As required by federal regulations, the University of Kentucky must evaluate and determine whether students meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements to receive aid through federal and state and certain institutional financial aid programs. SAP requirements are comprised of qualitative, quantitative, and maximum time frame measures, and the      standards are required to be as strict as or stricter than the College of Law academic policies.

SAP evaluation for Law students occurs at the conclusion of the summer term. The student’s entire academic history must be considered when determining SAP status irrespective of whether the student received financial aid.

Requirements of the SAP Policy:

Qualitative (Grade Point Average)

The qualitative component measures the quality of the student’s SAP by conducting a review of the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA). Only grades that carry quality points are used to calculate a student’s GPA. To meet the qualitative requirement, students who matriculated prior to fall 2020 must have a minimum cumulative GPA of at least a 2.0. Law students who matriculated fall 2020 or after must have a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 2.2.

(Specific external and institutional scholarships, and assistantships may require a different GPA    for continued eligibility. Students should refer to the terms and conditions of these awards specified at the time of original offer.)

Quantitative Measure (Calculating Pace or Completion Ratio)

The quantitative component corresponds to the pace at which the student must progress through the program of study. This evaluation is to ensure completion within the maximum timeframe permitted and provides for the measurement of the student’s progress at the end of each period of enrollment. Pace or completion ratio is calculated by determining the cumulative number of credit hours the student has successfully completed divided by the number of cumulative credit hours the student has attempted.

To meet the quantitative requirement, the student’s completion ratio must be 66.7% or higher. To determine the completion ratio percentage, earned credit hours are divided by attempted credit hours.

Maximum Time Frame Measure

The maximum timeframe is determined in accordance with the requirements of the American Bar Association, the accrediting body of the College of Law.  The maximum timeframe is a period of no longer than four years beyond the expected duration to complete the degree. Law students must complete the Juris Doctor Degree within the maximum time period from matriculation, including any leaves of absence approved by the Law Faculty Academic Status Committee.

College of Law Academic Policy Requirements

In addition to the three measures referenced above to determine a student’s SAP, students must meet the College of Law minimum academic standards.

Students whose admission is reinstated by the Law Faculty Academic Status Committee after being academically suspended from the College of Law do not automatically  gain financial aid eligibility reinstatement. For consideration of financial aid eligibility reinstatement, academically suspended students whose admission has been reinstated must follow the SAP Appeal procedures and deadlines prescribed below.

Treatment of Audited Courses

Because audited courses are not credits counted towards completion of the student’s degree and students cannot receive financial aid for these, they are not evaluated for SAP.

Treatment of Pre-requisite Courses

Pre-requisites or preparatory courses are those which a student must complete to meet admission requirements into a degree program but do not count toward the student’s degree requirements.  

Treatment of Repeated Courses

If the student repeats a course, those credits are counted when calculating the quantitative and  maximum timeframe measures.

(Courses that a student repeats may be included when determining a student’s enrollment status for Title IV-federal student aid purposes as long as it is not a result of 1) more than one repetition  of a previously passed course, or 2) any repetition of a previously passed course due to the student failing other coursework. This rule is not related to SAP requirements but is a general financial aid eligibility requirement.)

Treatment of Courses Transferred In

Transfer credits that apply to a JD degree are not counted in the calculation of the student’s GPA and therefore are not included in the qualitative measure.

Effect of Dropping or Never Attending Courses

Courses a student registers for but drops prior to the end of drop period are not included in the calculation of SAP. Courses in which the student registers but never attends (i.e., assigned a grade “N”) are not included in the calculation of SAP.

Effect of Withdrawn Courses

Credits for withdrawn courses (i.e., assigned a grade “W”) are counted as attempted credit hours in the quantitative and maximum timeframe measures but are not counted in the qualitative measure.