A Student's Guide to Completing a SAP Appeal
- Complete the appeal form.
- Write your personal statement that discusses the factors that adversely impacted your academic performance. It is also your opportunity to outline your specific action plan for returning to good standing. This should not merely be a statement of good intentions. It is important to be concise.
- Your specific action plan should include how you have resolved or plan to resolve any issues or circumstances that have negatively impacted your academic performance.
- Documentation is required for every appeal and should support your reason(s) for appeal. Appeals submitted with no documentation will be denied. UL transcripts are not considered supporting documentation because you are required to document the reason you did not meet SAP.
- If you did not meet Max Time Frame, contact your academic advisor for completion of the Max Time Frame worksheet. You must meet with your advisor to complete this form and work out an enrollment plan.
- Be mindful that your advisor will not complete the Max Time Frame worksheet if your portion is not complete or you do not meet with the advisor to review your program requirements. Furthermore, your advisor is not obligated to support your appeal for MTF or any other SAP deficit if you are unable or unwilling to follow recommendation given to you to help you return to good standing.
- Priority dates are listed on the appeal form. Completed appeals submitted by the posted priority date for each term are guaranteed a decision before the term census date.
- Deadline dates are the last day an appeal or self-correction form can be submitted to the Financial Aid Office for aid consideration in that semester. Appeals should only be submitted for semesters you are enrolled, intend to enroll and have posted deadlines on appeal form.
- The following are examples of reasons that are NOT considered extenuating circumstances or hardship for SAP appeal:
- Time management, study skills/habits
- Working too many hours
- Lack of awareness about campus resources for students: Writing Center, Math Lab, REACH, Disability Resource Center, etc.
- Difficult freshman transition
- First generation college student
Circumstances | Acceptable Documentation |
| Your own illness, injury, hospitalization, or disability | Written documentation from a healthcare provider on letterhead detailing:
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| Illness, accident, or injury of a significant person in your life such as a parent or grandparent | Provide documentation (i.e., physician’s statement, police report, or documentation from a third party professional) relating to the individual for whom you provided care or support |
| Death of a family member or significant person is your life such as a parent, grandparent or longtime friend | Provide a copy of the obituary listing you as a family member; |
| Your own divorce or separation or the divorce or separation of your parent(s) | Provide an attorney’s letter on letterhead, petition for dissolution, or copy of divorce decree |
| Victimization of a violent crime or natural disaster | Provide a written statement on letterhead from a professional involved in the situation and/or other documentation such as police reports, insurance claims, etc. |
| Maximum time frame exceeded as a result of changing majors or transfer credits |
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| Maximum time frame exceeded as a result of pursuing a second degree or working on a dual degree program |
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| Other unforeseen circumstance beyond your control | Appeal letter must clearly state how the situation was unforeseen and your control; provide supporting documentation that verifies the circumstances described in the appeal letter |