Course Program of Study (CPOS)

What is Course Program of Study (CPOS)?

Course Program of Study (CPOS) is a federal requirement that only courses that count toward a student's program of study (your declared major/minor) are counted in the student’s enrollment status when determining Federal Financial Aid eligibility.

Frequently asked questions

When is Davenport implementing CPOS?

Davenport University will begin actively implementing CPOS in the Fall 2020 term.

What type of financial aid does CPOS impact?

At Davenport, CPOS applies to federal aid (e.g., Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, TEACH Grants, Direct Loans, PLUS Loans, Federal Work Study, etc.) as well as state aid (e.g., MTG, TIP, MCS). It does not impact institutional or athletic aid.

Examples:

Scenario 1: Student is enrolled in 12 credits, but 4 of those credits do not apply to the student's degree or certificate.

Federal and state financial aid will be based on 8 credits; therefore, the student's eligibility will
be:

Federal Pell Grant is awarded at half-time instead of full-time.
Federal Direct Loans are not impacted.
Federal Work-Study is not impacted.
State programs are based on half-time instead of full-time.

Scenario 2: Student is enrolled in 9 credits, but 6 of them do not apply to the student’s degree or certificate.

Federal and state financial aid will based on 3 credits; therefore, the student’s eligibility will be:

Federal Pell Grant is awarded at less than half-time instead of three-quarter-time.
Student is not eligible for Federal Direct Loans.
Federal Work-Study is not impacted.
Student is not eligible for state programs.

Scenario 3: Student is enrolled in 16 credits but 4 of them do not apply to the student’s degree or certificate.

Federal and state financial aid will based on 12 credits; therefore, the student’s eligibility will be:

Federal Pell Grant is not impacted.
Federal Direct Loans are not impacted.
Federal Work-Study is not impacted.
State programs are not impacted.

Scenario 4: Student is enrolled in Graduate Certificate – Urban Ed and is enrolled in 8 credits but 4 of them do not apply to the student’s degree or certificate.

Federal aid will be based on 4 credits; therefore, the student’s eligibility will be:

Federal Direct Loans are not impacted
Federal TEACH GRANT will be based upon half-time instead of full-time.

How and when will I know if I am impacted by CPOS?

Students enrolled in courses impacted by CPOS will be notified via their PantherMail. The email will only state that a change was made to your financial aid awards. NOTE: Students will only be notified if CPOS impacts their federal or state aid eligibility.

What should I do if I've been notified that one or more of my courses doesn't count in my program of study (declared major/minor)?

Do NOT begin modifying your schedule without consultation with an academic advisor! An advisor will be able to review your academic record and DegreePlan to determine whether the CPOS process is accurately assessing your courses. If your declared program of study requires a concentration or specialty, work with your advisor to ensure your DegreePlan is accurately reflecting your selection. In some cases, an academic advisor can facilitate a course substitution.

An academic advisor has determined that one or more of my courses are not required for my program of study (declared major/minor). What can I do?

If an academic advisor determines that a course is not satisfying a requirement for your program of study (declared major/minor), it will not count toward your federal and state aid eligibility. You should consult with an academic advisor and the financial aid office to consider an appropriate course of action (adding a required course, dropping the ineligible course, or remaining enrolled in the ineligible course with the understanding that your aid will prorate).

Can I appeal a determination that a course does not apply toward my program of study?

No. There is no appeal process for courses that do not satisfy a requirement of your program of study.

I am enrolled in courses that aren't part of my program of study (e.g, based on personal/career interest or to maintain full-time enrollment for athletics or housing). Will CPOS impact me?

Yes. If your enrollment isn't satisfying a requirement for your declared major/minor, the system will flag the courses as ineligible and they will not count toward your federal and state aid eligibility.

When is the last day to modify my enrollment to potentially impact CPOS?

Any changes to your semester enrollment should be completed by the 10 th calendar day after a semester start. Please refer to the academic calendar for semester start dates.

When is the last day to make major changes to potentially impact CPOS?

Don't wait until the last minute to contact your academic advisor to make changes to your curriculum/program of study. These requests require manual updates to your academic record and can take 3-5 days for processing. We recommend that you connect with your academic advisor by the start of the semester to make curriculum/program of study changes.

Do open electives count toward CPOS?

Possibly. Open electives must satisfy a graduation requirement of your declared program of study. If you have been notified that an elective is not counting toward your federal or state aid eligibility, contact your academic advisor. If an advisor determines that the elective is satisfying a requirement and will count toward your studies, they will facilitate any adjustments needed in your academic record.

Can I still take a course that doesn’t count toward my program of study?

Yes, you may take a course that is not required in your program. However, the course will not count toward your enrollment status for determining financial aid eligibility. If your aid, at the reduced/prorated enrollment status, does not cover all of your semester charges, you will need to pay the balance due through the Student Payment Center.

Will financial aid cover MATH 030 and ENGL 021 because they are not listed as part of my program of study?

According to federal regulations, financial aid can cover a maximum of 30 remedial/development credits; therefore, if you have not exceeded the 30 credit limit, financial aid will count remedial/developmental credits in your enrollment status.

I have been notified that one or more of my courses are not counting toward my federal financial aid eligibility due to CPOS. I consulted with an advisor and we made updates to my enrollment and/or program of study. When will I know if this worked?

The CPOS automated review process happens nightly. It can only review updates that are reflected on your account. If the updates have been fully processed and your course is determined to be eligible, your financial aid will automatically update the next business day to reflect your new eligibility. You will receive an email stating that a change was made to your awards.

NOTE: Requests for program of study changes are not immediate and require manual updates in the system.

What if I make a change to my schedule after I receive my financial aid?

The Financial Aid Office may need to re-evaluate your financial aid eligibility based on your change in schedule. This could result in you having to repay a portion or all of the financial aid you have received. You should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to making any schedule changes after the semester begins.

If I am degree-seeking but haven’t declared a major (“undeclared”), am I still eligible to receive financial aid?

Yes, you will be eligible to receive financial aid with an “undeclared” major status for up to 24 scheduled credits towards a bachelor’s or associate’s degree. Once your academic record reflects 24+ earned DU credits, you will be required to select a program of study in order to remain eligible for continued financial aid funding.

How do course withdrawals and reinstatements impact my financial aid eligibility?

If you are withdrawn from a course (student-initiated or attendance policy) your financial aid may be adjusted and returned accordingly. If you are subsequently reinstated into the course, you may not be eligible for your original financial aid package for the semester.