Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Status

Financial Aid packages are based on an expected full time enrollment for award and cost of attendance determinations. Unless the Financial Aid Office is notified in advance, student bills issues by the Billing Office will reflect full time award values.

Once the semester begins, the Financial Aid Office must confirm that applicants remain eligible for each type of aid awarded based on their established enrollment status. The enrollment status used by the Financial Aid Office is established as of the official “last day to add” published on the academic calendar. Part B courses have a "last day to add" date that differs from the full semester. Changes in Part B credit loads can alter the enrollment status and aid eligibility.

If the applicant's enrollment status is not full time, the cost of attendance will be prorated. A reduction in the cost of attendance can impact the overall financial aid package. Individual awards will be evaluated based on funding enrollment requirements. Potentially, awards may have to be reduced or eliminated.

Students who are repeating previously passed coursework should refer to our Repeating a Course policy.  The U.S. Department of Education has issued regulations which restrict the number of times a student may retake previously passed coursework and receive federal student aid.  For additional information, see repeated coursework policy

A student's enrollment in a study-abroad program approved for credit by Michigan Tech may be considered enrollment at Michigan Tech for purposes of applying for Federal student financial aid.

Financial Aid Credit Requirements*
(per semester)
Enrollment Undergraduate Graduate
Full Time 12 or more 9 or more
Three-Quarter Time 9, 10, 11  
Half Time 6, 7, 8 5, 6, 7, 8
Less Than Half Time** .5 to 5.5  

*Courses you are not billed for, audits, and Learning Center credits are excluded from the total credits used to calculate financial aid enrollment status.

**For financial aid eligibility, a coop assignment is considered less than half time.

The tuition component of the Cost of Attendance is based on average credits.

Minimum Enrollment

The list that follows indicates the minimum number of credits required to be considered for a specific type of assistance. Though a student may be enrolled for the minimum required credits for an award, an adjustment to the cost of attendance for a less than full time enrollment may still affect the award amount.

Undergraduate Minimum Credits for Specific Assistance Types
 
Scholarships and University Student Aid Grant 12
Loans: ***Federal Direct Loans or TECHAID Loans 6
***Federal Work-Study 6
***Michigan Achievement Scholarship 12
***Michigan Competitive Scholarship (full time value prorated for half or 3/4 time) 6
Michigan Alumni Legacy Award 1
***Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant 6
***Federal Pell Grant:  
Full Time 12
Three-Quarter 9, 10, 11
Half Time 6, 7, 8
Less Than Half-Time .5 to 5.5

***Courses taken as Senior Rule are not counted towards undergraduate enrollment for federal or state aid.

To minimize the impact which packaging adjustments can have on your available financial assistance, we recommend that you notify the Financial Aid Office of less than full time enrollment now or in advance of the “last day to add” date. Though you may receive special permission to increase your credit load after that date, financial aid must be based on the “last day to add”. There are no exceptions.

If you will be attending on a part-time basis, complete and submit the annual Less Than Full Time/Full Academic Year Enrollment Form.  Download the 2023-2024 form.