UMass Boston

Students must have documented extenuating personal or medical circumstances in order to appeal their SAP status. Appeal decisions are final, and you will be reviewed at the end of every term until you meet SAP standards. The deadlines to submit an appeal are listed below. Please note that students must complete a FAFSA in order to submit an SAP Appeal in WISER.

The appeal outcome will depend on the circumstances, the quality of the documentation provided, and how well the student displayed their ability to progress towards degree completion within a reasonable time period. All documentation submitted is confidential.

Deadlines

The deadlines to submit the SAP appeal are:

Fall Semester - October 1

Spring Semester - April 1

Summer Semester - July 1

Appeals will not be accepted after these deadlines. Students who have experienced an extenuating circumstance are encouraged to submit their appeal as soon as possible.

Submitting the SAP Appeal

For full submission details see SAP Appeal Instructions.

Students with less than 49 credits and not meeting SAP for the first time must:

1. Submit a Personal Statement. The statement must include why you (the student) failed to meet SAP standards, what has changed, and/or the steps you are taking to meet SAP standards by the time of the next evaluation.
2. Submit supporting documentation

Students with 49 credits or more OR who have previously appealed

1. Submit a Personal Statement. The statement must include why you (the student) failed to meet SAP standards, what has changed, and/or the steps you are taking to meet SAP standards by the time of the next evaluation.
2. Submit an Academic Plan. You must meet with your academic advisor to develop the plan. Follow the instructions in your WISER to-do list.
3. Submit supporting documentation

Appeal Decisions

Appeals are reviewed within approximately 2 weeks. Notification of the appeal outcome will be emailed to the student’s UMass Boston email address. All decisions are final.

Students whose appeal has been approved will receive Federal financial aid consideration for the current term. At the end of the term, the student’s academic progress will be reviewed again to determine the following semester’s financial aid eligibility.

Students who regain financial aid eligibility on the basis of their appeal will be considered for Federal financial aid (Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Loans). Student eligibility for Federal Work Study and institutional funds will be considered depending on fund availability. There is no guarantee of such fund availability at the time when appeals are reviewed. 

If your appeal has been denied, you are not eligible for financial aid until you meet satisfactory academic progress standards.  You are also ineligible to submit any further SAP appeals. You may continue to enroll in courses, but you are responsible for all University charges.