Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy - Not-for-Profit Sector

1845-0108– Affected Public – Private Institutions 2/21/2020

This request is for an extension of the current approval of the policies and procedures for determining satisfactory academic progress (SAP) as required in Section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). These regulations identify the policies and procedures to ensure that students are making satisfactory academic progress in their program at a pace and a level to receive or continue to receive Title IV, HEA program funds. If there is lapse in progress, the policy must identify how the student will be notified and what steps are available to a student not making satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of their program, and under what conditions a student who is not making satisfactory academic progress may continue to receive Title IV, HEA program funds.

Section 668.34(a) – Satisfactory academic progress policy.

This section of the regulations requires an institution to establish a reasonable satisfactory academic progress policy to determine a student’s eligibility for Title IV, HEA program funds.

# of Respondents # of Responses Hrs/Response Burden Hours

Private institutions

1,706 1,706 X 3 hrs 5,118

Section 668.34(c) – Institutions that evaluate satisfactory academic progress at the end of each payment period.

This section of the regulations identifies the process that is followed for institutions that evaluate a student’s SAP at the end of a payment period. This section specifies that an institution’s policy may provide for disbursement of Title IV aid to a student not meeting SAP under certain circumstances. This includes policies that automatically place a student who is not meeting SAP on “financial aid warning”.

# of Respondents # of Responses Hrs/Response Burden Hours

Private institutions – Evaluation of all students for SAP

* 6,677,304 X .02 133,546

Private institutions – Working with students not meeting SAP

* 467,411 X .25 116,853

Section 668.34(d) – Institutions that evaluate satisfactory academic progress annually or less frequently than at the end of each payment period.

This section of the regulations identifies the process that is followed for institutions that evaluate a student’s SAP on an annual basis. This section specifies that an institution’s policy may provide for disbursement of Title IV aid to a student not meeting SAP under certain circumstances. This includes policies that require a student to file an appeal and either having a determination made by the school that the student should meet SAP standards after the subsequent payment period or if the school develops, with the student, an academic plan which if successfully completed will ensure the student meets the institution’s SAP standards at a specific time.

# of Respondents # of Responses Hrs/Response Burden Hours

Private institutions – Evaluation of all students for SAP

* 2,731,625 X .02 54,633

Private institutions – Working with students not meeting SAP

* 191,214 X .25 47,804

*-To avoid double counting the number of respondents when developing these tables the number of institutions is only included in the totals for section 668.34(a).

Section 600.55(g)(1) & (2) – Other Criteria.

This regulation requires foreign graduate medical schools to apply existing regulations in SAP for establishing maximum timeframes in which a student must complete their educational program and requires that a student complete their educational program in 150 percent of the published length of the program. The regulations require foreign graduate medical schools to document the educational remediation it provides to assist students in making SAP.

Subpart E of Section 600 - Eligibility of Foreign Institutions

Section 600.55 – Other criteria.

# of Respondents # of Responses Hrs/Response # of Burden Hours

Private institutions

3 3 X 2.5 8

TOTALS

Responses 10,069,263

Respondents 1,709

Burden Hours 357,962