Financial Aid Adjustments Policy
Federal Loans
Federal student loans are reviewed at the time of loan disbursement based on enrollment status. Loan eligibility is evaluated and adjusted according to the number of credit hours in which the student is enrolled at the time funds are disbursed and at census (12th class day of the semester in Fall and Spring).
Loans are reviewed and adjusted, if necessary, to reflect enrollment on census.
The new schedule of reductions policy details the loan adjustments required by the One Big Beautiful Bill’s federal regulations, effective for the 2026-2027 academic year.
New loan disbursements after census will be continuously monitored to match enrollment throughout the semester.
Aid may be adjusted in a later semester within the same academic year
Enrollment changes and billing adjustments after the 12th class day may allow for further loan eligibility to fit within increased cost of attendance.
Other Loans
Parent PLUS, state, and private loans generally require half-time enrollment and will be adjusted to fit within the Cost of Attendance. These loans are not subject to the Schedule of Reductions (SOR) policy.
Other Aid
Hours of enrollment are reviewed by the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid on census. Your cost of attendance budget and financial aid awards will be adjusted to your hours of enrollment on census.
If you drop credit hours prior to census, you may be required to repay some or all of the aid disbursed to you.
If you add credit hours prior to census, your financial aid package may be adjusted to reflect your increased level of enrollment.
If you drop credit hours after census, your financial aid package will not be adjusted unless you withdraw from all classes, except tuition aid is continued to be adjusted to match charges.
If you drop classes, you may not have sufficient hours to meet renewal requirements for some aid programs. Check individual program eligibility below.
Dropping or withdrawing from all classes during a payment period will trigger a review of the student's financial aid eligibility under the federal Return of Title IV (R2T4) requirements.
When a student completely withdraws from all courses, the Financial Aid Office will determine the percentage of the payment period that the student completed. Based on this calculation, the institution may be required to return a portion of the federal financial aid that was previously disbursed to the student's account.
Summer Sessions
Summer enrollment is reviewed on the second day of the July summer session as posted by the Registrar. Your cost of attendance budget and financial aid awards will be adjusted to your hours and number of weeks of enrollment during all summer sessions on this date. This adjustment could result in a balance owed.
Related Policies
- Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy - undergraduate students
- Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy - graduate/professional students
- Withdrawals and Return of Title IV Aid policy
Enrollment Levels
- Full-time enrollment – 12 credit hours per term for undergraduate students, 6 credit hours for graduate students.
- Three-quarter time enrollment – 9-11 credit hours per term for undergraduate students. Not applicable for graduate students.
- Half-time enrollment – 6-8 credit hours per term for undergraduate students, 3 credit hours for graduate students.
- Less than half-time enrollment – 1-5 credit hours per term for undergraduate students. Not applicable for graduate students.
Enrollment requirements for various aid programs
- Scholarships: Full-time. Final semester students may keep a prorated portion of the award, based on the number of hours enrolled.
- Pell Grants: Award amounts prorated to match credit hours enrollment at census or, if not awarded Pell by census, at time of initial award post-census.
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG): Full-time. Final semester students may keep a prorated portion of the award, based on the number of hours enrolled.
- TCU Grants: Full-time. Final semester students may keep a prorated portion of the award, based on the number of hours enrolled.
- State Grants: Full-time. The Final semester is prorated for ¾ time, ½ time and less than ½ time enrollment.
- Work Study: Half-time.
- Direct Loans, PLUS Loans, State Loans: Half-time.
- If students drop classes, this may affect aid eligibility for the Spring disbursement if student does not enroll in full-time (24 credit hours undergraduate; graduate full-time is dependent on program) for the year
- Private Loans: Generally half-time.