Independent Study (Day Students Only)
Financial Aid Requirements for Independent Study Courses
Financial aid is NOT available for day students taking only Independent Study courses.
In order to count Independent Study courses towards financial aid eligibility, one must:
- Be a regular day school student enrolled on-site in at least one-half (0.5) eligible credit.
- Register and pay for Independent Study course(s) during the appropriate time frame (see specifics below). Courses purchased outside of the designated time frames cannot be covered by federal financial aid. There are no exceptions.
- After purchasing your Independent Study course(s), notify the Financial Aid Office by sending a message from your "Message Center", with the regarding topic of 'Independent Study'.
- Complete course(s) and submit final exams by the last day of the university's regular final exam schedule for the semester (fall or winter) or summer term. Submitted finals means the Independent Study office has the completed final in-hand, not just post-marked, etc. Courses not completed by this date will receive a failing grade.
Time Frames for Courses
Fall /Winter Semester
- Register and pay for your course(s) between the first day of the semester and the Add/drop deadline for the semester.
- Complete course(s) by the last day of finals for the semester.
Spring/Summer Terms
- Enrollment in at least one-half (0.5) credit on-site can be during Spring or Summer term. If the on-site class is during Summer term, it must be registered for by the Spring add/drop deadline.
- Register and pay for your course(s) between the first day of Spring term and the Add/drop deadline for Spring term.
- Complete course(s) by the last day of finals for Summer term.
How Much Pell Grant Will I Receive?
Students cannot be paid for more than 6.0 credit hours of Independent Study during a Fall or Winter semester, or a combined Spring/Summer enrollment.
Pell for Independent Study courses will only be awarded, if by including the Independent Study credits, enrollment status (half-time, full, etc.) is increased.
Example: Billy is enrolled in 9 credits on-site, and wants to include 2 credits of Independent Study (for a total of 11 credits). Billy would not receive Pell for the Independent Study course, because enrollment is still at three-quarter time. He would need 3 credits of Independent Study (for a total of 12 credits), to increase enrollment to full-time.
Please refer to the matrix below to see how on-site and Independent Study hours are combined. A Pell breakdown, based on credit hours taken, is available for each student under My Financial Center > View Financial Aid > Accept/Decline > Pell.
When Will I Receive my Pell Disbursement for Independent Study Courses?
Disbursements for Independent Study courses are made after the add/drop deadline of the applicable semester or term. Disbursements for on-site courses will follow the normal disbursement schedule.
Withdrawing from Financial Aid
Students who find that they cannot complete the Independent Study course by the required deadline, have 60 days after the first day of class to withdraw from receiving financial aid. After Pell funds are repaid, the course will be extended to one year from the purchase date.
- Send a notification of expected repayment through the Message Center by selecting 'Financial Aid and Scholarships' in the department box, 'Independent Study' in the regard box, and type 'Repayment' in the subject line.
| Enrollment | Financial Aid Withdrawal Date |
|---|---|
| Fall | October 25, 2012 |
| Winter | March 5, 2013 |
| Spring/Summer | June 22, 2013 |
Stafford Loans with Independent Study
You cannot use a combination of on-site and Independent Study courses for the 6 credit Stafford Loan requirement. You must either have 6 credit hours on-site or at least 0.5 credit on-site, plus 12 hours of Independent Study courses, in order to receive a Stafford Loan.
To request a loan for 12 hours of Independent Study, you must first meet with and receive approval from a Financial Aid Counselor. Loan amounts are limited compared to receiving a loan for on-site courses, and 12 credits of Independent Study has proven difficult for many students. Schedule an appointment by calling Student Services at 801-422-4104.
