Your initial financial aid award is based on full-time enrollment. Census occurs at the end of the day on the last day to drop/add courses for the semester (typically the Friday of the first week of classes). Federal regulations require us to evaluate your actual enrollment status for financial aid purposes and adjust your financial aid accordingly at that time. Additional courses registered for after the census date cannot be taken into consideration with regard to your financial aid eligibility, regardless of whether an exception was made by the Registrar's Office to allow late registration.

We assume full time enrollment on all award notifications. Your financial aid can change if you are not attending full time. The chart below gives you the definition of each enrollment status.

Undergraduate Students

Full time: 12 or more credits

3/4 time: 9 to 11 credits

1/2 time: 6 to 8 credits

Less than 1/2 time: 1 to 5 credits

Masters & Doctoral Students

Full time: 9 or more credits

3/4 time: 6.5 to 8.5 credits

1/2 time: 4.5 to 6.5 credits

Less than 1/2 time: 1 to 4 credits

Federal Work Study

• Full Time Enrollment - Student receives 100% of the semester award if full time at census.
• Three Quarter Time Enrollment - Student receives 75% of the semester award if three quarter time at census.
• Half Time Enrollment - Student receives 50% of the semester award if half time at census.
• Less than Half Time Enrollment - Semester award will be cancelled if below half time at census.

Federal Direct PLUS Loan (Parents and Graduate Students)

• Full Time Enrollment - Student receives the semester award less any applicable loan origination fees.  Original award amount may be adjusted based on enrollment.
• Three Quarter Time Enrollment - Student receives the semester award less any applicable loan origination fees.  Original award amount may be adjusted based on enrollment.
• Half Time Enrollment - Student receives the semester award less any applicable loan origination fees.  Original award amount may be adjusted based on enrollment.
• Less than Half Time Enrollment - Semester award will be cancelled if below half time at census.

Federal Pell Grant

• Amount prorates based on total enrolled credit hours each semester.  Please contact our office if you will be less than full-time (less than 12 credits) and have any questions.

Federal Nursing Loan

• Students must be full time to receive this award.

Federal Direct Subsidized & Unsubsidized Loans

• Full Time Enrollment - Student receives the semester award less any applicable loan origination fees.  Original award amount may be adjusted based on enrollment.
• Three Quarter Time Enrollment - Student receives the semester award less any applicable loan origination fees.  Original award amount may be adjusted based on enrollment.
• Half Time Enrollment - Student receives the semester award less any applicable loan origination fees.  Original award amount may be adjusted based on enrollment.
• Less than Half Time Enrollment - Semester award will be cancelled if below half time at census.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

• Full Time Enrollment - Student receives 100% of the semester award if full time at census.
• Three Quarter Time Enrollment - Student receives 75% of the semester award if three quarter time at census.
• Half Time Enrollment - Student receives 50% of the semester award if half time at census.
• Less than Half Time Enrollment - Semester award will be cancelled if below half time at census.

Federal TEACH Grant

• Full Time Enrollment - Student receives 100% of the semester award if full time at census.
• Three Quarter Time Enrollment - Student receives 75% of the semester award if three quarter time at census.
• Half Time Enrollment - Student receives 50% of the semester award if half time at census.
• Less than Half Time Enrollment - Semester award will be cancelled if below half time at census.

GV Institutional Grants 

• Students must be full time to receive this award.

GV Merit Scholarships 

• Students must be full time to receive this award.

GV Endowed & Department Scholarships

• Full Time Enrollment - Student receives 100% of the semester award if full time at census.
• Three Quarter Time Enrollment - Varies by scholarship.  Contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships if your specific scholarship can be received at less than full-time.
• Half Time Enrollment - Varies by scholarship.  Contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships if your specific scholarship can be received at less than full-time.
• Less than Half Time Enrollment - Varies by scholarship.  Contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships if your specific scholarship can be received at less than full-time.

Michigan Competitive Scholarship

• Full Time Enrollment - Student receives 100% of the semester award if full time at census.
• Three Quarter Time Enrollment - Student receives 75% of the semester award if three quarter time at census.
• Half Time Enrollment - Student receives 50% of the semester award if half time at census.
• Less than Half Time Enrollment - Semester award will be cancelled if below half time at census.

Michigan Achievement Scholarship

• Students must be full time to receive this award.  For eligibility criteria, visit https://www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid/programs/michigan-achievement-scholarship.

NOTE: If the student changes enrollment prior to the end of the 75% tuition refund for the term, the award will be adjusted or cancelled as appropriate. If the student changes enrollment after the 75% tuition refund for the term, the award will not be adjusted.

NOTE: If a student receiving financial aid withdraws from the University, the student may be required to repay a portion of the financial aid received for the semester in which the withdrawal occurs. A withdrawal calculation is done by the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships to determine the type and amount of aid required to be reduced.  Click here for more information.