Enrollment Changes and Financial Aid
ENROLLMENT CHANGES AND FINANCIAL AID
Your financial aid package is calculated based on your enrollment status at the time your award is prepared. When that status changes, for any reason, it can directly affect the aid you are eligible to receive, including whether certain types of aid must be reduced, returned, or cancelled entirely. This page explains what counts as an enrollment change, how different enrollment statuses affect your aid, and what you need to do, and when, if your enrollment changes during a term. Acting quickly and notifying our financial aid office promptly is one of the most important things you can do to protect your aid and avoid unexpected financial consequences.
What Counts as an Enrollment Change?
You must notify our financial aid office immediately if any of the following occur:
- Adding or dropping a course during a term
- Withdrawing from a term or from The Colleges of Law entirely
- Taking an approved Leave of Absence (MBLT program)
- Being administratively withdrawn from a course or from the program
- Transferring to a different program
Even changes that seem minor, such as dropping a single course, can push you below a critical enrollment threshold and trigger a reduction or return of federal aid. Don’t assume a change is too small to matter. When in doubt, contact us first.
Enrollment Status and Financial Aid
To receive federal financial aid or defer student loan repayment, you must be enrolled in a degree program at least half-time:
| Full-Time Status | 6 or more units per semester |
| Half-Time Status | 3 or more units per semester |
| Below Half-Time | Fewer than 3 units — not eligible for federal loans or in-school deferment |
NOTE: JD students who have completed fewer than 90 semester units of pre-legal education are treated as undergraduate students for financial aid purposes. These students must be enrolled in at least 6 units to be considered half-time.
Dropping a Course
Dropping a course may reduce your enrollment status, which can reduce your financial aid eligibility. Additionally, a ‘W’ grade posted for a dropped course counts negatively against your SAP completion rate. The Colleges of Law charges an Add/Drop fee per form submitted.
Withdrawing from the Institution
If you completely withdraw from The Colleges of Law before completing 60% of the semester, the college must calculate the amount of Title IV federal financial aid you have earned. Unearned aid must be returned, which may result in a balance owed to the school or to the federal programs. Please contact Financial Aid before you withdraw to understand the financial impact.
Leave of Absence and Standard Period of Non-Enrollment
Taking a Leave of Absence (MBLT program) or requesting a Standard Period of Non-Enrollment (JD program summer term only) affects your in-school loan deferment status. Students who take an approved LOA or SPN are advised to contact the Financial Aid Office to understand the impact on their loan deferment and overall eligibility. A student must meet with a representative of the Financial Aid Office to understand the potential financial impacts before a LOA is finalized.
Enrollment Changes and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Enrollment changes, particularly dropped courses, can also affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress standing, which is required to maintain financial aid eligibility. Specifically:
- Dropped courses after the add/drop period are counted as attempted credits for SAP purposes, even if no grade is recorded.
- Failing to complete at least 66% of all attempted credits will put your SAP standing, and therefore your financial aid eligibility, at risk.
- Repeated withdrawals or drops may affect your ability to complete your degree within the 150% maximum timeframe allowed under SAP.
Before dropping any course, consider the SAP implications alongside the financial aid implications. Both can have lasting effects on your eligibility.
Enrollment Changes and Loan Repayment
If your enrollment drops below half-time for any reason, including a leave of absence, part-time status, or withdrawal, your federal loans will enter their grace period. For most Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, the grace period is six months. Once the grace period ends, repayment begins.
If your grace period is triggered and then you return to at least half-time enrollment before it expires, your loans return to in-school deferment status and the grace period resets for a future use. However, if the grace period expires while you are below half-time or not enrolled, repayment will begin regardless of whether you return to school.
Understanding how enrollment changes interact with your loan repayment timeline is especially important if you are considering a leave of absence or a reduction in enrollment. Contact your loan servicer or our financial aid office to understand the specific implications for your loans.
Questions About How an Enrollment Change Will Affect Your Aid?
Please reach out before making any enrollment change, not after. We can tell you exactly what the financial impact will be and help you make an informed decision. A quick conversation now can prevent significant financial complications later.