Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal

Students failing to meet any of the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards may appeal to the Financial Aid & Scholarships office to have their financial aid eligibility temporarily reinstated. An appeal statement must be based on extenuating circumstances that seriously impacted the student's academic performance. Please note that submitting an appeal statement does not guarantee it will be approved.

Appeal decisions may not be finalized prior to the start of classes. As such, the student should plan to make payment arrangements with Student Business Services (SBS) to avoid the risk of class cancellation. If the student remains enrolled in courses once the semester begins, they will be responsible for payment of their fees regardless of whether or not their appeal is approved.

SAP Appeal Statement Instructions

To complete your appeal statement, you must submit a detailed statement that includes the following information to the Financial Aid & Scholarships office (*for Maximum Time Frame you only need to answer question 1 to explain the circumstances that contributed to your excess attempted units):

  1. What was the mitigating circumstance(s) that occurred during any term which caused you to not meet the standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress, including prior terms and/or years*?

  2. How have your circumstances changed since then so you are able to be successful going forward?

  3. What steps have you taken to ensure you will make Satisfactory Academic Progress in the future?

Typed appeal statements can be emailed to financial.aid@csuci.edu from your myCI email, submitted in person at the Financial Aid & Scholarships office in Sage Hall, or mailed.

Explanation of the extenuating circumstances that directly impacted your ability to meet the minimum SAP standards.

Examples of extenuating circumstances include:

  • Serious illness or injury to student that required extended recovery time or significant improvement
  • Death or serious illness of an immediate family member
  • Significant trauma in student’s life that impaired the student’s emotional and/or physical health
  • Other documented circumstances (i.e., special circumstances related to COVID-19, Homelessness, etc.)
  • Life circumstances that required a change of career and a new degree

You may also include documentation from a third-party to support your appeal. Supporting documentation may include: a letter from a doctor, hospital, social services agency or counselor; obituary notice; or a police report. Please note that the Financial Aid & Scholarships office may request supporting documentation upon review of your appeal statement. Do not discuss your need for financial aid in your appeal statement. Needing financial aid is not a valid reason for approval of an appeal. Lack of knowledge of the SAP standards will not be grounds for the approval of an appeal.

Once your appeal statement has been reviewed by the Financial Aid & Scholarships office you will be notified if you are placed on Financial Aid Probation or Financial Aid Probation with an Academic Plan or your appeal statement is denied and you are no longer eligible for financial aid.

Financial Aid Probation

If it is determined, based on your appeal statement, that you should be able to meet the SAP standards by the end of the subsequent semester, you may be placed on Financial Aid Probation (your financial aid eligibility is reinstated for one semester). After that one semester is over, should you improve academically so that you meet the SAP standards, you will be returned to good standing and your financial aid eligibility will be reinstated.

Financial Aid Probation with an Academic Plan

If it is determined, based on your appeal statement, that you will require more than one semester to meet the SAP standards, you may be placed on Financial Aid Probation with a SAP Academic Plan. The SAP Academic Form will be emailed to your myCI email address by the Financial Aid & Scholarships office. Your progress at the end of each semester will be reviewed to determine if you are meeting the requirements of the SAP Academic Plan. As long as you continue to meet the requirements defined in the SAP Academic Plan, you will continue to be eligible to receive financial aid. Should you fail to meet the requirements defined in the SAP Academic Plan, you will be terminated from receiving financial aid until you are able to regain eligibility.

Lack of information will result in a delay of an appeal review or may result in a denial of your appeal.

If you have questions, please contact the Financial Aid & Scholarships office at financial.aid@csuci.edu or 805-437-8530.


Income Adjustment Appeal

If you or your parents' income will be substantially less than the income reported on the FAFSA, you may request to have your circumstances reviewed. Consideration for Income Adjustment appeals will only be given to students, parents and/or spouses whose current income is at least 25% less than the income reported on the FAFSA, and who did not voluntarily leave employment. Supporting documentation will be required to confirm the circumstances of the appeal. Contact your Financial Aid Counselor to discuss the changes in your income and your Financial Aid Counselor will let you know if your circumstance qualify for the appeal process.

Financial Aid Counselors answer your top questions

Dependency Override Appeal

Review the information provided about Dependency Status. If you feel that your circumstance merit a dependency override, you must set up an appointment to meet with your Financial Aid Counselor. Your Financial Aid Counselor will ask you to describe your circumstances and then determine if you may proceed with the appeal process. The Financial Aid & Scholarships office will also require extensive supporting documentation to confirm the circumstances of the appeal.


Unusual Enrollment History Appeal

Federal regulations require that institutions investigate the unusual enrollment patterns of students who received Federal Title IV funds across multiple institutions in the past four aid years not including the current year. If you are found to have an unusual enrollment pattern, you may be asked to submit an appeal with supporting documentation explaining what prevented you for earning academic credit over multiple periods of enrollment at previously attended institutions. You will be assigned the Unusual Enrollment History appeal task if it is required. The appeal would need to be completed and approved by the Financial Aid & Scholarships office prior to you receiving any federal financial aid offers.

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