Contact the Student Response Center
WALK-IN
- 232 Capen Hall, North Campus
- M-Th: 8:30a-4:30p | Fr: 10:00a-4:30p
- 104 Harriman Hall, South Campus
- Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
PHONE
- Monday - Thursday: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
- Friday: 10:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Ph: 716-645-2450
E-MAIL: src@buffalo.edu
The Medical School: Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to determine if a student is making acceptable progress toward a degree or certificate. At the end of each payment period/semester, a review of a student’s progress is conducted. The first review will be at the conclusion of the fall 2011 semester. A student’s failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards (for all terms enrolled, not just those terms that aid was received) may result in loss of federal aid eligibility.
Please be advised that SAP standards are utilized solely to determine federal financial aid eligibility. SAP standards do not cancel, modify or override the School of Medicine’s academic standards and policies (PDF).
Qualitative and Quantitative SAP Standards
The following Satisfactory Academic Progress standards must be met:
- Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)—Qualitative Component
- A student must be in good academic standing to receive federal financial aid. This means a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (UB’s GPA only).
- Minimum Completion Rate for Attempted Credit Hours—Pace (Quantitative) Component
- A student must demonstrate progress by accumulating academic credits at a rate that indicates graduation in a timely manner. A student who is not progressing toward graduation at the defined Completion Rate will not receive federal financial aid regardless of his/her GPA.
- A student must complete at least 70 percent of all cumulative attempted credit hours in order to be eligible for federal financial aid.
- Courses repeated for any reason will be counted as attempted credit hours. Repeated courses with passing grades will not be counted as completed credits unless they would also appear on the official transcript.
Financial Aid Warning
A student who fails to maintain the cumulative GPA and/or meet the Pace Rate standard is automatically placed on Financial Aid Warning.
- The student will continue to receive federal financial aid for one payment period/semester (referred to as the warning period).
- If the student is still not making Satisfactory Academic Progress after the probationary period, he/she will become ineligible for federal financial aid until all SAP standards are successfully met.
- A student will receive written notification regarding the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards that must be met by a specific term in order to retain eligibility for federal financial aid.
Appeal Process for Special Circumstances
See the Appeal Process for Special Circumstances.
Maximum Timeframe
The School of Medicine’s defines the Maximum Time Frame for students to complete their educational program as a standard 4 year time frame. Remediation is offered in the non-standard term (e.g. summer session). Therefore, this policy adheres to the 150% of the published length of the educational program.
Information subject to change without notice due to changes in federal, state and/or institutional rules and regulations.
Last updated: May 16, 2012 3:32 am EST
