If the appeal is approved, the student will become eligible for aid. 
  
  *If it is mathematically impossible for a student to resolve their deficiencies during probation, they will be placed on an Academic Plan to regain federal student aid eligibility for one or more semesters.  

• PROBATION: Students with a SUSPENSION status are moved to PROBATION status if they submit an appeal and/or academic plan signed by their advisor and approved by the Office of Student Financial Aid.  
• The academic plan must move a student successfully toward degree completion in the fewest number of semester hours possible.  
• Academic plans must outline course requirements (including courses to repeat to obtain passing grades) and anticipated graduation date. 
•  If an appeal is approved, a student will be placed on PROBATION status for that payment period or on an academic plan if needed. 

1. MAXIMUM TIME FRAME: Students may appeal their financial aid evaluation status by submitting an academic plan with their SAP appeal form.  If more than 150% of degree requirements (200% MPS) have been attempted, students may be required to meet Minimum GPA and completion standards to be considered for approval.  If appeals of MAXIMUM TIME FRAME status are approved, students are placed on an academic plan outlined by their assigned academic advisor. 
2. INELIGIBLE: Students are placed on INELIGIBLE status if they have had a previous PROBATION status and are not meeting the Minimum GPA and completion standards criteria, as stated in the Academic Plan.  INELIGIBLE status will no longer be eligible for financial aid, including federal, state, student loans, and work-study.  Students may submit an appeal.  

Not Meeting Standards 

For Grade Point Average (GPA) and Course Completion rate measures, students who fail to meet financial aid SAP standards in one academic year will have their SAP status changed to SUSPENSION. At this point, the student’s eligibility for federal and state financial aid programs is terminated and is not reinstated unless the student completes a Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal and signs an Academic plan. Federal aid is not reinstated unless the student subsequently meets the required standards or unless the appeal of the suspension is successful.  

Students must complete their maximum time frame of 150% or 200% MPS of the program's published length. Students who reach MTF will be placed on financial aid suspension with the option to appeal. 

Reestablishing Eligibility 

Students on financial aid suspension have two ways to regain eligibility for financial aid:  

• Meet all SAP standards while not receiving financial aid or 
• Successfully appeal the financial aid suspension status if the extenuating circumstances interfered with academic progress. The university has a one-time appeal requirement, but exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. 

 Instructions to Appeal  

MICA recognizes that life circumstances might interfere with a student’s satisfactory academic performance. Students who wish to appeal should complete a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form found on our webpage- MICA SAP Appeal 

Students must explain the extenuating circumstances that prevented them from meeting SAP standards, what changed will enable them to meet them now, and submit documentation supporting extenuating circumstances. Circumstances outside of a student’s control that affect academic performance include, but are not limited to: 

• Death of a family member or close relative or friend, 
• Effects of physical or mental illness, 
• Major medical issues experienced by a student or immediate family member, 
• Car accident, 
• Divorce or separation from spouse, 
• Military deployment of student or student’s spouse. 

A complete appeal shall include, at a minimum: 

1. A completed online SAP Appeal form which includes:  
2. a description of the special, unusual, or extenuating circumstances that prevented the student from meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress.  
3. A statement describing what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow the student to show Satisfactory Academic Progress at the end of the next evaluation period. 
4. Documentation from a third party attesting to the circumstance described by the student. 

 All appeal forms and supporting documentation must be signed by the student’s academic advisor and submitted online at MICA SAP Appeal. If, at any point, an academic adviser has reason to believe the student will not make sufficient progress to obtain a degree, they may indicate a “denial” on the SAP appeal and include any supporting documentation. Denied SAP appeals will move the student straight to INELIGIBLE status with no option to appeal.  

• To retain eligibility, appeals, and academic plans must be submitted online within 30 calendar days after classes begin each semester. The Office of Financial Aid may approve an extension on a case-by-case basis.  
• If appeals are not submitted by the stated deadline, financial aid will be canceled and returned to the appropriate program. If financial aid is canceled or the student is ineligible for financial aid, the student will be responsible for MICA student account charges.  
• Students will be notified of appeal results via their MICA student email account. The appeal decision is final. 
•  Students awarded in error while ineligible for financial aid are responsible for repayment.   

Authority 

FEDERAL SAP REGULATORY CITATIONS: 

• Higher Education Act, § 484(c)   
• 34 Code of Federal Regulations, § 668.16(e)   
• 34 Code of Federal Regulations, § 668.32(f)   
• 34 Code of Federal Regulations, § 668.34   

History 

Revised July 26, 2024