Financial Aid Census Date Policy
In accordance with federal regulations, the Financial Aid Office will recalculate federal, state, and institutional student aid awards based on the enrollment status as of the Census Date, which is typically the 10th day of class of a given semester. All students in full semester courses and/or session 1 (first module) courses fall under the first Census Date. The second Census Date is typically ten days after the start of session 2 (second module). Students who have courses that occur only within session 2 fall under the second Census Date.
All federal, state and institutional aid will be based upon the Census Date enrollment status.
After Census Date, students cannot request changes to the Federal Pell Grant. Changes to Federal Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized, and PLUS loan programs are allowed if a student wishes to decrease or decline loan(s) or increase a loan, as long as all other eligibility requirements are met. Eligibility for federal programs may be affected by schedule changes after the Census Date for students in courses starting after Census Date or those who have had FAFSA information or corrections submitted after the Census Date.
If you add credits after the census date, you may not be eligible to receive additional financial aid. View specific census dates on the Financial Aid Deadlines page.
Withdrawals
This policy does not apply to students who withdraw from all courses. Complete withdrawals from the university are subject to federal, state, and institutional refund policies. Please review this page for more information regarding complete withdrawals from the university.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
If you drop classes after the census date, you may also have future financial aid eligibility issues.
Undergraduates, please review the Undergraduate SAP Policy for more information on the requirements to maintain financial aid eligibility.
Graduates, please review the Graduate SAP Policy for more information on the requirements to maintain financial aid eligibility.