Recalculating Financial Aid for Enrollment Changes

Financial Aid policy indicates that Pell, SEOG and TPEG grant disbursements are prorated based on your level of enrollment (i.e., full-time, three-quarter time, half-time or less than half-time). Stafford Loans and other FA programs also have minimum enrollment requirements.

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, (the legislation that authorizes Federal FA programs) mandates that schools adjust enrollment level when students add or drop classes prior to the class census date. TCC's FA disbursement policy utilizes the student's latest census date for all classes as the official enrollment lock date for the semester.

Semester enrollment level will be adjusted appropriately through the latest census date for the semester (i.e., fall, spring and summer) and Federal payments will be issued based on the total enrollment level calculated at this time. Withdrawing from classes after this lock date (the latest census date) will not impact a student's FA enrollment level.

Adding/Dropping a Class

Students who add or drop a class after the first FA check run for a semester (approximately 7 days prior to fall/spring/summer) are encouraged to review the following financial aid enrollment recalculation policies:

  • Pell, TPEG & SEOG Grant Recipients: Award letter amounts are based on full-time (12 or more hours) enrollment and will be prorated based on actual enrollment level and need. Nine-11 hours will receive 75% of the award; 6-8 hours will receive 50% of the award; 3-5 hours will receive 25% of the award; Most Pell Grant recipients will also receive 25% of the award for enrollment in 1-2 hours.
  • Students who receive a FA refund check and withdraw from a class (or are in a class canceled after the disbursement) prior to the class census date may have to repay funds received if the new enrollment level is less than the enrollment level used to calculate the FA refund.
  • The enrollment level calculated as of the latest census date for courses taken in a semester will be used to determine the appropriate amount of funds to disburse for the semester.
    • Students already paid for 16 week semester courses who take courses that start after the 16 week census date can increase their enrollment level if a 16 week class has not been dropped.
    • Students already paid for 16 week semester courses who take courses that start after the 16 week census date can decrease their enrollment level if a 16 week course has been dropped.
    • Wintermester courses are included in Spring semester enrollment; Maymester courses are included in Summer semester enrollment.
  • Recalculations for classes that begin after the 16 week census date will post to student accounts approximately 7 days prior to the start of the class. Students who add or drop classes should contact the FA Office for an explanation of how enrollment changes will affect their FA disbursements.

Withdrawing from All Classes

Students who withdraw from all classes will have their attendance checked to determine if they stopped attending prior to completing 60 percent of their scheduled classes. If they did not attend up to the 60 percent mark, they may have to repay funds to TCC and the federal government. Visit Student Financial Aid Services before withdrawing.

Updated January 20, 2023