Course Program of Study and Credit Hour Requirements for Federal Student Aid

A program of study consists of courses required to complete a degree, inclusive of required coursework within the major and minor. The specific courses for a student are listed in the Auburn University Bulletin and identified through our degree evaluation tool – Degree Works.

The Department of Education places an important emphasis on federal financial aid rules that may impact the amount of aid you receive. This is referred to as Course Program of Study (CPoS). Courses that are not required for your degree will not count toward your minimum required hours for federal aid. Academic departments determine program requirements and these are listed in the Auburn University Bulletin and entered in the degree evaluation program - Degree Works.

You can view the status of course(s) that count or do not count in Degree Works. Courses listed under “Other Courses” do not apply to your degree program and are not considered eligible for financial aid purposes.

Note: Your enrollment will be reviewed after registration is open for all students and will continue to be reviewed as courses are dropped and added.

There are a few things you can do to ensure eligibility for the maximum amount of federal aid that you have been offered.

It is essential that your major and minor, if applicable, are officially declared and noted in your student record. If you have been planning to declare or change a major or minor, but have not yet done so, you should contact your academic advisor as soon as possible to make the official declaration.

Courses can only be determined to be eligible based on the officially declared major and minor as noted in your student record. These can be viewed in your Academic Profile in AU Access under “Current Program.” Please note that aid recipients must be classified as degree seeking and must be taking courses toward that degree. Certificate programs are not degree programs.

It is important that you discuss your Course Program of Study with your advisor prior to registering each semester. Remember that dropping or not attending your courses can negatively impact your eligibility for current and future aid.

If, for whatever reason, your eligible coursework credit hours do not meet the minimum credit hour requirement for your specific federal aid fund(s), you will not be eligible to receive those fund(s). In that case, your option for aid would be a private non-federal loan that in most cases requires a credit-worthy cosigner and in all cases, a credit check.

Can you take classes that are not required for your major?
Students receiving federal financial aid may take classes that are not required for their Program of Study. However, they should make sure that they are taking enough eligible credit hours in order to meet the minimum required credit hours to qualify for the federal aid fund(s) that they have been offered in order to maintain eligibility for those fund(s) and make progress towards their degree.

How will my Course Program of Study impact elective courses?
Courses of study vary in the number of elective credits that apply to the degree. If your course of study includes elective credits and you have not already filled those elective credits with other courses, the course will be considered degree applicable. Once you enroll in enough credits for the term in your program of study to meet the minimum requirements for your offered fund(s), you will be eligible for those funds, and you can take additional courses whether they are in your program of study or not.

When is the last day to modify my enrollment to potentially impact my Course Program of Study?
Students can continue to add courses through the fifth day of class in fall and spring terms and the second day of class in summer terms. See the university academic calendar for specific dates each term. Your enrollment will be reviewed after registration is open for all students and will continue to be reviewed as courses are dropped and added during the designated drop/add period.

How will Repeated Coursework be affected?
Courses previously passed may be repeated and counted towards federal aid eligibility. However, students may repeat a previously passed course only once. In other words, the 3rd attempt at a previously passed course will NOT count toward minimum credit hour requirements for federal aid.

What if you want to change your major?
You should ensure your major is correct in AU Access and declare your minor, if applicable, prior to registration for the next term. Students who wish to change their major should reach out to their academic advisor for guidance.

What should you do if you need to add another major?
If you wish to add a double major or concurrent degree, contact your academic advisor for assistance prior to registration for the next term.

How will courses needed for double majors be treated?
Double majors or concurrent degrees must be officially declared and reflected in your Degree Works. Courses counting toward undeclared majors will not be included in the program of study. You should confirm with an advisor what courses will apply for a double major or concurrent degree.

NOTE: Requests for major changes and course substitutions are not immediate and require manual updates in the system. Students who wish to change their major should talk to their academic advisor for guidance.

What if I have applied for a program and will not find out if I was accepted until right before the term begins?
You should go ahead and register for classes that will satisfy degree requirements for the course of study you plan to follow if you are not accepted. Another option is to register for courses that will satisfy requirements for your minor if you plan to pursue a minor.

What about Degree Candidates in their last semester?
Students receiving federal aid should plan to have more than one required course remaining for their final term since federal student loans require at least half-time enrollment. Half-time enrollment is 6 hours for undergraduate students and 5 hours for graduate students.

Is your scholarship affected?
No, institutional aid, including scholarships, is not subject to the same federal regulatory restrictions.

How will this affect study abroad?
Study abroad courses may count for federal financial aid if they apply towards required coursework in your officially declared program of study.

What should you do if you are taking a course that is not counted in your program and you think it should be?
If you think a course should count, but it is not, you should review your degree program in the AU Bulletin to confirm it is a requirement. Then contact your academic advisor if you still have questions.

I have been notified that one or more of my courses are not counting toward my Federal Financial Aid eligibility. I consulted with an advisor and we made updates to my enrollment and/or program of study (declared major). When will I know if the changes “fixed” the problem?
The automated review process happens nightly. It can only review updates that are reflected on your record. If the updates have been fully processed and your course is determined to be eligible, the alert/flag will be cleared within 2-3 business days of the overnight process.

How will this affect federal Satisfactory Academic Progress?
Course Program of Study requirements will not affect how Satisfactory Academic Progress is calculated. SAP determinations are based on cumulative GPA and credit hours attempted for all courses attempted, not just those courses that are required for degree. Therefore, all attempted credit hours and all course grades will continue to count towards Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) calculations for financial aid recipients.

I’m enrolled in 12 undergraduate hours, but 4 of those hours don’t count towards my officially declared program of study. How does that affect my financial aid?
That depends on what type of aid that you have. If you have Federal Pell Grant, your Pell disbursement will prorate based on half time enrollment (6-8 hours) as opposed to full time enrollment (12+ hours). If you have a Federal Subsidized, Unsubsidized or if your parent has a Direct PLUS Loan, you will be eligible for those disbursements if you have at least 6 hours of eligible coursework. If applicable, your institutional aid will be based on your total 12 hours.

I want federal student loans, but only 5 out of my 9 enrolled hours apply towards outstanding requirements in my officially declared program of study. Can I still get my loans?
The answer is no if you are an undergraduate student and yes if you are a graduate student. To receive a federal student loan, you must be enrolled at least half-time in credit hours that apply toward your officially declared program of study – at least half time enrollment for undergraduate students is 6 hours, at least half time enrollment for graduate students is 5 hours.

For the upcoming semester, I plan to enroll in 17 hours, which includes a 3 hour class that doesn’t apply toward outstanding requirements in my officially declared program of study. Will financial aid pay for the ineligible 3 hours class?
Financial aid will disburse based on full-time enrollment status. If at least 12 of your credits apply towards outstanding requirements in your officially declared program of study, then you are still considered a full-time student for federal financial aid purposes. If eligible you may receive a full-time Federal Pell Grant and Federal Student Loans. Financial aid will pay for any academic related charges, including the charge for the additional class. However, depending on the amount of your aid and amount of your bill, the financial aid you receive may not be enough to cover all charges, leaving you responsible for paying the remaining balance.

None of my courses apply toward outstanding requirements in my officially declared program of study, but I still want to take them. What does that mean?
You are not eligible for federal financial aid, but you may pursue a non-federal private loan if you need funding to cover your charges. Please visit the loans section of our site for private/alternative loan information.

I only have one course remaining to graduate, can I still get my aid for my graduation term?
It depends on the number of credit hours of your remaining course. If you are an undergraduate, you must have at least 6 hours remaining toward your degree program. If you are a graduate student, you must have at least 5 hours remaining toward your degree program. So it’s not advisable to leave just one course remaining for your final term if you will need federal aid to cover your charges.