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Financial Aid and Academic Load

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Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least twenty-four (24) credit hours during the academic year to be considered as full-time students for the year. Thus, undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least twelve (12) credit hours or more during a semester or term (fall or spring semester or summer term) in order to be considered full-time students for that semester or term for budgeting and awarding purposes.

NOTE: For purposes of estimating award amounts on the award notification letter, the Office of Financial Aid uses an expected full-time enrollment of 15 hours per semester. The estimated amounts for scholarships and grants that are paid per semester hour will be adjusted to the actual number of hours enrolled at registration. Awards offered in set amounts may be pro-rated for enrollment less than full-time (12+ hours).

For budgeting and awarding purposes:

• Undergraduate students taking (9) nine to (11) eleven credit hours are considered to be attending three-quarter time during a semester or term (fall or spring semester or summer term), and
• Undergraduate students taking (6) six to (8) eight credit hours are considered to be attending half-time during a semester or term (fall or spring semester or summer term)
  

Students attending full-time will be awarded aid based on full-time enrollment. If the student drops, or withdraws from any classes ceasing to be enrolled full-time, the Office of Financial Aid reserves the right to reduce the student's aid based upon this change in enrollment. This will also depend on the eligibility requirements for each individual award, or as required by federal, state, and institutional policy.

The Office of Financial Aid attempts to award the student using the most current information available related to the expected enrollment level. However, students are cautioned that dropping classes after being awarded on a full-time basis may affect their eligibility for certain types of aid.

IMPORTANT NOTE: EXIT COUNSELING and HALF TIME ENROLLMENT: Federal regulations require all student loan borrowers to complete exit counseling and to provide updated information at the time a borrower ceases at least half-time enrollment. If you do not complete the exit counseling your financial aid file will be flagged and all requests for academic transcripts will be denied.

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