All students at The University of Alabama who receive federal financial aid must make Satisfactory Academic Progress toward completion of their degree within a reasonable period of time. The University has approved the following standards defining Satisfactory Academic Progress in accordance with regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education.
Undergraduate Students
An undergraduate student is considered to be making satisfactory progress if he or she:
- is admitted and enrolled as a degree-seeking student
- meets the minimum scholastic measures required for financial aid recipients
- maintains measurable progress toward the completion of the degree
- completes degree requirements within a reasonable length of time
Minimum Scholastic Requirements
In order to maintain the minimum scholastic requirements, the student must maintain the minimum grade point average (GPA) indicated below according to the number of credit hours earned (including transfer credit):
| Credit Hours Earned | Required UA GPA |
|---|---|
| 0-30 hours | 1.5 |
| 31-60 hours | 1.7 |
| 61-90 hours | 1.9 |
| 91 or more hours | 2.0 |
Measurable Progress Requirement
In order to maintain measurable progress toward the completion of their degrees, students must successfully complete 67 percent of all University of Alabama credit hours and transfer hours attempted. (Hours attempted include repeated courses, dropped courses, withdrawals, and incomplete courses.)
- Example A: If you attempted 32 credit hours and successfully completed 26 of those hours, dropped 3 hours and failed 3 hours, your completion rate would be as follows: 26 completed hours ÷ 32 attempted hours = 81.2 percent completion rate. You meet the measurable progress component of this requirement.
- Example B: If you attempted 32 credit hours and successfully completed only 20 of those hours, and either dropped, failed, repeated, received an incomplete, or withdrew from the other 12, your completion rate would be as follows: 20 completed hours ÷ 32 attempted hours = 62.5 percent completion rate. You do not meet the measurable progress component of this requirement and, therefore, are not eligible for federal financial aid.
Reasonable Length of Time Requirement
At The University of Alabama, a reasonable length of time for the completion of a degree program is generally defined as no more than 150 percent of the normal time required to complete a degree program. Coursework that transfers into a degree program will adjust the time frame accordingly.
- Example A: If your degree requires that you complete 120 credit hours, your reasonable length of time will be as follows: 120 credit hours x 150 percent = 180. You will be within your reasonable length of time during your first 180 hours of attempted coursework.
- Example B: If your degree requires that you complete 120 credit hours and you have transferred 54 credit hours, your reasonable length of time will be as follows: 120 credit hours – 54 transfer hours = 66 x 150 percent = 99. You will be within your reasonable length of time during your first 99 hours of coursework attempted at The University of Alabama.
A student who is working toward a degree level he or she has already completed or exceeded (i.e., second bachelor’s degree) will have his or her reasonable length of time established at no more than 67 percent of the normal length of the program minus any coursework that transfers into the program.
- Second bachelor’s degree example: If your new bachelor’s degree requires 120 credit hours and your dean counts 98 hours from your first degree toward your second degree, your reasonable length of time will be as follows: 120 credit hours – 98 previous hours = 22. You will be within your reasonable length of time during your first 22 hours of coursework attempted on your second degree.