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Student Planning: How Part-Time Enrollment Affects Financial Aid

Your initial financial aid award is based on full-time enrollment each academic year.

  • Undergraduate full-time status: 24 credits per year
  • Graduate full-time status: 18 credits per year

What You Need to Know

If you enroll less than full-time, or withdraw from courses, your aid may be reduced.
  • If dropping a class during the add/drop period, your aid will be adjusted based on your updated enrollment.
  • If withdrawing after aid has been disbursed (paid), aid for that term is usually not adjusted. However, your total enrollment for the year may still affect future semesters.
  • Enrollment across the full year matters. Aid is reviewed based on your total credits for fall + spring. If you do not reach full-time enrollment for the year, your aid may be reduced.
  • Summer aid may be adjusted if your overall yearly enrollment is below full-time.

Estimate Your Aid Impact

You can estimate how enrollment changes may affect your aid using this planning tool:

Planning Calculator

Quick Tips

Plan your full academic year, not just one term
Talk with your advisor before withdrawing from a course
Check your aid status if your enrollment changes

You register for 15 credits in fall and 15 credits in spring (30 total) as an undergraduate. You withdraw from 6 credits in the fall and complete 9 credits.

  • Because you are still on track for 24 credits for the year, your fall aid is not adjusted.
  • If you enroll in fewer than 15 credits in spring, your spring aid may be reduced.

You register for 9 credits in fall and 9 credits in spring (18 total) as a graduate student. You withdraw from a spring class after aid has been disbursed, leaving you at 6 credits.

  • Your spring aid will not be adjusted.
  • If you enroll in summer, your summer aid may be reduced based on your total enrollment.