Enrollment and Your Financial Aid

Don’t lose your aid

You’ve met the eligibility requirements. You’ve completed your FAFSA. And your financial aid has been credited to your account. Now what?

Maintain your enrollment

Any change to your enrollment may result in a change to your financial aid eligibility. This includes:

If any of these occur, you may be asked to return money you’ve already received, and may not receive money you’re expecting.

For most types of financial aid, you need to be enrolled at least half time during any semester you’re receiving aid:

  • Undergraduate: 6 credit hours
  • Graduate: 4 credit hours

Note that waitlist hours aren’t counted when determining enrollment status—only classes you’re actually registered for will count.

Exceptions to the half-time rule

Federal Pell Grants

The amount of your Pell grant is determined by your enrollment status at the end of the 100% tuition refund period, so be sure to finalize your schedule before the end of this period.

Frank O’Bannon Grants

If you’re receiving a Frank O’Bannon Grant, you’re required to be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours through the 25% tuition refund period . If you were enrolled in 12 credit hours and received your award, then dropped below 12 credit hours, the grant will be removed from your account. This may create a balance on your bursar account that must be repaid.

21st Century Scholarship

If you’re receiving a 21st Century Scholarship, you’re required to be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours through the 25% tuition refund period. If you were enrolled in 12 credit hours and received your award, then dropped below 12 credit hours, the grant will be removed from your account. This may create a balance on your bursar account that must be repaid.

How withdrawing from courses affects your aid

Withdrawing from all of your courses during a semester can have a big impact on your financial aid.

Return of Title IV funds

If you receive Title IV financial aid and officially withdraw from a semester or unofficially withdraw by ceasing to attend, federal regulations require a Return of Title IV Funds calculation to determine if any Federal Title IV aid must be repaid. Federal Title IV aid includes Pell Grants,  Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Direct Loans, Perkins Loans, and PLUS loans for parents or graduate students.

Review the Return of Title IV regulations

 

Repayment calculations

The amount of Federal Title IV aid to be repaid is calculated based on the percentage of time completed within a semester. This involves calculating the amount of Title IV aid that you earned, and the amount of institutional charges for that semester. Prior to withdrawing for the semester, you are encouraged to contact our office.

When unearned Federal Title IV funds are repaid, they are returned by program up to the disbursed amount for each program. Unearned Federal Title IV grant funds are returned prior to loan funds in the following order: Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct Subsidized Loans, Perkins Loans, Direct PLUS loans for parents or graduate students, Pell Grants, and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants.

Notification of return of funds

If funds are returned, you will be notified by mail no later than 45 days of the determination that you withdrew during the semester. In the case of a Parent PLUS loan, notification regarding the loan will be sent to the Parent PLUS loan borrower. Your notification will provide detailed information on the Federal Title IV funds and the amount of these funds to be repaid by the student and/or parent. If the notification to the student and/or parent includes eligibility for a post-withdrawal disbursement, the student and/or parent has 14 days to respond to accept or decline. The return of these funds typically results in charges becoming due which previously were paid by the aid we are required to return. Current information on your financial aid award status and bursar account status is available on One.IU.

Withdrawals and state of Indiana awards

If you officially withdraw from a semester or drop below full-time enrollment (12 credit hours) before the state census date (end of the 25%  refund period or 28th day of the term), state regulations require the cancellation of Frank O'Bannon and 21st Century Scholars awards. This cancellation results in the removal of the financial aid credit from your bursar account, and the charge is your responsibility to repay. If your state aid is cancelled, you will receive a  Financial Aid Notification (FAN) at your university email address with an update. FAN emails are sent daily. You are also encouraged to visit One.IU to view your financial aid award  status and bursar account status.

Withdrawals and academic progress

Withdrawal from the semester after the official census date may impact future eligibility for federal or state financial aid due to Satisfactory Academic Progress. Future satisfactory academic progress monitoring will include any courses dropped after the official census date as attempted but not completed hours.

How repeating courses affects your aid

If you repeat a course more than once in which you received a letter grade of D– or higher, federal regulations say that repeated course can’t be included in your enrollment status when we calculate your federal financial aid eligibility.

If you’re enrolled in 12 credit hours during which you repeat a previously passed 3 credit hour course for the second time, only nine of your credit hours can be used to calculate your financial aid eligibility. Your enrollment will be reported as three-quarter time rather than full time, which may affect your federal grants and loans.