Satisfactory Academic Progress
All students receiving US Federal Aid (subsidised, unsubsidised and PLUS) at University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) must progress satisfactorily towards completion of a chosen academic program in order to maintain their US Financial Aid status.
University of Technology, Sydney is required by US Federal Law (34CFR 668.16) (opens an external site) to define and enforce standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for students receiving US Federal Funding. The guidelines have been established to encourage students to complete successfully academic programs for which US Federal Financial Aid is received and to be competitive in the US work place when they graduate.
Students are required to meet and also satisfy the US Financial Aid SAP requirements which require a higher standard of academic performance and are independent of the UTS Academic Progression Rules for continued access to funding. Students receiving US Federal Financial Aid must also meet UTS academic progression rules.
Eligibility
Autumn and Spring Semesters
To be eligible to receive US Federal Aid, students must be enrolled at least half time, which is 12 credit points per academic period, at UTS. However, while studying at UTS international students are normally expected to be enrolled in 24 credit points, per academic period, a full time load to meet UTS requirements, Australian Government ESOS Regulations, and Student Visa Requirements.
International students on student visas must enrol in sufficient credit points to complete their course in the time specified in their Confirmation of Enrolment and within the duration of their visa. This would normally require an enrolment in 24 credit points per academic period. This requirement applies to UTS Autumn and Spring semesters.
Summer and Intensive (Block) Sessions
Six credit points is considered as half time enrolment during Summer and Intensive (Block) periods of enrolment for the purposes of US Federal Financial Aid. i.e., students must enrol in at least six credit points to be eligible for US Federal Financial Aid.
Students receiving US Federal Financial Aid will be evaluated at the end of each academic period. This evaluation process will consider the student’s progress under the following categories:
In order to receive US Federal funds, students must meet minimum standards for both the above mentioned components, whilst simultaneously adhering to UTS Academic Progression Rules and to Australian Immigration and visa requirements.
UTS will monitor enrolment and academic progress every semester. If a student fails to meet minimum satisfactory academic progress based on these standards, then the student will be given an SAP Warning for the following semester. The student will be advised by email from UTS.
If, the student again fails to meet SAP in the next academic period, the student will need to successfully appeal the failure to meet SAP, to be placed on probation in order to continue to receive further federal loans.
The student will be notified by email at the end of each semester if they have failed to meet the SAP requirements and any action required to avoid suspension of Financial Aid.
The University of Technology, Sydney cannot waive the US Federal Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirement for any student to receive financial aid. Please see details of the appeal procedures (see later section of this document) for verifiable extenuating or unforeseen circumstances.
