Full-Time and Part-Time Enrollment Status
Fall/Spring/Summer Enrollment Status:
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Status
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Credits
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Full Time
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9 Credits or more
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Half-Time
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5-8 Credits
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Less than Half-Time
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4 Credits or less
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Per the Federal Financial Aid Handbook, “minimum standards for full-time enrollment. A student’s workload may include any combination of courses, work, research, or special studies that your school considers sufficient to classify them as full-time. This includes, for a term-based program, one repetition of a previously passed course that is not due to the student failing other coursework. The regulations specify a minimum standard for undergraduate students but not for graduate students.”
https://fsapartners.ed.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/fsahandbook/1718FSAHbkVol1Ch1.pdf
Note: For students enrolled in UNC’s Intensive English Program (IEP), please refer to the IEP guidelines pertaining to enrollment status.
Full-time/Half-Time Status Exception
An exception to the minimum credit hours for a half-time/full-time status as a graduate student may be made when either of the following apply:
- The student has advanced to doctoral candidacy, in which case the student will be full-time if they take at least three (3) credits of graduate coursework and half-time if they take at least one (1) credit of graduate coursework.
- The student is working half- or full-time (20 hours or 40 hours a week respectively) in an internship, practicum, or field experience that counts toward completion of the student’s degree in the following programs during the respective academic term:
- Counseling Psychology, Ph.D.
- Professional Counseling, Master in Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling/Therapy, M.A.
Financial Aid Eligibility Status
Although graduate students must be registered for a minimum of five credits to be considered half-time or nine credits to be considered full-time, there are exceptions. If ALL of the following qualifying conditions are present, the UNC Graduate School may authorize the Office of the Registrar to certify half-time or full-time enrollment status.
A “Certification as a Half- or Full-time Enrollment Status” form, available from the Graduate School, must be submitted each term for approval. On the form, the graduate student’s program coordinator must justify why the student should be considered half-time or full-time without being registered for the appropriate number of credits.
Qualifying Conditions:
Qualifying conditions that must be met for approval to be considered half-time or full-time:
- The graduate student is registered for a minimum of one credit hour during the respective term in question.
- Enrollment in continuous registration and/or audit courses does not meet this registration requirement
- The graduate student’s program coordinator/advisor submits a “Certification as a Half- or Full-time Enrollment Status” to the Graduate School that explains why the student is/was not registered for the minimum of five or nine credits during the term(s) in question.
- Acceptable reason includes: The student is working half- or full-time (20 hours or 40 hours a week respectively) in an internship, practicum, or field experience that counts toward completion of the student’s degree in the appropriate degree program.
Submission Dates:
The “Certification as a Half- or Full-time Enrollment Status” form must be submitted to the Graduate School each enrollment period in which an exception is required.
The “Certification as a Half- or Full-time Enrollment Status” form must be completed and submitted to the Graduate School on or before the following dates for the respective terms:
No exceptions will be granted for late submissions.
If approved by the Graduate School, a “Certification as a Half- or Full-time Enrollment Status” form will be submitted to the Office of the Registrar for processing.
The Office of the Registrar will subsequently notify the Office of Financial Aid and the National Student Clearinghouse on the change of the graduate student’s enrollment status.