Enrollment Chart
Your award notification assumes that you will attend MSU full-time. Awards may be cancelled or reduced if your enrollment drops below full-time at any point in a semester. Refer to Table A below for the specific enrollment requirements of most common financial aid programs and Table B for the relationship between your academic level, the number of credits you are taking, and your enrollment status.
Enrolled vs. Registered
Misunderstanding these terms may cause you to be disenrolled and/or charged a late registration fee.
Enrolled means that you have reserved your classes online.
Registered means that you have:- Paid at least the Minimum Amount Due (MAD) listed on your registration bill or on the Account Detail screen in your student portal.
- Confirmed your attendance in your student portal.
- Cleared any holds on your account (which may be viewed in your student portal).
- You can lose your classes.
- You will not receive a refund.
| Award | Full-time enrollment | 3/4-time enrollment | 1/2-time enrollment | Less than 1/2-time enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Pell Grant *See items (1) (2) (3) below |
You will receive 100% of the semester’s award if full time at quarter of term. | You will receive 75% of the semester’s award if three-quarter time at quarter of term. | You will receive 50% of the semester’s award if half time at quarter of term. | You will receive 25% of the semester’s award if less than half time at quarter of term. |
| Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) | You will receive 100% of the semester’s award if full time at quarter of term. | You must be full time to receive the award in fall and spring semesters. If you drop below full time before quarter of term, the award is cancelled. After quarter of term, dropping credits has no impact. | ||
| Federal Direct Subsidized Loan | You will receive 100% of the semester’s award less any applicable loan origination fees. Students in their final semester of the program may be subject to a reduction of the amount due to proration regulations. |
You are not eligible if enrolled less than half-time before quarter of term; future semester awards may be cancelled. | ||
| Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan | You will receive 100% of the semester’s award less any applicable loan origination fees. Students in their final semester of the program may be subject to a reduction of the amount due to proration regulations. |
You are not eligible if enrolled less than half-time before quarter of term; future semester awards may be cancelled. | ||
| Federal Work Study | Student eligible to work and earn 100% of the semester's award. | Award will be cancelled if below half-time at any time during the semester. | ||
| Federal Parent PLUS Loan | You will receive 100% of the semester’s award less any applicable loan origination fees. | You are not eligible if enrolled less than half-time before quarter of term; future semester awards may be cancelled. | ||
| Federal Grad PLUS Loan | You will receive 100% of the semester’s award less any applicable loan origination fees. | You are not eligible if enrolled less than half-time before quarter of term; future semester awards may be cancelled. | ||
| Additional Unsubsidized Loan for Medical Students (Aid ID begins with MU) |
You will receive 100% of the semester’s award less any applicable loan origination fees. | May be eligible if three-quarter or half-time. Contact the Office of Financial Aid. | You are not eligible if enrolled less than half-time before quarter of term; future semester awards may be cancelled. | |
| MSU Freshman Grant (MFG) *see item (2) below |
You will receive 100% of the semester’s award if at least half-time at quarter of term. | You are not eligible if enrolled less than half-time. | ||
| MSU Student Aid Grant *See item (2) below |
You will receive 100% of the semester’s award if full time at quarter of term. | You will receive 75% of the semester’s award if three-quarter time at quarter of term. | You will receive 50% of the semester’s award if half time at quarter of term. | You will receive 25% of the semester’s award if less than half time at quarter of term. |
| MSU Medical Student Aid Grant *See item (2) below |
You will receive 100% of the semester’s award if full time at quarter of term. | You will receive 75% of the semester’s award if three-quarter time at quarter of term. | You will receive 50% of the semester’s award if half time at quarter of term. | You will receive 25% of the semester’s award if less than half time at quarter of term. |
| MSU Spartan Advantage (SPAD) | You will receive 100% of the semester’s award if full time at quarter of term. | You must be full time to receive the award in fall and spring semesters. If you drop below full time before quarter of term, the award is cancelled. | ||
| Michigan Competitive Scholarship (MCS) *See item (2) below |
You will receive 100% of the semester’s award if full time at quarter of term. | You will receive 75% of the semester’s award if three-quarter time at quarter of term. | You will receive 50% of the semester’s award if half time at quarter of term. | Semester award will be cancelled if less than half-time. |
(1) IN SOME CASES, you may lose all Pell Grant eligibility if below full-time enrollment; consult an OFA staff member for clarification in this instance.
(2) If you change enrollment prior to the quarter of term, the award will be adjusted or cancelled as appropriate. If you change enrollment after the quarter of term, the award will not be adjusted. Please note that enrollment changes after quarter of term that are made effective as of before the quarter of term will have the same effect as changes made before the quarter of term.
(3) If you fail one or more courses due to non-attendance, the Office of Financial Aid, in consultation with the Registrar, will determine your last date of academic activity in the class and adjust the Pell Grant accordingly. This may result in a charge appearing on your MSU account during the following semester.
Note 1: If you receive financial aid and withdraw from the University, you may be required to repay a portion of the financial aid received for the semester in which the withdrawal occurs. A withdrawal calculation is performed by the Office of Financial Aid.
Note 2: If you have an award not referenced in Table A, please contact the Office of Financial Aid for additional information regarding the unlisted award. Table A references only the most frequently awarded aid programs.
| Degree | Full-time enrollment | 3/4-time enrollment | 1/2-time enrollment | Less than 1/2-time enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 12 credits | 9-11 credits | 6-8 credits | 1-5 credits |
| Graduate Certificate | 9 credits | 7-8 credits | 5-6 credits | 1-4 credits |
| Master's Degree | 9 credits | 7-8 credits | 5-6 credits | 1-4 credits |
| Doctoral Degree | 6 credits | 4-5 credits | 3 credits | 1-2 credits |
The number of credits shown is to determine enrollment status for financial aid purposes and may not necessarily follow the University's guidelines. The University Registrar publishes University requirements in the Academic Programs Catalog for Undergraduate and Graduate students.