Enrollment Standards for Financial Aid
There are various enrollment standards for financial aid eligibility and disbursement.
Some aid programs require full-time enrollment, some require half-time enrollment, and others disburse a certain amount per credit hour if a student is enrolled less than full-time.
For federal and state financial aid eligibility, there are additional requirements regarding repeated coursework and courses required for degree completion.
- Enrollment Standards: Defining Less Than Half-Time, Half-Time, Three-Quarters Time, and Full-Time
- Enrollment Requirements for Specific Aid Programs
- Determining Federal and State Aid-Eligible Courses
- Defining Repeated Coursework
- Financial Aid Adjustments Based on Less Than Full-Time Enrollment
Enrollment Standards
Financial aid programs have varying enrollment requirements. The information below applies specifically to determining financial aid eligibility and cost of attendance for financial aid purposes. Enrollment standards for billing purposes or other departments within the University may differ.
Below are the credit hours which determine whether a student is less than half-time, half-time, three-quarters time, or full-time.
Please note that federal and state aid programs have specific requirements which determine if a course may be included as part of enrollment for federal and state financial aid. See Determining Federal and State Aid-Eligible Courses and Defining Repeated Coursework for more information.
Undergraduate Students |
||
| Enrollment Status | Fall and Spring (in credit hours) | Summer (in credit hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Time | 12 or more | 12 or more |
| 3/4 Time | 9 to 11 | 9 to 11 |
| Half-Time | 6 to 8 | 6 to 8 |
| Less Than Half-Time | 1 to 5 | 1 to 5 |
Graduate Students |
||
| Enrollment Status | Fall and Spring (in credit hours) | Summer (in credit hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Time | 9 or more | 6 |
| 3/4 Time | 6 to 8 | 4 to 5 |
| Half-Time | 5 | 3 |
| Less Than Half-Time | 1 to 4 | 1 to 2 |
Enrollment Requirements for Specific Aid Programs
Aid programs have their own enrollment requirements which must be met before the aid can disburse.
Please note that federal and state aid programs have specific requirements which determine if a course may be included as part of enrollment for federal and state financial aid. See Determining Federal and State Aid-Eligible Courses and Defining Repeated Coursework for more information.
Aid Programs That Require Full-Time Enrollment
- Institutional Scholarships and Grants - Note: there may be an exception if the student is in their last semester/graduating and enrolled at least half-time.
- Waivers - Some waivers may require full-time enrollment, depending on the criteria of the waiver and the provider.
- Mountaineer and WVU System Connection Grants
- West Virginia Higher Education Grant (based on enrollment in courses eligible for federal aid)
- West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship - Note: there may be an exception if the student is in their last two semesters of eligibility.
Aid Programs That Require At Least Half-Time Enrollment
- Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (based on enrollment in courses eligible for federal aid)
- Federal Direct Subsidized Loan (based on enrollment in courses eligible for federal aid)
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan (based on enrollment in courses eligible for federal aid)
- Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan (based on enrollment in courses eligible for federal aid
- Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan (based on enrollment in courses eligible for federal aid)
Aid Programs Which Disburse at a Prorated Amount Based on Credit Hours Enrolled
- Federal Pell Grant (based on enrollment in courses eligible for federal aid)
- Federal TEACH Grant (based on enrollment in courses eligible for federal aid)
- Example: A full-time student may receive the full amount, but a student enrolled in nine credit hours would receive a reduced amount.
Programs That Require Less Than Full-Time Enrollment
- West Virginia HEAPS Grant
Enrollment requirements for departmental scholarships (those provided by a college or department) have their own enrollment requirements. You should contact the scholarship provider with questions. Enrollment requirements for private loans vary by lender. Contact the lender with any questions regarding enrollment requirements for loans.
Determining Federal and State Aid-Eligible Courses
There are federal regulations regarding the courses a student takes and federal aid eligibility. To be eligible for Title IV federal aid, count toward enrollment requirements for aid eligibility, and be included in the cost of attendance (budget) for financial aid:
- Courses must be required for the student's degree completion. Courses for elective minors or concentrations may not be included.
- Courses must meet repeat coursework standards. Previously passed courses may only be repeated one time and be considered a "federal aid-eligible" course.
Courses not required for degree completion or those that have been previously passed and are being repeated for a second time cannot be used in calculating the cost of attendance (budget) for financial aid purposes. As such, students may also see reduced aid due to the reduced cost of attendance.
These requirements apply to all federal and West Virginia state aid programs, such as:
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal TEACH Grant
- Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized, PLUS)
- Federal-Work Study
- Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
- West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship
- Part-time West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship (last two semesters of eligibility only)
- West Virginia Higher Education Grant
- West Virginia HEAPS Grant
- Institutional Scholarships**
- Mountaineer and WVU System Connection Grants**
Defining Repeated Coursework
Previously passed courses may only be repeated one time and continue to be included in determining enrollment status (full-time, half-time, etc.) for financial aid eligibility. As such, students repeating previously passed courses for a second time may experience reduced eligibility for financial aid.
Repeated courses also affect satisfactory academic progress standards for financial aid eligibility. A repeated course (along with the original attempt) is counted towards maximum attempted hours and completion rate requirements.
Example 1:
- Student takes English 101 and earns a “D” = Financial aid disburses for this course (as long as the student is meeting all aid eligibility requirements).
- Student takes English 101 again and earns an “F” = Financial aid disburses for this course (as long as the student is meeting all aid eligibility requirements).
- Student takes English 101 again = Since this is the second time the student has repeated this course after receiving a passing grade in the course, the student’s financial aid may be impacted because this course is no longer considered an “aid-eligible” course.
Example 2:
- Student takes Psychology 101 and earns an “F” = Financial aid disburses for this course (as long as the student is meeting all aid eligibility requirements).
- Student takes Psychology 101 again and earns a “D” = Financial aid disburses for this course (as long as the student is meeting all aid eligibility requirements).
- Student takes Psychology 101 again and earns a “D” = Financial aid disburses for this course (as long as the student is meeting all aid eligibility requirements).
- Student takes Psychology 101 again = Since this is the second time the student has repeated this course after receiving a passing grade in the course, the student’s financial aid may be impacted because this course is no longer considered an “aid-eligible” course.