Graduate Faster, Spend Less
Discover how your Course Program of Study (CPoS) helps you maximize financial aid by focusing on the courses that matter most for your degree.
Want your federal aid to cover your courses? Make sure they're part of your official Course Program of Study (CPoS)!
Think of your CPoS as your degree roadmap. It tells financial aid which courses are necessary to complete your degree. Ignoring this could impact your full-time status and result in a reduction in your financial aid.
Why should you care about your CPoS? Taking unnecessary courses could mean less aid or even owing money back. Stick to your CPoS for your declared major (and minor, if required for the program) to keep your financial aid flowing smoothly.
Federal financial aid is only awarded for courses included in your program of study.
Having questions about which courses count towards your degree and how your CPoS impacts your graduation timeline and financial aid? Don't worry, we're here to help!
If you're unsure about what courses align with your CPOS or how it might affect your progress and financial aid eligibility, please reach out to the Registrar's Office, the Financial Aid Office, or the Academic Advisement Center. They're all great resources to guide you through this process and ensure you stay on the right track.
Office of the Registrar
706-446-1430
Office of Financial Aid
706-737-1524
Academic Advisement Center
706-731-7979
The amount of aid awarded is based on multiple factors, including overall cost of attendance, and grant or loan eligibility as determined by the Department of Education guidelines. To receive a full financial aid award, your coursework must include a minimum of twelve (12) undergraduate hours or nine (9) graduate hours from your program of study each spring and fall semester. If a student’s credit hours do not meet this requirement, financial aid eligibility is reduced. Dropped classes may also reduce your financial aid and the timing of a change of major is crucial.
This reporting process helps you lower the cost of your education and stay focused with financial aid, course registration and your graduation timeline.
| Total registered hours | Hours that count | Hours that don’t count | Student aid eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 12 | 0 | Full-time aid |
| 12 | 6 | 6 | Half-time aid |
| 16 | 12 | 4 | Full-time aid |
Please Note: The amount of aid awarded is based on multiple factors, including overall cost of attendance, and grant or loan eligibility as determined by the Department of Education guidelines.
Ineligible for state and federal aid
| Total registered hours | Hours that count | Hours that don’t count | Student aid eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 9 | 0 | Full-time aid |
| 9 | 6 | 3 | Half-time aid |
| 12 | 9 | 3 | Full-time aid |
Please Note: The amount of aid awarded is based on multiple factors, including overall cost of attendance, and grant or loan eligibility as determined by the Department of Education guidelines.
Ineligible for federal aid
Scenario 1
I'm enrolled in 12 undergraduate hours, but three of those hours don't count toward my degree program. How does that affect my federal finanical aid?
If nine of your credit hours apply to your officially declared program of study, you are considered 3/4 time for federal financial aid purposes. Federal financial aid will be awarded based on the nine eligible credit hours. Your Federal Pell Grant and other aid will prorate accordingly. You will still be billed as a full-time student, but your total federal financial aid cannot exceed the 3/4 time cost of attendance.
Scenario 2
I'm participating in a 12-hour study abroad program this semester, but three of those hours don't count toward my degree. Will my federal financial aid still apply?
Yes, but only for the nine credit hours that apply to your degree program. Federal and Georgia state financial aid will be based on your 3/4 time enrollment status. If eligible, you may receive a prorated Federal Pell Grant and other aid. Note that your financial aid will not cover the ineligible three-hour course, and you will need to account for any additional charges.
Scenario 3
For the upcoming semester, I plan to enroll in 17 hours, which includes a three-hour class that does not apply toward my degree program. Will financial aid pay for the ineligible three-hour class?
You're considered full-time for federal financial aid if at least 12 of your credits apply to your degree. If eligible, full-time Pell Grants and federal loans can disburse. Financial aid covers academic charges, including additional classes, but may not cover the entire balance. However, the federal financial aid you receive may not be enough to cover all tuition costs, leaving you responsible for paying the remaining balance.
Students will be notified by the Office of Financial Aid if their Federal Financial Aid is impacted due to enrollment in classes that do not apply to their degree program. They will be able to see the courses that are not applicable on the Financial Aid tab in Pounce.
We will start applying CPoS during registration for the Spring 2026 semester.
We highly encourage continuing students to officially declare their added major by the priority deadlines. At the very least, all curriculum changes should be completed prior to the first day of classes.
Students receiving financial aid are welcome to take classes that are not required for their program of study. However, they will need to pay for those classes out-of-pocket or with excess financial aid.
Scholarships do not require that students enroll in courses in their program of study. Scholarship awards will not be based on classes counted in the student’s major.
Students enrolled in courses impacted by CPoS will be notified via their AU email and Financial Aid tab in Pounce. Note that students will only be notified if CPoS impacts their Federal Financial Aid eligibility.
Do NOT begin modifying your schedule without consultation with an academic advisor! An advisor will be able to review your registration and determine whether the system is accurately assessing your enrollment. If not and your enrollment has been approved to count as part of your declared major, contact your academic advisor to discuss options.
First, the term “financial aid” refers to any funding designed to assist with your educational expenses. Most financial aid flows through the school and is applied directly to your student account.
FEDERAL Financial Aid: This financial aid is generally determined based on the information included on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Examples include the Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Direct Loans, and PLUS Loans to name a few. CPoS DOES impact these awards.
STATE Financial Aid: This financial aid may also use information included on the FAFSA to determine eligibility, but sometimes require an additional application. The primary difference is that the source of funding is from the state government. Examples include the HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship. CPoS DOES NOT impact any of these awards.
INSTITUTIONAL Financial Aid: This financial aid may also use information included on the FAFSA to determine eligibility, but primarily looks at other factors such as high school GPA, standardized test scores, and performance. Examples: Athletic Scholarships and Departmental Scholarships, etc. CPoS DOES NOT impact any of these awards.
If a student believes a course should count, but it isn’t, they should contact their academic advisor.
Double majors must be officially declared and reflected in the student’s JagTrax by the end of the Drop/Add period. Courses counting toward undeclared majors will not be included in the program of study.
NOTE: Requests for major changes and course substitutions are not immediate and require manual updates in the system.
Two separate evaluations affect whether a course counts for Federal financial aid: program of study evaluation and repeated coursework evaluation. A course will count toward the program of study if it appears in the student’s degree evaluation, even if it’s a repeat of a previously taken course. However, to be eligible for Federal financial aid, the course must also meet repeated coursework evaluation guidelines.
For example:
• If a student fails a course (‘F’), they can retake it unlimited times until they
earn a
passing grade (‘D’ or higher).
• Once a student earns a ‘D’ or better, they can retake the course only one more time
with aid.
• Even if a ‘D’ doesn’t meet academic program requirements, it is considered passing
for
federal aid purposes.
It depends on your situation. Certain degree programs have a minor requirement. If it is a requirement for the completion of the degree program, then yes, those classes are eligible. If your degree program does not require a minor and you have no electives remaining, then no. However, if your program includes elective credits, you may use those electives to take courses that count toward a minor as long as those courses also count toward your degree program. In that case, they would be eligible for Federal Financial Aid.
Students that haven’t declared a major must do so by the completion of 60 credit hours in order to remain eligible for federal and state financial aid.
Contact your academic advisor to see if a different course could be substituted for the unavailable course in your program of study.
To stay eligible for full-time federal and state financial aid, any courses you take while abroad must meet your degree requirements or electives.
International students are not affected by this regulation, as you do not qualify and/or receive federal or state financial aid.
ROTC courses are considered electives and must fall within the allowable electives for your degree program, or be taken with at least 12 hours of qualifying coursework.
If you're a student receiving VA Benefits, these benefits are generally paid for courses required by your degree path, although a few exceptions may apply. If you have questions about course eligibility, please contact Military & Veteran Services.