Page Contents

• Periodic Review of Students' Academic Progress
  • Minimum number of units
  • Maximum number of units or full-time equivalent semesters—
• Minimum Units Required
  • Converting your units into FTES
• Understanding Full-time Equivalent Semesters (FTES)
  • Table: Enrollment status and the full-time equivalent semester (FTES)
• Cumulative Units
• Academic Standing and Grade Point Average
  • Find information about SDSU's academic standards
• How Academic Disqualification Affects Financial Aid
• How to Reestablish Eligibility
• Student's Responsibility
• How to Reestablish Eligibility

In accordance with regulations that govern state and federal financial aid programs, SDSU is required to define and enforce standards of satisfactory academic progress for all financial aid applicants. These standards are established to encourage you to complete your degree, credential, or certificate within a reasonable time frame and includes three requirements—

• You are required to complete a minimum number of units each year.
• You may continue receiving financial aid until you reach the maximum number of units or full-time equivalent semesters established for your degree, credential, or certificate.
• You must be in good academic standing with the university, which requires a minimum grade point average.

We attempt to keep you informed of your status. However, it is your responsibility to be aware of SDSU’s satisfactory progress standards and to make sure you are in compliance.

Your aid eligibility for future semesters may be in jeopardy if you do not take appropriate steps to ensure that you are meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements.

Periodic Review of Students' Academic Progress

We will review your academic standing at the end of each semester to determine if you are making satisfactory academic progress.

The sections that follow describe the minimum and maximum number of units needed to maintain satisfactory academic progress to continue receiving financial aid.

Minimum number of units—

• If you are deficient more than 0 units at the end of the fall semester, we will send you a warning notice by e-mail and post a message on your AidLink account.
• If you are deficient more than 6 units at the end of the spring semester, we will notify you by e-mail and through your AidLink account that you will not be eligible for aid until you reduce your deficiency to 6 units or less (see How to Reestablish Eligibility below).

Maximum number of units or full-time equivalent semesters (FTES)

You may continue receiving financial aid until you reach the maximum units or full-time equivalent semesters (FTES) established for your degree, credential, or certificate. At the end of the spring semester of the academic year in which you reach either maximum units or maximum FTES, you will not be eligible for further aid for that degree or objective. We will notify you by e-mail and post a message on your AidLink account (refer to Maximum Number of Units and Semesters).

Graduate students and Thesis 799A/B/C

Enrollment in Thesis 799A/B/C does not count toward the maximum number of units and FTES.  Your aid eligibility is limited to four semesters of thesis coursework (i.e., any combination of Thesis 799A/B/C).  However, if you need additional semesters of thesis coursework, you may submit a written appeal, with a letter of support from your thesis chair or adviser. 

Doctoral Students

Enrollment in Doctoral Research 897, Doctoral Dissertation 899, or Clinical Internship (Psychology 894) count toward the maximum number of units and FTES.

Minimum Units Required

You must complete a minimum number of units each year to remain eligible for financial aid.

Converting your units into FTES

The number of units in which you are enrolled at census determines the minimum number of units you are required to complete for that semester.

Your academic progress is measured by converting the number of units you are enrolled in at census into full-time equivalent semesters (FTES).

FTES are assessed according to a range of units (Undergraduates see Undergraduate Units Table or Graduates see Graduate and Doctoral Units Table).

Understanding Full-time Equivalent Semesters (FTES)

When you initially enroll at SDSU a full-time equivalent semester (FTES) figure is assigned, whether you enter as a freshman, graduate, or transfer from another college.

If you have transfer units, your initial FTES are determined by dividing your total transfer units by 12 (9 for graduate units) and rounding down to the nearest .25 FTES.

After we establish your initial FTES, the FTES assessed for any subsequent semester may be 1.00, .75, .50, or .25, depending upon how many units you are enrolled in.

Your FTES are assessed based on the lowest number of units for that range. For example, as an undergraduate, whether you have 9 units or 11 units, you will still be assessed .75 FTES for that semester. Twelve units or more are assessed as 1.00 FTE.  (Examine the following Enrollment Status Table.)

Cumulative Units

As long as your cumulative units are at or above your total assessed FTES at the end of the spring semester, you are making satisfactory academic progress.

You can calculate your target cumulative units by multiplying 12 X your total FTES (classified graduate students use 9 instead of 12).

Undergraduate students refer to the Undergraduate Units Table; graduate and doctoral students refer to the Graduate and Doctoral Units Table for a complete breakdown of FTES and required units.

Academic Standing and Grade Point Average

To continue receiving financial aid you must be in good academic standing with the university. The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships adheres to the university’s academic standards. These standards consider the quality of your performance and progress toward your degree objective.

Find information about SDSU’s academic standards

The SDSU General Catalog provides detailed information under “University Policies” concerning academic probation and academic disqualification.

• General Catalog: Review University Policies.
• Graduate Bulletin: Review Regulations of the Division of Graduate Affairs and Basic Requirements for Master's Degrees and General Requirements for Doctoral Degrees.

How Academic Disqualification Affects Financial Aid

If you are academically disqualified and do not meet the SDSU's standards of academic performance required for graduation, you are ineligible for financial aid, until reinstated by the university.

After being reinstated, you should contact the OFAS.  Also, refer to How to Reestablish Eligibility.

How to Reestablish Eligibility

If you are deficient more than 6 units at the end of the spring semester, you are not eligible for financial aid until you reduce your deficiency to 6 units or less. You can reduce your unit deficiency in several ways.

Complete more than the minimum units

Enroll in and complete more than the minimum number of units for your enrollment status.

For example—

• Full-time undergraduate students:  Complete 15 units per semester rather than 12 and you earn 3 units toward reducing your unit deficiency.
• Full-time graduate students: Complete 12 units per semester rather than 9 and you earn 3 units toward reducing your unit deficiency.

Change incomplete (I) grade to a passing grade

Make arrangements with your professor to complete the assigned work for any authorized incomplete grades.  The Incomplete, or any other grade change, must be posted to your SDSU academic record, in order to reduce a unit deficiency.

Complete transferable units at another institution

Units that you transfer to SDSU from another college may help to reduce your unit deficiency but only if they exceed the FTES assessed. (Review the Undergraduate Students - Unit to FTES Examples Table.) Units completed at another institution must be transferable to SDSU and posted to your academic record.

Submit an appeal

• Unit deficiency: Request a waiver of your unit deficiency if you can document special circumstances beyond your control that contributed to your unit deficiency.  Special circumstances might include, but are not limited to, your illness or injury, or a death in your family.
• Thesis 799A/B/C: If you need more than 4 semesters of thesis coursework, you may submit a written appeal, with a letter of support from your thesis chair or adviser. 

Student's Responsibility

Remember, you are in charge of your academic progress. Therefore, avoid enrolling in more classes than you can realistically complete. Do not expect more from yourself than you can deliver.