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    • Course Program of Study

    Scholarships & Financial Aid

    Course Program of Study

    Course Program of Study (CPOS) is a federal requirement set by the US Department of Education. CPOS mandates that only the courses in a student’s declared major program will count toward their eligibility for federal or state financial aid (which can include the Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, federal loans, the HOPE Scholarship, TSAA, etc).

    CPOS was designed to help students stay on track with their degree program and graduate on time. Enrolling in only courses that count toward your program of study helps to minimize your education expenses and debt.

    Maintain CPOS

    To remain eligible for full-time federal and state financial aid (like the Pell Grant or HOPE Scholarship), students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours in their degree program. Students with fewer than 12 credit hours will have prorated federal and state financial aid, depending on their total amount of qualifying hours.

    Make Sure Your Courses Count

    Before you register for classes, we recommend that you meet with your academic advisor to make sure that the courses you register for count toward completing your degree and are eligible for federal and state funding. You can review your eligibility status by visiting “CPOS Evaluation” under the “My Resources” tab in your MyUTK account. You can also check your DARS report in MyUTK to see if your scheduled coursework meets degree requirements.

    Financial Aid & Scholarships

    Any institutional or private financial aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.) obtained from UT or outside organizations is not affected by CPOS requirements, but are subject to the rules and regulations set by those institutions.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How will I know if I’m meeting CPOS eligibility requirements?

    If your courses for the upcoming semester do not make you eligible for full-time federal and state financial aid, you will be contacted and encouraged to review and/or make changes to your schedule to get you on track.

    Your academic advisor will be made aware of any potential ineligibility so they can work with you to resolve the situation.

    Do my classes count towards CPOS eligibility?

    Before you register for classes, we recommend that you meet with your academic advisor to make sure that the courses you plan to register for count toward degree completion and are eligible for federal and state funding.

    You can review your eligibility status by checking the “CPOS Evaluation” link under the “My Resources” section found in your MyUTK. You can also review your current class schedule using your DARS report found in MyUTK.

    What happens if I need to change my schedule?

    Your enrollment will be checked each semester when financial aid is disbursed and immediately following the end of the drop/add period. Any changes to your schedule after the census date will not impact aid eligibility.

    Can I appeal to have a non-qualifying course considered for aid eligibility?

    UT’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships does not review appeals on individual courses. Please talk to your academic advisor and ask if the course can be added as a qualified course within your degree program.

    What if I haven’t declared a major yet?

    Students that haven’t declared a major must do so by the completion of 60 credit hours in order to remain eligible for federal and state financial aid.

    What if I’m planning on changing my major?

    If you’re considering changing your major (or adding any majors or minors), it is important that you discuss this with your academic advisor. We want to help ensure that your courses keep you eligible for federal and state financial aid.

    What if it’s my last semester and I need fewer than 12 hours?

    Your state and federal aid eligibility will be based on only the remaining courses that apply to your degree program.

    If all the courses for my major are full, can I substitute a course to ensure I qualify?

    Contact your academic advisor to see if a different course could be substituted for the unavailable course in your program of study.

    What do I do if I have two majors?

    All of the courses required for both declared majors will be taken into consideration for CPOS.

    I have to retake a course in my major. Will the course still meet CPOS requirements?

    If the requirement has not been fulfilled, the course will continue to qualify for federal and state financial aid until you pass the course and/or retake a course with a passing grade for one additional attempt.

    Special Student Circumstances

    What if I’m studying abroad?

    To stay eligible for full-time federal and state financial aid, any courses you take while abroad must meet your degree requirements or electives.

    I’m in ROTC. Will this affect me?

    ROTC courses are considered electives and must fall within the allowable electives for your degree program, or be taken with at least 12 hours of qualifying coursework.

    I’m an international student. Will this affect me?

    International students are not affected by this regulation, as you do not qualify and/or receive federal or state financial aid.

    I’m receiving VA benefits. Will this affect me?

    VA benefits are subject to their own rules and do not fall under CPOS. Please contact the Veterans Success Center if you have questions about course eligibility.

    I’m a transfer student with more than 60 hours. Will this affect me?

    As long as you start directly in a degree program and are registered for at least 12 hours in the degree program when you transfer to UT, this will not affect you.

    I’m enrolled at UT via the Academic Common Market. Will this affect me?

    If you have federal financial aid which falls under CPOS regulations, yes!

    I’m an undergraduate taking graduate classes. Will this affect me?

    If you’re an undergraduate student in a five-year concentration that requires graduate-level courses, those courses would be eligible for financial aid under CPOS. If the graduate-level courses are not part of your degree program, they are not eligible.