Requirements:
You may not be aware, but federal regulations require that a student be enrolled in only those courses that count towards their program of study (CPoS) or are necessary to help earn the total hours required to complete the degree. Enrollment in ineligible coursework could cause federal grants, work study, loans, and some scholarships to be reduced. It may also affect ability to maintain full-time enrollment, which may be necessary to receive certain federal financial aid.
Why This is Important:
Taking courses that are not required to complete your degree could result in a reduction to your overall financial aid package. This means that you could receive less or no federal aid, or you could owe money back that was already paid to your account and/or refunded to you.
Enrollment Level and CPOS:
Financial aid is initially awarded based on the assumption that undergraduate students will enroll full-time in eligible coursework during fall and spring semesters. Students may only receive federal financial aid for outstanding coursework that counts towards their officially declared program of study. State, institutional, and private aid requirements may vary when it comes to CPOS requirements. Please check with the agency to ensure you are meeting all requirements for funding. Dropping or not attending your courses can negatively impact your eligibility for current and/or future aid.
If your federal financial aid has been reduced due to enrollment in coursework that does not apply towards outstanding requirements in your program of study, you should contact your counselor or email bcounselor@barstow.edu to discuss your academic options. Otherwise, if you have questions regarding financial aid, contact finaid@barstow.edu.
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Enrollment Status Types: |
Undergraduate: |
|
Full Time |
12+ credits/semester |
|
Three Quarter Time |
9 – 11 credits/semester |
|
Half Time |
6 – 8 credits/semester |
|
Less Than Half Time |
0.5 – 5 credits/semester |
Examples:
1.
If you are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and enroll in 12 hours and only 9 of the 12 hours are required towards your officially declared program of study, the Federal Pell Grant will be reduced to a three-quarter time award based on 9 hours.
2.
Federal Direct Loans require 6 hours of enrollment for all student types. If you are enrolled in 6 hours and only 3 of the 6 hours are required for your program of study, you are not eligible to receive a Federal Direct Loan.
If your Program of Study is incorrect, please update it as soon as possible by completing the Program of Study/Educational Goal Update Form. The electronic form is completed entirely online and can be found online at http://www.barstow.edu/BCC/form.html.
