North Dakota State University

• View/Download a copy of the SAP Policy (PDF)

SAP Frequently Asked Questions

 How do I calculate my semester or cumulative GPA?

• To calculate your GPA please use the GPA calculator found at http://cob.ndsu.nodak.edu/gpa_calculator.html

I am thinking of dropping one or more credits. How will it affect my financial aid? 

 
Before you drop, here are some important things to consider:

• If you drop below full-time status and you have not received all of your financial aid for the semester, certain types of aid may be canceled or reduced. Types of aid that may be affected include the State Grant, Pell Grant and the Cultural Diversity Tuition Discount. Please contact Student Financial Services before dropping if you have any of these types of aid. 
• If dropping causes you to go below the 66.67% completion rate, your future financial aid may be in jeopardy. All students are required to complete two-thirds (66.67%) of the credits they attempt each semester and cumulatively. To determine your completion percentage, take the number of credits you successfully complete for each term (successful completion means with a passing letter grade) divided by the number of credits you were registered for at 11:59 p.m. on the last day to withdraw to zero credits. For example, if you complete 10 out of 16 credits fall semester, and your completion rate would be 62.5% which would not satisfy the requirements. Also keep in mind that, since we also monitor cumulative completion, dropped and/or failed classes from previous terms could affect your cumulative completion percentage.
• If dropping the credits takes you below half-time status, your loan grace period will kick in. You will have to provide verification of enrollment to your lender once you return to school full time.
• Dropping below full time status can affect other areas including tuition waivers, veterans benefits, and whether or not you will be covered if you are under your parents' health or car insurance benefits. Please check into all of these areas before dropping classes.

I am on financial aid disqualification and I cannot receive federal aid. What are my options for paying tuition?

 If you don't have resources available to self-pay, you may wish to consider one of the following:

• Tuition payment plan: Customer Account Services (formerly the Business Office) offers a monthly payment plan for tuition and other school related costs. For more information, call 1-866-924-8969 or 701-231-6200, or visit their website at: www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/accounts/payments/paymentplan/
• Alternative loans: There are alternative loans to choose from while you are on financial aid disqualification. Alternative loans are non-federal, interest bearing loans. The average interest rate is 9-11% and is generally based on credit. A credit worthy co-signer is usually required. For more information on alternative loans, please visit our Alternative Loan page.

I am on financial aid disqualification now but I am completing my credits and I think I can be removed for the next semester. What do I need to do to get reinstated?

• Contact Brigit Sprenger at 231-8397 or brigit.sprenger@ndsu.edu to request reinstatement, after your current semester grades have been posted. Also, complete a FAFSA if you haven't already done so.

How do I know if I am on financial aid probation or disqualification?

• Check your Campus Connection To-Do list. If you are on probation or disqualification, it will be noted there. In addition, we send an email to the NDSU email account for all students who are on probation or disqualification. This is done just after grades are posted each term. Ultimately, the responsibility of knowing what the satisfactory academic progress requirements are rests with each NDSU student. If you are not sure if you are on probation/disqualification, you should check Campus Connection or contact Student Financial Services. We also encourage you to read the SAP policy each semester. The policy can be viewed by clicking here or on the View/Download a copy of the SAP Policy (PDF) link at the top of this page.

How do I know whether or not I should appeal my disqualification?

• Appeals are encouraged if you had an extenuating medical or emotional problem that negatively impacted your academic performance. Appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but our general guidelines for acceptable appeals include: hospitalization, surgery, medical illness, depression, anxiety, ADD, death in the family, etc. Appeals that are not considered extenuating include: working too many hours, dropped courses due to changing major, did not like the class or instructor, was unaware of drop date or policy requirements.

Nobody told me that I had to complete a certain number of credits or earn a certain GPA. How was I supposed to know this?

• Due to the number of students at NDSU, we are not able to notify each individual of the satisfactory academic progress requirements. We do publish our policy annually and whenever there is an update. The complete policy is posted on our website. In addition, we discuss the requirements in detail at Orientation during the Guide to Student Finances at NDSU session. It is also covered in our financial aid information booklet, which is available on our website. Ultimately, final responsibility for knowledge of and adherence to the SAP guidelines rests with the student. 

If I am on financial aid disqualification does that mean I cannot attend school at all?

• No. If you are in good academic standing you can still attend NDSU, you just cannot receive federal aid while you are on disqualification. If you are in need of funding to cover your educational costs you may wish to consider an alternative loan.  Information on alternative loan options can be found at http://www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/finaid/aid/loans/altloans/.