Less Than Full-Time Loan Adjustments
This is a very important change that you must understand, because dropping a course may result in a reduction of your next loan disbursement or partial repayment of a student loan that has already been disbursed to you.
One Big Beautiful Bill Act Information
On July 4, 2025, the President signed into law the final version of the . We continue to review the impact of this legislation and are awaiting final guidance from the U.S. Department of Education in many areas. While it is too early to determine all of the effects, the University is focused on understanding how the legislation will affect students, particularly in terms of new limits on graduate and parent borrowing.  The changes impacting financial aid are scheduled to go into effect starting July 1, 2026 unless otherwise stated. The below updates are based on the most recent  negotiated rulemaking sessions, as well as the . &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Full-Time Academic Year Definition:
To be considered full-time during the academic year
- Undergraduate Students: Must take 24 credit hours over the course of the fall and spring terms
- Graduate/Professional/PhD Students: Must take 18 credits over the fall and spring terms
Half-Time Enrollment:
You must be enrolled at least half-time to receive offered loans in a given semester (or starting quarter for quarter programs). The minimum number of credits per semester (or starting quarter) to be considered half-time is:
- Undergraduate Students: 6 credit hours
- Graduate/Professional/PhD Students: 4.5 credit hours
Less Than Full-Time Enrollment:
Starting with 2026-2027 if you will not be enrolled full-time for the full academic year based on the above definition your Federal Loan will need to be adjusted. This is called a Schedule of Reduction (SOR) change. The formula used to calculate the reduction is as follows:
Schedule of Reduction Examples (These are illustrative examples only)
| Registered Fall Hours | Registered Spring Hours | Pecentage of FT Enrollment | Max Annual Loan Eligibility | Final Annual Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 |
12 |
24/24 = 100% |
$5,500 | $5,500 |
| 15 | 9 | 24/24 = 100% | $5,500 | $5,500 |
| 6 | 6 | 12/24 = 50% | $5,500 | $2,750 |
| 12 | 3 | 15/24 = 63% | $5,500 | $2,750* |
| 3 | 12 | 15/24 = 63% | $5,500 | $3,465** |
*Student would receive $2,750 in Fall and $0 in Spring. They can only receive 50% of the eligible loan amount in Fall.
**Student would receive $0 for Fall and $3,465 in Spring. They can borrow up to the full final annual loan amount because Spring is the last term of the Scheduled Academic Year.
| Registered Fall Hours | Registered Spring Hours | Percentage of FT Enrollment | Max Annual Loan Eligibility | Final Annual Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 |
9 |
24/24 = 100% |
$9,500 | $9,500 |
| 6 | 6 | 12/24 = 50% | $9,500 | $4,750 |
| 12 | 3 | 15/24 = 63% | $9,500 | $4,750* |
| 3 | 12 | 15/24 = 63% | $9,500 | $5,985** |
*Student would receive $4,750 in Fall and $0 in Spring. They can only receive 50% of the eligible loan amount in Fall.
**Student would receive $0 for Fall and $5,985 in Spring. They can borrow up to the full final annual loan amount because Spring is the last term of the Scheduled Academic Year.
| Registered Fall Hours | Registered Spring Hours | Percentage of FT Enrollment | Max Annual Loan Eligibility | Final Annual Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 |
9 |
24/18 = 100% |
$20,500 | $20,500 |
| 5 | 5 | 10/18 = 56% | $20,500 | $11,480 |
| 9 | 3 | 12/18 = 67% | $20,500 | $10,250* |
| 3 | 9 | 12/18 = 67% | $20,500 | $13,735** |
*Student would receive $10,250 in Fall and $0 in Spring. They can only receive 50% of the eligible loan amount in Fall.
**Student would receive $0 for Fall and $13,735 in Spring. They can borrow up to the full final annual loan amount because Spring is the last term of the Scheduled Academic Year.
Planning to Attend Less Than Full-Time?
If you plan to enroll in fewer than 12 credits per semester (undergraduate) or fewer than 9 credits per semester (graduate), please complete our Schedule of Reduction Notification Form. This allows the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships to review your enrollment plans and adjust your federal loan eligibility based on the new federal Schedule of Reduction requirements.