Regulations require schools participating in the financial aid programs to establish academic progress standards that measure a student's progress towards an educational goal. As a financial aid recipient, it is your responsibility to understand the terms and conditions of the IVC Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy as it applies to you.

Financial aid is limited to a certain number of units based on your current program of study. All students are encouraged to have an educational plan completed, with the assistance of an academic counselor, in order to ensure you are taking the courses required to complete your program within the standards listed below.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This policy applies to all financial aid recipients beginning with the Fall 2019. These standards will be applied to federal financial aid as well as Cal Grants and supersede any prior year SAP standards. All academic coursework attempted through Spring 2020 will be evaluated using these standards whether or not you received financial aid for those semesters. Note: students enrolled in programs of one year or less must be evaluated at each term (this may include Summer 2020 which would be evaluated using these standards). Using professional judgment, we may monitor SAP by term on a case by case basis. 

GOOD STANDING: Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be evaluated at the end of Spring 2020 semester. In order to maintain eligibility for financial aid, you must meet the following standards:

REMEDIAL COURSEWORK: Financial aid is limited to 30 attempted units of remedial coursework. ESL courses are not subject to this limit.

REPEAT COURSEWORK: Repeated coursework will be counted toward completion rate and maximum timeframe standards. Only the highest grade will be counted toward GPA. In addition, you may only receive financial aid for one repeat of a previously passed course.

TRANSFER COURSEWORK: Units acceptable for transfer into IVC will be included in your completion rate and maximum timeframe calculation, but not in GPA. It is your responsibility to request transcripts from previously attended institutions, if you choose to apply units toward your current educational objective. 

DISQUALIFICATION (DQ): If SAP standards are not met for all coursework attempted by the end of Spring semester you will be disqualified for the entire year. Note: Students enrolled in programs of one year or less must be evaluated each term. You will be notified via your IVC email account and WebSTAR of the Disqualified (DQ) status. Disqualified students with special circumstances may petition (see details below). Students may also remove deficiencies for prior academic years in the Summer session without receiving financial aid. Otherwise, SAP status will be re-evaluated at the next annual evaluation. Students who meet SAP standards at that point will be reinstated.

MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME REVIEW: Once you have reached the MTF unit limit (90 units for A.A./A.S., less for certificate programs)  or it is determined you are unable to complete your program within the MTF limit, you will be notified via your IVC email account and WebSTAR. Change of major, transfer major or a high unit major may extend your eligibility by petition only, see the process below. High unit majors include: emergency medical services, mathematics, nursing, physical science, and pre-engineering.

FINANCIAL AID PETITION/APPEALS PROCESS

If you have special circumstances that prevented you from meeting SAP standards or if you have exceeded the MTF unit limit and have had a change of major or enrolled in a high unit major, you may file a petition with an academic counselor. The first step is to complete all your financial aid requirements to determine if you are otherwise eligible for financial aid. The second step is to complete the petition form available on our website. If you feel you have special circumstances that prevented you from meeting SAP standards, you must explain the special circumstances and what has changed that will allow you to make SAP by the next term. Documentation will be required to support your statement. You must then visit the financial aid office to make a petition appointment with an academic counselor who will determine whether or not you are eligible to seek an appeal through petition. If your counselor approves your petition, it will be forwarded to the Appeal Committee along with an Academic Plan developed by your counselor. Each appeal will be reviewed and approved or denied based on the student's individual circumstances. If the Committee approves your appeal, you will be placed on Probation Status and awarded aid according to the conditions of the appeal approval. The decision of the Appeal Committee is final and no further appeals during the current aid year are allowed.