Keeping Your Aid: Current Undergraduate Students

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires that all institutions of higher education establish a minimum standard of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for students receiving federal financial aid.  At Cal Poly Pomona, these SAP Standards are applicable to all federal, state and institutional aid programs for the purpose of maintaining a consistent policy for all students receiving financial aid. 

What is SAP? 

Cal Poly Pomona has three specific standards for measuring Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for students applying for, and receiving, financial aid: 

1. Undergraduate GPA Standard: Maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA 
2. Pace of Progress Standard: Complete at least 67% of cumulative units attempted 
3. Maximum Time Frame (MTF) Standard: Not exceed the established Maximum Time Frame for completing a degree (based on attempted units). 

Your SAP Status is reviewed after each semester in order to verify your continued eligibility to receive financial aid.  You will receive an email letting you know that results of the review – and the impact on your ability to continue to receive aid.   

Failure to meet one or more of the SAP Standards may affect whether or not you can continue to receive your aid.  

Once you have been enrolled for at least one semester at Cal Poly Pomona, you can monitor your SAP status through your MyCPP Student Center, including how you measure up against each of the three required SAP Standards.  Please note that if you do not attend Cal Poly Pomona during a specific semester, but were previously enrolled at the university, we will evaluate your SAP status prior to the packaging – and/or release of funds.  

Students who are not meeting SAP may be able to appeal the decision.  For more information regarding SAP - including the appeal process - please review our Understanding SAP page.

Effective Fall 2022

The enrollment status of the student at the time that funds are prepared for disbursement will be used to determine the payment amount. For purposes of financial aid, enrollment status is defined as outlined in the table below. Please keep in mind that awards are disbursed in two payments for the academic year, half for the fall term and half for the spring term. The full net amount of loan funds for the term (fall or spring) can be disbursed as long as the student is enrolled in a minimum of six units or a minimum of three units for graduate students.   

A minimum of half-time enrollment (6 units) is required in order to remain eligible to receive funds from State & Cal Poly Pomona Grants, Federal Loans and Federal Work Study.

Grant Recalculation

Financial Aid is applied to the student account based on the enrollment at the time of disbursement.  Disbursements of Pell Grant, Cal Grant A, Cal Grant B, Middle Class Scholarship and State University Grants will be prorated (adjusted) based on the enrollment status of the student on the Grant Recalculation date. If the student reduces the units they are enrolled in before the Grant Recalculation date, their Grants will be reduced, and students may need to return funds.   

Grant Recalculation Date

The Grant Recalculation Date is the day after the Add period ends.  Classes added after this date will not be included in the Grant enrollment Calculation just as classes dropped after this date, will not reduce Grants.

The decision about whether or not to drop a class is an academic issue; however, it is your responsibility to understand the financial implications of this decision.  Dropping a class may impact your aid eligibility for the current and future semesters. Your aid will be recalculated at Census based on your verified enrollment; you may have to return some, or all, of your aid for the current semester – depending on how your enrollment status is impacted.  Review Undergraduate Aid Programs for details on how your enrollment will impact your specific awards.

The impact on your aid eligibility depends on the time during the semester that you drop a class:  

Period I: First two weeks (Fall & Spring) 

• You will not receive a grade for a course you withdraw from during this time (the dropped course will not be recorded on your transcript). 
• Financial Aid Grants and Scholarships may be adjusted based on specific enrollment requirements for each award.   
• You are responsible for any charges resulting from a change to your enrollment and your aid eligibility. 

Period II:  Second Week through the end of the semester (Fall & Spring) 

• You will receive a “W” grade for the course when you withdraw, which may impact your SAP Status
  • Classes with a grade of W impact both the Pace of Progress and the Maximum Time Frame Standards for financial aid, as these courses are considered to be Attempted – but not Completed.
• Financial Aid Grants that were already released will not be adjusted.
• New Financial Aid amounts will be based on your enrollment at the time of packaging. 

Be sure to review our Financial Aid Policies Page for our policies on Financial Aid Proration and Grant Recalculations and Withdrawal, Refund, and Repayment.

The laws governing federal financial aid assume that a student must "earn" federal financial aid awards directly in proportion to the number of days of the term attended. In other words, you earn your financial aid as you attend class.  

If you completely withdraw from all classes during a semester, the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships  must recalculate your aid eligibility based on the amount of aid you “earned” (according to the Withdrawal, Refund, and Repayment / Return of Title IV Funds policy).  If you received, or the school received on your behalf, more aid than was earned, the unearned funds must be returned to the federal programs, which may result in a balance due on your account.   Learn more about the Return of Federal Aid due to Withdrawal.

Additionally, withdrawing from all classes can also affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress, which ultimately affects your aid eligibility. Learn more about Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Applicants. 

Impact on Financial Aid if you withdraw from ALL classes  

• Your financial aid will be recalculated based on “earned” aid.
  
• You will be notified by email with the results of the aid recalculation (within 30 days of withdrawing from Cal Poly Pomona).
  
• You will be required to return the portion of aid that was not earned. 
• If you have received a loan (for the current semester, or in previous semesters), your loans will enter into their 6-month grace period.  If you have previously used the entire 6 month grace period – your loans will enter active repayment.   
• All classes that receive a grade of “W” may negatively impact your SAP Status (both the Pace of Progress and the Maximum Time Frame Standards for financial aid), as these courses are considered to be Attempted – but not Completed.  

Be sure to also review our Financial Aid Policies Page for our policy on Withdrawal, Refund and Repayment.

Federal and state regulations limit your eligibility for financial aid with regards to retaking or repeating coursework. You may only receive financial aid for one repetition of a previously passed course (grade of D or better).   In addition, repeated courses will not count towards your actual enrollment for financial aid purposes. Make sure to review our Understanding Repeat Coursework and Aid Eligibility page for more details.

Impact on Financial Aid  

• You will be notified by email if you are registered for any courses that are considered to be not eligible for aid due to retaking / repeating the course.   
• Your enrollment for the semester will be verified at the end of the Add Period.  If you are registered for any courses that are not eligible for aid due to retaking / repeating the course, your aid will be recalculated based on enrollment in aid eligible courses only.  
• The aid recalculation may result in an adjustment to your aid based on specific enrollment requirements for each award.  Review Undergraduate Aid Programs for details on how your enrollment will impact your specific awards. 
• Each time you retake (repeat) a class, it counts as units attempted.  This may negatively impact your SAP Status (both the Pace of Progress and the Maximum Time Frame Standards for financial aid), as these courses are considered to be Attempted – but not Completed.
• You are responsible for any charges resulting from an enrollment recalculation (and your aid eligibility). 

Be sure to also review our Financial Aid Policies Page for our policy on Repeat Coursework and Federal Financial Aid Eligibility.

You must complete a new Financial Aid Application each year!  

Things change every year: New jobs, graduations, marriages, births, and more. One small change in your circumstances can have a big impact on your eligibility for financial aid.  As a result, the financial aid application (FAFSA, or DREAM Application), determines your eligibility for only one academic year.  

The financial aid application for the next academic year becomes available every October 1st – and the California (and Cal Poly Pomona) Priority Filing Deadline is March 2nd. 

Even if you are offered only loans one year, you should still take the time to complete a new financial aid application each year. You don’t want to miss out on free money (Federal, State, or Cal Poly Pomona grants and scholarships), or money you need to borrow from the various student loan programs. 

1. Plan Ahead: Minimize your financial risk by selecting classes carefully, balancing most difficult classes against your other courses and family and work demands. 
2. Understand the Rules for Your Aid: Financial aid is packaged with expectation that you complete your classes. When you do not complete a class that you attempted, you risk having your aid reduced or canceled. 
3. Be Aware of Your SAP Status:  Financial aid eligibility is based on meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress.  Be aware of the SAP Standards at Cal Poly Pomona, and what your current status is to ensure you continue to remain eligible to receive aid. 
4. Know the Consequences: Be sure that you understand what will happen if you withdraw, or fail to complete your classes. A financial aid representative can help determine the impact on your eligibility. 
5. Consider Your Options Before You Drop or Withdraw: Talk to the faculty teaching your class to see if there is anything you can do to complete the class. Make sure you have explored all options for assistance. 
6. Work with Student Accounting & Cashiering Services:  Contact Student Accounting & Cashiering Services as soon as you have a balance showing on your account. 
7. Don't Ignore Your Account Balance: If you do not take action, your balance will transferred to collections, you will be required to pay an additional processing fees, and your credit score could be affected.
8. Apply Every Year:  The financial aid application (FAFSA, or DREAM Application), determines your eligibility for only one academic year.  Don’t forget to file a FAFSA for the next academic year – PRIOR to the California (and Cal Poly Pomona) Priority Filing Deadline of March 2nd!