Fall 2024 Census Date

The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships will freeze student enrollment for the Spring 2024 semester on Monday, January 29, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (PST) to finalize student financial aid offers.

Any changes made to enrollment after this date, such as dropping or adding a class, typically do not positively or negatively impact financial aid eligibility. Please refer to Enrollment Requirements for Different Types of Aid.

However, financial aid may be impacted if a student drops or withdraws from all of their classes. Financial aid eligibility is reviewed within 30 days from the date of withdrawal. The financial aid funds received were based on the number of credits a student was enrolled in at the time of disbursement. If your credits decrease, you may have to repay some of your financial aid funds.

Students can contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships through the (formerly known as the Self-Service Help Center) before making any changes to their enrollment after the Census Date.

Enrollment Requirements for Different Types of Aid

Please note that waitlisted courses do not count towards your enrollment status. The following are the most common sources of financial aid that are affected by changes in enrollment:  

Scholarships and Tuition Waivers: Generally Full-Time

  • Pell Grants: Prorated based on enrollment (Full-Time, Three-Quarter Time, Half-Time, and less than Half-Time)
  • Loans (including Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized, Parent PLUS, Graduate PLUS, Private/Alternative): Half-Time
  • Work-Study: Half-Time

Full-Time Enrollment 

  • Undergraduate Students: 12 Credits
  • Graduate Students: 9 Credits
  • Law Students: 12 Credits (4 Credits for Summer Term)
  • Dental Students: 20 Credits

Three-Quarter Time Enrollment

  • Undergraduate Students: 9 to 11 Credits
  • Not applicable for graduate, law, or dental students

Half-Time Enrollment

  • Undergraduate Students: 6 to 8 Credits
  • Graduate Students: 5 to 8 Credits
  • Law Students: 5 Credits
  • Not applicable for dental students

Less than Half-Time Enrollment

  • Undergraduate Students: 1 to 5 Credits
  • Graduate Students: 1 to 4 Credits

Summer Term Census Date

Students attending Summer Term classes will have through the last day to add/drop classes for Summer Term Session 3 to adjust class schedules. After this period has expired, your financial aid will be based on your credit hours of enrollment for the entire summer term.

If you have already received a financial aid refund during the summer term and your credit hours of enrollment change after the financial aid refund is sent out, you may owe money back to 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ when your financial aid eligibility for summer term is recalculated.