Enrollment Freeze
If you are eligible to receive financial aid, and have satisfied all of your financial aid requirements, your financial aid will be disbursed approximately 10 days prior to the start of classes for the semester. At the “enrollment freeze date” (which is the last day students are permitted to drop a course with a tuition refund), the Office of Financial Aid will verify your enrollment. If you increase or decrease your enrollment between the disbursement date and the enrollment freeze date, your financial aid will be adjusted accordingly to ensure that it is the appropriate amount for your enrollment.
What does this mean?
On the enrollment freeze date, your enrollment will be locked and your financial aid will be adjusted accordingly. If your financial aid award was originally disbursed on full-time status and you are not enrolled full-time at the enrollment freeze date, your financial aid may be decreased to match your enrollment and this adjustment could result in a balance owed to the University.
Enrollment Changes
If you change your enrollment after the enrollment freeze date, with the exception of students who stop attending, completely withdraw or drop a part of term course that begins later in semester, your financial aid will not be revised and you will be responsible for any additional charges. Students who are completely withdrawn, formally or informally, from ALL of their classes, may be responsible for returning financial aid they received prior to withdrawing from school, even if that determination is not made until the end of the term. This determination will be made by the Office of Financial Aid through a process called Return to Title IV. For more information on Return to Title IV, visit the Leaving the University
Enrollment Status Definitions
| Credit Hours | Enrollment Status |
|---|---|
| 12 or more | Full-time |
| 9 – 11 | Three-quarter time |
| 6 – 8 | Half-time |
| 1 – 5 | Less than half-time |
Undergraduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of six (6) credits (half-time) to qualify for the majority of financial aid programs. Funds may be reduced if enrolled less than full-time.
| Credit Hours | Enrollment Status |
|---|---|
| 9 or more | Full-time |
| 6 – 8 | Three-quarter time |
| 5 | Half-time |
| Less than 5 | Less than half-time |
Graduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 5 credits (half-time) to qualify for federal loan funds. Funds may be reduced if enrolled less than full-time.
Enrollment Requirements
| AID TYPE | Full-time (12+) | 3/4 Time (9-11) | 1/2 Time (6-8) | Under 1/2 Time (-6) |
| Federal SEOG | Full Amount | 3/4 of Full Amount | 1/2 of Full Amount | NOT ELIGIBLE |
| Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program | Full Amount | NOT ELIGIBLE | NOT ELIGIBLE | NOT ELIGIBLE |
| Virginia Commonwealth Grant | Full Amount | 3/4 of Full Amount | 1/2 of Full Amount | NOT ELIGIBLE |
| UMW General Scholarship | Full Amount | 3/4 of Full Amount | 1/2 of Full Amount | 3-5 Credits eligible for 1/4 Amount |
| Federal Direct Loan Program | Full Amount | Full Amount | Full Amount | NOT ELIGIBLE |
| Federal Direct Parent PLUS | Full Amount | Full Amount | Full Amount | NOT ELIGIBLE |
| Private Alternative Loan | Full Amount | Full Amount | Full Amount | Based on Lenders Policy |
| Merit-based Admissions Award* | Full Amount | NOT ELIGIBLE | NOT ELIGIBLE | NOT ELIGIBLE |
| Endowed Foundation Scholarship | Full Amount | Determined by Scholarship Coordinator | Determined by Scholarship Coordinator | NOT ELIGIBLE |
| Credits | % of Pell |
| 12 or more | 100% |
| 11 | 92% |
| 10 | 83% |
| 9 | 75% |
| 8 | 67% |
| 7 | 58% |
| 6 | 50% |
| 5 | 42% |
| 4 | 33% |
| 3 | 25% |
| 2 | 17% |
| 1 | 8% |