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This site is designed to help you understand the federal and state rules for financial aid. Only courses required for degree completion can be used to determine your aid eligibility for federal and state financial aid programs such as grants, work-study, loans, the TN HOPE Scholarships and the TN TSAA Award.
We are here to help you understand how this applies to your full-time enrollment status.
Don’t leave any financial aid on the table. Your advisor will help you register for courses that ensure eligibility for the maximum amount.
Remember, if your course isn’t counting toward a degree, you might not get the aid you were counting on.
*Beginning Fall'21 and thereafter, all TN HOPE Scholarship programs, along with the TN TSAA Award, are following the same guidelines as the federal programs.
Checklist
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Check your MyMocsNet account to confirm your major and minor are declared correctly.
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Meet with your advisor to register for classes that ensure you meet federal & state full-time enrollment requirements.
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Check your Financial Aid tab in MyMocsNet for messages and updates about financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
Why this is so important?
Federal and state financial aid is intended to assist students in earning a degree. Eligible hours are classes that count in your Course Program of Study (CPoS) for your declared major or minor. Taking courses that are not required to complete your degree could result in you receiving less or no federal/state aid or in owing money back. Courses that are not eligible cannot be counted toward your full-time status.
Remember: Aid in excess of your specific cost of attendance cannot be awarded.
What is the process?
There are a few things you can do to ensure eligibility for the maximum amount of federal and state aid. The steps below will walk you through the process.
1. Declare Your Major and Minor
It is essential that your major and minor are officially declared and noted in your student record. If you have been planning to declare or change a major or minor, but have not yet done so, you should meet with your academic advisor immediately to make the official declaration.
Courses can only be determined to be eligible based on the officially declared major and minor as noted in your student record.
2. Assumptions About Financial Aid Awards
Financial aid awards are based on the assumption that students will enroll full-time in eligible coursework during fall and spring semesters.
Your financial aid award requires that UTC calculate for you a cost of attendance (COA) for your semester. Your COA is based on the eligible hours you are enrolling in—that is, the number of hours you are enrolling in that apply toward your officially declared program of study.
3. Keep Your Eligibility
Remember that dropping or not attending your courses can negatively impact your eligibility for current and or future aid.
It’s important that you discuss your Course Program of Study with your advisor when you enroll for each semester’s classes. If your current program is not correct, meet with your advisor to make the appropriate changes to your major or minor.
Visit the Mocs One Center to discuss options if your federal/state financial aid has been reduced due to enrollment in courses that did not apply towards outstanding requirements in your Course Program of Study.
What is the impact of these guidelines?
Financial aid is initially awarded based on the assumption that students will enroll full-time in eligible coursework during fall and spring semesters. Students may only receive federal and state financial aid for outstanding coursework that counts towards their officially declared program of study. The cost of attendance (COA) will be based on outstanding coursework that applies toward the officially declared program of study. This may result in a lower amount of state and institutional aid a student may receive, since total aid cannot exceed cost of attendance. Dropping or not attending your courses can negatively impact your eligibility for current and or future aid.
What is considered Federal and State Financial Aid?
Federal Financial Aid includes Pell Grant, Subsidized/Unsubsidized loans, PLUS loans, SEOG grant, TEACH grant, and VA Benefits.
State Financial Aid includes the TN HOPE Scholarship, the TN HOPE Aspire Award, the TN HOPE General Assembly Merit Award, the TN HOPE Access Grant, and the TN Student Assistance Award.
Note: This does not affect Institutional aid like your UTC Scholarship or Departmental Award. All registered hours will continue to count for Institutional aid.
Federal and State Enrollment Definitions
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Enrollment Status Types |
Undergraduate |
Graduate |
| Full Time | 12+ credits per semester | 9+ credits per semester |
| Three Quarter Time | 9-11 credits per semester | 7-8 credits per semester |
| Half Time | 6-8 credits per semester | 5-6 credits per semester |
| Less Than Half Time | 1-5 credits per semester | 1-4 credits per semester |
View examples of how your courses may apply. (Note: these are only illustrations. You will receive a personalized email with your official Course Program of Study that outlines what counts for federal and state aid.)