Satisfactory Academic Progress
To remain eligible for financial aid, a student must be in good academic standing as defined in the Academic Policies section of the Occidental College Course Catalog. No institutional funds are available to a student on a leave of absence or studying at another institution (excluding Oxy approved study abroad programs). Students may, however, in some cases, receive federal or state aid to study at another institution by completing a Consortium Agreement. For more information, please contact the FAO.
The academic year consists of two 15-week semesters. Full-time students may register each semester for a maximum of 18 units. Students enrolled in less than 12 units each semester are considered to be part-time, and financial aid is pro-rated.
Qualitative and Quantitative Requirements
For students to maintain financial aid eligibility, they are required to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward their degree. SAP requires students to complete a certain number of units and maintain a certain grade point average after each semester of college attendance. Federal regulations require Occidental College to monitor the academic progress of students receiving financial aid. When we disburse aid to your student account, we are certifying that you are making SAP toward your degree.
Students must make quantitative (time-based) and qualitative (grade-based) progress towards their degree. The time-based requirement is the pace at which you must progress toward your degree. The grade-based requirement is measured by your GPA.