The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a relevant step in securing financial aid for college.
And although many understand the financial information required, dealing with the course credit requirements can be confusing.
This is everything you need to know about FAFSA course credits and how they impact your eligibility.
What are course credits?
Course credits represent the units assigned to a college course.
The number of credits reflects the workload and instructional time involved.
A standard semester credit usually represents one hour of lecture per week, plus two to three hours of outside work.
Credit hours vary depending on the program and institution, but most undergraduate courses carry 3 credits.
FAFSA Course Credits Requirements
The FAFSA itself doesn’t have a specific course credit requirement.
However, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled at least half-time in a program leading to a degree or certificate.
Half-time enrollment is generally defined as taking between 6 and 8 credit hours per semester, depending on the institution’s definition.
This is how the enrollment status affects your financial aid:
- Full-time (12+ credit hours): Qualifies you for the full amount of your federal financial aid award (e.g., Pell Grants).
- Three-quarter time (9-11 credit hours): Receives 75% of the full award amount.
- Half-time (6-8 credit hours): Receives 50% of the full award amount.
- Less than half-time (1-5 credit hours): Generally ineligible for most federal financial aid programs.
These are general guidelines. The specific number of credits required for half-time enrollment may vary by school.
Always check with your financial aid office for the exact definition at your institution.
The FAFSA only considers courses that count towards your degree or certificate.
Remedial or developmental courses normally won’t count unless they are specifically required for your program.
To continue receiving financial aid, you must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as defined by your school.
This includes meeting minimum credit hour completion rates and grade point average (GPA) requirements.
What are the requirements for satisfactory academic progress?
Each institution sets its own SAP policy, but it generally includes these two components:
- Minimum Completion Rate: This is the percentage of attempted credits you must successfully complete each semester or academic year to maintain eligibility. The standard is typically 67%, but it can vary.
- Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA): You must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA throughout your academic program to stay eligible for financial aid.
Your school’s financial aid office will provide you with the specific SAP policy details.
What happens if you fail to meet satisfactory academic progress?
If you fall below the minimum completion rate or GPA requirements, you will be placed on financial aid warning or suspension.
The specific consequences will vary by school, but they may include:
- Loss of eligibility for federal financial aid: This could be temporary or permanent, depending on the severity of the situation.
- Loss of institutional scholarships and grants: Many scholarships and grants have their own SAP requirements that may be stricter than the federal minimums.
Some schools allow students to appeal a financial aid suspension or develop a plan to regain eligibility.
This may involve taking summer courses, improving your grades in subsequent semesters, or completing academic support programs.