Eligibility for financial aid

Formal admission is different from just taking classes. Most financial aid requires admission to a degree-seeking program. There is limited aid available for non-degree and certificate-seeking students.

If you are required to take prerequisite courses before admission to an undergraduate, graduate, or professional program, you may be eligible for federal student loans. Contact One Stop Student Services and complete a Prerequisite Coursework Certification form to apply for federal financial aid.

Most students qualify for some type of financial aid while earning their first degree. When you satisfy all requirements for your primary degree, you will no longer be eligible to receive federal and Minnesota state financial aid for subsequent terms due to U.S. Department of Education and Minnesota Office of Higher Education regulations. However, you may still be eligible to receive other non-federal or non-Minnesota state financial aid and/or apply for a private loan. One tool to research private lenders is FastChoice.

If you are admitted to a second undergraduate degree program, you may be eligible for Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans.

If you add a second major after completing a bachelor’s degree, or if you are continuing coursework to complete a second major in a degree program from which you’ve already graduated, you are not eligible for financial aid, including loans.
 

In order to comply with financial aid regulations, the University of Minnesota will review your enrollment about 10 days after the start of the term. This is known as the census date. Your financial aid offer and cost of attendance will be prorated (if necessary) based on the number of credits you are enrolled in on that date.

If you make changes to your enrollment by the census date, it may result in a recalculation of your financial aid eligibility. Federal loans are subject to review, and your next loan disbursement may be adjusted to match your annual enrollment eligibility.

If you increase your enrollment level after the census date:

• If you are given permission to add classes after the University census date deadline, you'll be responsible for any additional tuition charges. Contact One Stop to review additional financial aid eligibility.
• Your aid/scholarship eligibility will be reviewed by the Office of Student Finance if applicable.

If you decrease your enrollment level after the census date:

• Coursework drops can impact your financial aid eligibility. Please refer to Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.
• State aid is subject to review, and may be adjusted per your enrollment level.
• Dropping below six credits prior to the disbursement of loans will result in loan cancellation in compliance with financial aid regulations.
   

Federal Direct Loans are based on annual limits that assume you will be enrolled full‑time for the entire academic year. If you enroll in fewer credits, your loan eligibility must be reduced to match your actual enrollment. This reduction is called the Schedule of Reductions (SOR) and applies to all federal loans, except the Parent PLUS Loan. Your enrollment status can also affect how much of your annual Direct Loan limit remains available for later terms in the academic year.

SOR is determined by the following calculation:

• Actual Credits for the Academic Year ÷ Full-Time Credits for the Academic Year = Percentage of Annual Loan Eligibility

That percentage is applied to your annual loan limit, and each term’s disbursement is adjusted to match your enrollment. See Compare loans for information about annual loan limits.
 

Federal Direct Loans

All federal loans are subject to the Schedule of Reductions, except the Parent PLUS loan. If you are enrolled full‑time, you may receive your full annual Federal Direct Loan limits, which will be split across the payments scheduled for the academic year.

If you are enrolled less than full-time but at least half-time, your Federal Direct Loans will be recalculated after the 10th day of class based on your actual number of enrolled credits. If you reduce your enrollment, it will reduce your annual limit, which means less remaining eligibility for future terms. See Full-time credits for credit definitions.

Federal Pell Grants

Financial aid offers provided prior to the start of the term are based on the assumption that you will be enrolled full-time, which is at least 12 credits per semester. If you take fewer than 12 credits a semester, the Federal Pell Grant will be based on your enrollment intensity. Enrollment intensity is a percentage of 12 full-time credits rounded to the nearest whole percent. 

The final enrollment intensity and your Pell Grant amount will be determined at the end of the official add/drop period for the term. The Pell Grant will not increase after this date even if you increase your enrollment.

Enrollment intensity and the Federal Pell Grant

Minnesota State Grant

You must register for at least 15 credits each semester in order to receive your full Minnesota State Grant. You will receive a prorated portion of your grant if you register for fewer than 15 credits in a semester. You must be enrolled in at least 1 credit to receive any portion of your Minnesota State Grant. If you add or drop credits during the first 2 weeks of class, your Minnesota State Grant amount will be adjusted.

Work-study

Work-study requires you to enroll in 6 or more credits each term. You do not need to be enrolled in summer classes in order to be eligible for work-study. 

University Trust Fund Loans

University Trust Fund Loans require a minimum 12 credits of enrollment each fall/spring semester and 6 credits in summer term if loan funds are available.