Satisfactory Academic Progress

• Undergraduate students are required to maintain a 2.0 minimum cumulative Otis College GPA on a 4.0 scale at the end of each academic year. Repeated courses are included in the calculation of GPA. Grades of incomplete are not included in the calculation of GPA. The Incomplete grade reverts to an F if not completed by the due date and it will impact GPA. (Exception: See the Foundation grade replacement policy.)
• Graduate students are required to maintain a Pass or Low Pass on all their classes at the end of each academic year.

• Pace
  • Undergraduate and graduate students must complete at least 67% of the units they attempt at the end of each academic year.
  • Transfer credits are included in the calculation as attempted and completed hours.  
  • Students with failing grades can receive federal aid for repeated coursework. Students can use federal financial aid once to repeat a course with a passing grade. Repeated courses are included in the calculation as attempted hours.
  • If a grade of incomplete is not changed to a passing grade within the timeframe outlined in the catalog, it may impact the student’s ability to meet the pace requirements and disqualify this student from receiving federal aid.
• Maximum Time Frame (credit completion):
  • Student can receive federal aid for 150% of the length of their degree program. 
  • Undergraduate students must complete their degree within 180 credits (120 credits x 150%).
  • Graduate students must complete their degree within 45 credit hours (30 credits x 150%).
  • State grants have a maximum time frame of four years. Otis renewable scholarships are available for up to eight semesters. The number of semesters depends on the student's academic level/number of transferred units determined during the admission process.
  • Undergraduate students with SAP impacted by changes in major are expected to complete all degree requirements before reaching 180 attempted credit hours. Staff from the Office of Financial Aid review SAP impacted by changes in major on a case‐by‐case basis.

Satisfactory Academic Progress is evaluated at the end of each academic year. A student who does not meet one or more SAP requirements at the end of the academic year will lose eligibility for financial aid.

A student who has lost eligibility for financial aid due to the SAP status can request reinstatement of financial aid by submitting a written appeal to the Financial Aid Appeal Committee. The appeal must explain the reason(s) that led to the SAP failure and the changes that will allow the student to meet the SAP standards in the future. Students will be notified of the SAP Appeal decision via Otis College student email.

Students with approved SAP appeals are placed on SAP Probation Status and are eligible to receive financial aid for one academic year. Students on SAP Probation Status must meet the SAP requirements at the next annual SAP evaluation period to keep their eligibility for financial aid.

Students have the responsibility to respond to Office of Financial Aid communication regarding suspended financial aid eligibility.

Appeal requests must be sent to the Appeal Committee prior to the appeal deadline stated in the Otis SAP status notification.

Students may also regain eligibility by meeting the SAP standards while taking the coursework at their own expense or funding their education with private loans.  An academically dismissed student regains eligibility for financial aid if they are readmitted by the Academic Standing Committee and have an approved SAP Appeal.

Students are required to be enrolled full-time to maintain eligibility for institutional awards.

• Undergraduate students are required to complete at least 12 credits per semester.
  • Note: Students in their final semester at Otis who have not used their maximum scholarship amount may be enrolled less than full time if they do not require full time hours to complete their degree. In those cases, scholarship amounts will be prorated.
• Graduate students are required to complete at least 9 credits per semester.
• Audited grades are not included in the credit requirement completion calculation.
• Any and all institutional awards are not earned until after the completion of the tuition adjustment period as published in the student handbook.
• Students who drop below full-time enrollment prior to completing four weeks in a semester will lose eligibility to keep their institutional award(s) for the semester.
• Otis renewable scholarships are available for undergraduate students for up to eight semesters and for graduate students for up to four semesters. The number of semesters depends on the student's academic level/number of transferred units determined during the admission process.

• Less than full time enrollment with an approved accommodation plan from Student Support Services will be prorated accordingly. The total dollar amount of all scholarships should not exceed the equivalent of 8 full time semester scholarships.