A review of a student's Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward an eligible degree or certificate is required by federal, state, and institutional rules as a condition for financial aid eligibility. Students who do not meet the standards for satisfactory academic progress are not eligible for financial aid funding. The Financial Aid & Scholarship Department notifies students when they are not meeting CSUN’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. The communication explains the standards that are not being met, and the process of appealing for reinstatement of aid eligibility. Students who are eligible to appeal are provided a link to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy
The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards listed below apply to all aid applicants at CSUN, whether or not aid was received for prior coursework. In addition, all students, whether receiving aid or not, must meet CSUN academic standards. A student's eligibility for all federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs is affected by this policy.
| SAP Standards | |||
| Program | CSUN GPA (total CSUN grade points earned divided by total CSUN grade points attempted) | PACE (cumulative units earned divided by cumulative units attempted) | Maximum Attempted Unit Limit (includes transfer units. Limit is 150% of the published length of the program) |
| Undergraduate (0 - 29 units) | 1.50 | 67% | 180 units |
| Undergraduate (30 - 59 units) | 1.70 | 67% | |
| Undergraduate (60 - 180 units) | 2.00 | 67% | 180 units |
| Certificate Programs | 2.00 | 67% | 27 units |
| 2nd Bachelors | 2.5 | 67% | 90 units |
| Teacher Credential | 2.75 | 67% | 54 units |
| Masters | 3.00 | 67% | Varies by Program |
| Doctorate | 3.00 | 67% | 90 units |
Units attempted at all institutions attended, including transfer units accepted by the university, must be counted for both undergraduate and post-baccalaureate maximums, including repeat, incomplete, no credit, failure, in progress, and withdrawal units.
Other Considerations for SAP:
- A student will not be considered meeting satisfactory academic progress for financial aid if records indicate they are enrolled in courses for financial aid purposes and not enrolled in coursework relevant to their degree requirements. This includes enrollment in elective units to obtain financial aid based on full-time units.
- Students who complete all undergraduate degree course requirements but do not graduate, for any reason, are ineligible for funding.
- Academic progress can be reevaluated at any time throughout the year by a member of the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department staff, academic personnel, or school administrators.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Conditions
Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal
Students who do not meet any of the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards may appeal to the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department to have their financial aid eligibility reinstated. An appeal must be based on extenuating circumstances that seriously impacted the student's academic performance. Submitting an appeal does not guarantee an approval.
Some examples of extenuating circumstances include:
- Serious injury or illness, including behavioral health conditions, of the student or a relative or other significant person
- Death or serious illness of a close family member
- Withdrawals approved by the University
- Loss of access to personal or public transportation
- Being a victim of a serious crime
- Change in major
- Other documented circumstances (i.e., homelessness, birth of a child, loss of childcare, natural disaster, etc.)
Appeals are reviewed by the CSUN Financial Aid SAP Appeals Committee. The criteria for approving an appeal are based on the student's circumstance, documentation, and a reasonable expectation that the student can reestablish progress toward a degree objective and reestablish academic standing that meets the requirements for graduation.
If a student’s appeal is approved, they are placed on a Financial Aid Academic Plan. Students receiving conditional financial aid based on an appeal must meet the conditions of the academic plan to receive future financial aid. If the student fails to meet the conditions specified in their Financial Aid Academic Plan, they are ineligible for Financial Aid.
If a student’s SAP appeal is denied, a secondary review will be conducted on the student’s behalf. If the appeal is denied after the secondary review, the student is ineligible for Financial Aid.
Appeal Deadlines and Information
SAP Appeal Filing Deadlines | |
Priority Appeal deadline for the 2024-2025 Academic Year | July 14, 2024 |
If you miss the priority appeal deadline, you can still submit an appeal to be considered for aid in the 2024-2025 Academic Year. If you are only attending the Fall semester, your appeal must be submitted prior to the last day of the Fall semester to be considered for fall aid. | December 17, 2024
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When will I know the status of my appeal?
Students who submit their SAP Appeal by the priority deadline in July, will be reviewed by the SAP Appeals Committee and notified about their appeal status in mid-August via CSUN email. Appeal decisions are provided to students on an ongoing basis.
Where can I view the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy?
You can learn about the Cal State Northridge Satisfactory Academic Progress policy and the standards you must meet to maintain financial aid eligibility by selecting the "SAP Policy" tab on this page.
Fee Payment and Enrollment Protection
If you do not meet satisfactory academic progress standards for financial aid, you are responsible for paying tuition fees* and housing payments with your own resources by the established deadline. For payment information, visit University Cash Services.
Students who submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal by the priority appeal deadline will receive enrollment protection for courses enrolled while the appeal is being reviewed.
*Fees and obligations you may owe
The CSU makes every effort to keep student costs to a minimum. Fees listed in published schedules or student accounts may need to be increased when public funding is inadequate. Therefore, CSU must reserve the right, even after fees are initially charged or initial fee payments are made, to increase or modify any listed fees. All listed fees, other than mandatory systemwide fees, are subject to change without notice, until the date when instruction for a particular semester or quarter has begun. All CSU listed fees should be regarded as estimates that are subject to change upon approval by the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, or the Presidents, as appropriate. Changes in mandatory systemwide fees will be made in accordance with the requirements of the Working Families Student Fee Transparency and Accountability Act (Sections 66028 - 66028.6 of the Education Code).
Maximum Units and Pass Rate
Maximum Units and Pass Rate
In order to establish continued financial aid eligibility, federal, state, and institutional regulations require an annual review of student progress toward an eligible degree or certificate. During this review, progress is measured by calculating a pass rate (units attempted vs. units completed) and the maximum number of units allowed while attempting degree completion.
How are maximum units calculated?
Add all of your units attempted at CSUN, including repeated coursework, withdrawals, failures, incompletes, and grades of no credits. Then, add all transfer units accepted at CSUN.
As an undergraduate, you must complete your degree within a maximum of 180 attempted units or within 150 percent of the units required for your degree.
As a graduate, second bachelor's, credential, or doctoral student, you must complete your degree within 150 percent of the units required for your degree. If you have been enrolled in more than one post-baccalaureate program, units for all programs are counted towards the maximum attempted unit cap.
Example: Sally, an undergraduate student, has transferred in 110 units. This includes 70 units from community college and 40 units from Cal State Los Angeles. Sally has also attempted 45 units at Cal State Northridge. Add the 110 units transferred and 45 units at Northridge to calculate a total of 155 maximum units. Sally meets the maximum unit component of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy as an undergraduate student.
How is a pass rate determined?
Take all units earned and divide them by the units you have attempted.
All students must complete 67 percent of the attempted units to meet the standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Units Earned: Units earned include any CSUN courses you enrolled in and received a passing grade in, from A to D or CR. Units earned will also include transfer units.
Units Attempted: Units attempted include all units attempted, including transfer units. The Financial Aid & Scholarship Department counts grades of F, I, NC, W, and WU as units attempted with zero units earned, however, these are not counted as units attempted on a student’s transcript. Therefore, when determining a satisfactory pass rate, CSUN transcripts may not match the units counted by the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department.
Coursework taken at Cal State Northridge includes remedial, credit/no credit, and repeat coursework, as well as failing grades, incompletes, and withdrawals.
Example: Sammy is admitted for the spring semester and enrolls in 15 units, which count as total units attempted. At the end of the spring term, Sammy completes two three-unit courses with a passing grade, withdraws from one three-unit course with a grade of W, and receives an NC for three units of remedial math and three units of English. Sammy's pass rate is 40 percent (6 units earned divided by 15 units attempted). Sammy does not meet the pass rate component of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
