You're viewing this site as a domestic an international student

You're a domestic student if you are:

  • a citizen of Australia or New Zealand,
  • an Australian permanent resident, or
  • a holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa.

You're an international student if you are:

  • intending to study on a student visa,
  • not a citizen of Australia or New Zealand,
  • not an Australian permanent resident, or
  • a temporary resident (visa status) of Australia.
You're viewing this site as a domestic an international student
Change
Study

Satisfactory academic progress for US federal government loans

All students receiving US federal government loans must show satisfactory academic progress to continue to receive funding.

If you receive a US federal government loan under the William D. Ford Direct Loan program, you'll need to show satisfactory academic progress (SAP) towards the completion of your UQ program each year.

These standards are separate to and higher than those required by the UQ Academic Progression Procedures.

SAP is reviewed at the end of each semester or academic year depending on the program. All Doctor of Medicine students are reviewed at the end of each academic year. For all other students, results are reviewed at the end of each semester.

The review process will consider your progress under the following categories:

  • academic standing
  • maximum timeframe.

Although you may meet the SAP standards for US federal government loans, you'll also need to meet the UQ Academic Progression Procedures and Australian visa requirements to be able to stay enrolled in your program.

Academic standing

If you're an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework student, you must achieve and maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 4.0.

If you're a postgraduate research or higher degree by research student, the Financial Aid Office will contact your supervisor to confirm that you are progressing satisfactorily.

Learn how to calculate your GPA

Maximum timeframe

If you're an undergraduate student, you're entitled to receive funding for 150% of your allocated course timeframe, providing you achieve the required GPA.

The funding you're eligible to receive will depend on the duration of your degree:

  • 3-year degree – 4.5 years of funding
  • 4-year degree – 6 years of funding
  • 5-year degree – 7.5 years of funding.

If you’re completing the Doctor of Medicine, you’re entitled to receive funding for 150% of your allocated course timeframe, providing you achieve the required GPA. As the Doctor of Medicine is a 4-year degree, you’ll be eligible for funding for 6 years.

Rate of progression

We include all credit granted towards the course of study you are receiving aid for when calculating the pace at which you are progressing. This includes:

  • credit granted for subjects undertaken at UQ
  • credit granted for subjects undertaken at other universities under approved overseas study programs
  • cross institutional study
  • recognition of prior learning (credit or exemption). 

If you have credits transferred into your program, you will have the value of this credit included in your maximum time frame calculation. 

If you're a student with a regular full time study load (16 units), you must have successfully earned at least 67% of your attempted units by the review at the end of each academic year to be meeting SAP. For example, if you are attempting 16 units, you must earn 11 units to meet SAP.

This includes subjects with a failed or withdrawn result, non-credit subjects, remedial subjects and incomplete subjects. You are also required to achieve a result on any deferred or supplementary assessment within six months.

Doctor of Medicine

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) program commencing in 2023 is awarded a non-Graded pass (P) and non-graded fail (N) at the end of each academic year. SAP will be reviewed annually for MD students. Students who are not progressing satisfactorily will be placed on Financial Aid Probation.

Appeals

If you don't meet the minimum satisfactory academic progress requirement, you'll lose your eligibility for US government loans.

As per the US Federal Student Aid Handbook, if you lose eligibility because you failed to make satisfactory progress, you can appeal on the basis of:

  • injury or illness
  • the death of a relative
  • other special circumstances.

Your appeal must:

  • explain why you failed to make satisfactory progress, and
  • outline what has changed in your situation that will allow you to make satisfactory progress at your next review.

Submitting an appeal

Submit your appeal in writing along with all relevant documentation to:

Financial Aid Director
International Admissions
The University of Queensland
Level 2, JD Story Building (61)
St Lucia QLD 4072

Email: financialaid@uq.edu.au

Successful appeals

If the appeal is granted, you will be placed on probation with an academic plan.

Probation with an academic plan

On receipt of your appeal, an academic plan will be developed to help you meet the SAP requirements.

We will review your progress at the end of the first payment period to determine if you're meeting the requirements of the academic plan.

If you meet the requirements of the academic plan, you will be eligible to continue to receive US federal funding as long as you continue to meet those requirements. You will be reviewed according to the requirements specified in the plan.