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The U.S. Department of Education regulations require that the student be enrolled in an eligible degree-seeking or certificate-seeking program to receive federal financial aid (grants, loans, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal work-study, etc.). To qualify for financial aid, the student must be enrolled in courses that are applicable toward the student’s degree or certificate.
If a student is enrolled in courses that are not required to complete their eligible degree or certificate, the student’s financial aid award could be prorated or canceled as required by the U.S. Department of Education.
If you would like to enroll in courses that do not count toward your degree, review the Q and A’s below before enrolling. If you still have questions, contact UNA’s Student Financial Aid office at financialaid@una.edu.
Financial aid is awarded based on the number of credit hours applicable toward your degree. Some federal and state financial aid requires you be enrolled as a full-time student.
- Undergraduate students are considered full time when they are enrolled in at least 12 credit hours applicable toward their degree.
- Graduate students are considered full time when they are enrolled in at least 9 credit hours applicable toward their degree.
If you are receiving Pell or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity grants and are not enrolled full-time in courses included in your degree program, your award will be reduced. If you are not enrolled in courses included in your degree program at least half time, you will not be eligible for loans.
A program of study consists of courses required to complete a specific degree, inclusive of required coursework within the major, concentration, minor and catalog. The specific courses for your program of study are identified through Degree Works located within your Portal account under the Degree Progress Card. Click the “View Audit” link on the Degree Progress card to access your Degree Works account.
Reminder: Federal aid will only cover the cost of courses that apply toward your degree requirements. Use the checklist below to ensure the courses you register for are applicable toward your degree.
- Check – Check your academic progress on your degree audit within Degree Works to identify the courses you need.
- Confirm – Review your pre-registered classes on Degree Works to confirm the courses you registered for apply toward your degree.
- Adjust – Adjust your registration if needed to ensure courses apply toward your degree.
If you have questions regarding Degree Works please visit here.
If your major allows for electives, and you have available credits remaining in your elective section, adding electives will not impact your financial aid. However, if you have satisfied all of your elective credits, the additional elective course(s) will likely be ineligible for financial aid.
Prerequisite courses are eligible for financial aid for up to 30 credit hours. The federal guidelines allow prerequisite courses to be included in the 30-hour remedial category. If you take a prerequisite course and have already completed 30 credit hours in the remedial or prerequisite categories, the course will not be eligible for financial aid.
If you are only receiving Federal Direct loans, you will be eligible for financial aid as long as you are enrolled in 6 credit hours in your course program of study. If you are receiving federal grants, the amount you receive for the grant will be reduced if you are only in 6 credit hours in your course program of study.
If you are only receiving Federal Direct loans, you will be eligible for financial aid as long as you are enrolled in 5 credit hours in your course program of study.