Financial aid good standing measures your academic achievement, while pace of completion determines whether you’re earning enough credits to complete your degree or certificate in a timely manner. 

Undegraduate Students

• Undergraduate students are deemed to be in financial aid good standing and have an acceptable pace of completion when they receive credit toward their degree for two thirds of all credit hours attempted. Undergraduates must earn a passing grade (P), or a letter grade of D or better in two thirds of their classes each year. 
• Grades of F, No Credit (NC), a Withdrawal (W), or Incomplete (INC) represent unsuccessful completion of a course, and will not count toward the student’s degree. 
• Undergraduates who cannot complete their degree requirements within 150 percent of the program’s required hours will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. A student on Financial Aid Suspension is no longer eligible to receive Federal Student Aid.

Graduate and Certificate Students

• Graduate and certificate students must successfully complete all credit hours attempted each semester to be considered in financial aid good standing and to have a good pace of completion. 
• A graduate or certificate student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension if they fail to receive a grade of P or a grade of D or better in all courses attempted or exceed the maximum time frames permitted for aid. 
• Repeated course credits and transfer credits accepted by MassArt will be included in the SAP evaluation. MassArt does not, however, offer or transfer noncredit courses toward undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, or certificates. Students will be notified by email or in writing if they fail to achieve financial aid good standing or maintain a satisfactory pace of completion after their SAP is reviewed.

• If extenuating circumstances exist, a student may appeal their suspension in writing to the Associate Director of Student Financial Assistance. The appeal must include why they failed to achieve SAP and what has changed that will allow the student to earn SAP by the end of the next payment period. 
• If a student successfully appeals their Financial Aid Suspension, they’ll be placed on Financial Aid Probation and expected to meet financial aid good standing and/or resume pace of completion by the end of the next payment period.
• A student on Financial Aid Probation may be placed on an academic plan that will ensure that the student is able to meet SAP for financial aid purposes. The plan will be coordinated with an academic advisor to ensure success. If a student does not successfully meet the previously listed terms of their Financial Aid Probation, they will return to Financial Aid Suspension and will no longer be eligible to receive Federal Student Aid or MassArt need-based financial aid (for undergraduates).

Graduate and Certificate students who exceed the following maximum time frames will also be placed on Financial Aid Suspension:

• The student exceeds 33 credits in graduate or certificate programs requiring 24 credits for completion (examples: Post-Baccalaureate Certificates in design, photography and teaching)
• The student exceeds 38 credits in graduate or certificate programs requiring 29 credits for completion (examples: Fashion Design Certificate, Furniture Design Certificate)
• The student exceeds 39 credits in graduate degree or certificate programs requiring 30 credits for completion (examples: BFA/Master of Arts, BFA/Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education)
• The student exceeds 45 credits in graduate degree or certificate programs requiring 36 credits for completion (examples: Master of Arts in Teaching)
• The student exceeds 47 credits in graduate degree or certificate programs requiring 38 credits for completion (examples: Graphic Design Certificate)
• The student exceeds 60 credits in graduate degree or certificate programs requiring 51 credits for completion (examples: Industrial Design Certificate)
• The student exceeds 69 credits in graduate degree or certificate programs requiring 60 credits for completion (examples: Master of Architecture Track 2, Master of Design, Master of Fine Arts)
• The student exceeds 111 credits in graduate degree or certificate programs requiring 102 credits for completion (examples: Master of Architecture Track 1)