Enrollment in Courses & Financial Aid Eligibility
This information is designed to assist you in understanding the federal, state, and institutional regulations and policies for enrollment and financial aid eligibility.
Only courses required for degree completion can be used to determine your financial aid eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid such as Federal Pell Grants, Federal Work-Study, Federal Direct Loans, Institutional financial aid, and SC State Scholarship Programs, and SC Tuition Grant.
Student Financial Services is here to help you understand how these rules apply to your status as a full or part-time student. For financial aid, you can be enrolled full time, but be considered part-time for financial aid.
If a course you are taking does not count toward your degree, the course is not financial aid eligible.
Why are these rules important?
Federal, state, and institutional financial aid is intended to assist students in earning a degree. Eligible credit hours are classes that count in your program of study for your declared major and minor. Taking course that are not required to complete your degree could result in you receiving less or no federal/state/institutional aid or owe money back to the University. Courses that are not eligible cannot be counted toward your enrollment status.
What can you do to ensure you are receiving the maximum financial aid for which you are eligible?
These are things you should do to ensure you qualify for the maximum amount of federal, state, and institutional financial aid possible:
- Declare your major and minor as soon as possible.
It is essential that your major and minor are officially declared and noted on your academic transcript. If you want to declare or change your major/minor, you should meet with your academic advisor so that you can make an official declaration/change. Please note: Changes in majors/minors may result in the loss of program-specific institutional financial aid. You must be enrolled in a minimum of twelve (12) degree-seeking credits to be eligible for institutional financial aid. It will not be prorated for part-time status.
You must be enrolled in a minimum of six (6) degree-seeking credits to be eligible for Federal Direct Loans.
Financial Aid enrollment status can only be determined based on the officially declared major and minor as noted in your student record.
Please note: Degree credit hours taken in the January term are added to enrollment for the upcoming spring term. For example, if a student is enrolled in three (3) degree credit hours in the January term and nine (9) degree credit hours in Spring, the total degree credit hours for Spring is twelve (12), making the student full time.
- Financial Aid Award Assumptions
Financial aid awards assume that students will enroll full-time in degree-eligible coursework during the fall and spring semesters.
Your financial aid award requires Converse to calculate a cost of attendance (COA) for the semester. You COA is based on the degree-eligible credit hours for which you enroll - that is, the number of credit hours that you are enrolled in that apply toward your officially declared program of study and minor.
- Maintain your eligibility
Remember that dropping courses, taking a leave of absence, withdrawing, or not attending your courses can negatively impact your eligibility for current and future financial aid. Please refer to the following:
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Return of Title IV Funds Policy
- Partner with your Academic Advisor
It is important to develop your course schedule after consultation with your academic advisor each semester. Do not self-enroll without consulting with your advisor. You are accountable for the courses you register for. If your current academic program is incorrect, take the appropriate steps to change your major/minor.
- Consult with Student Financial Aid before dropping/adding courses and/or withdrawing or taking a leave of absence, which may have a significant impact on your financial aid eligibility. It is important that you seek the guidance of Converse’s Student Financial Aid administrators.
What are the impacts of these regulations on students?
Financial aid is awarded on the assumption that students will be enrolled full-time in eligible coursework during the fall and spring semesters. Students may only receive federal and state financial aid for course work that counts toward the officially declared major and minor. Students in fewer than twelve (12) degree-seeking credit hours may have their federal, state, or institutional financial aid reduced or canceled.
Students may not fill their schedule with non-program courses to extend their enrollment or to meet full-time credit hour requirements for financial aid. Courses must be applicable to the declared major/minor.
What are the types of Federal and State Financial Aid?
Federal Financial Aid includes Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized/Unsubsidized/PLUS), Federal SEOG Grant, Federal TEACH Grant, and Veterans Administration (VA) benefits.
State Financial Aid includes SC HOPE, SC LIFE & LIFE Enhancement, SC Palmetto Fellows & PF Enhancement, and SC Tuition Grant.
Important Resources