In accordance with section 145-2.2 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, each institution participating in State student financial aid programs must determine whether a student is in good academic standing based on a standard of satisfactory academic progress comprising a minimum number of credits to be accrued (earned) with a minimum cumulative grade point average in each term an award payment is received. The progress standard is most clearly presented in chart format.

Initially, the regulation provided that each institution establish and submit for the Commissioner’s approval its proposed standard of progress. However, for the 1995-96 academic year and thereafter, new legislation mandated a minimum cumulative C average after a student has received four full-time semester award payments or the equivalent (24 payment points).

  • Schools are required to continue to use their existing chart for students who received TAP prior to the 2006-07 academic year, but with SED approval may change to the new SAP chart mandated in Education Law; schools are required to notify the students if their SAP chart has been changed.
  • Students whose first award year is 2010-11 or thereafter will be placed on the SAP charts enacted in 2011-12. 

  • No, schools must adapt their full-time SAP chart for students attending part-time. Students have two semesters to meet the SAP requirements that full-time students must meet in one semester. Click to view semester SAP chart.