Financial Aid Census Date Policy
In accordance with federal regulations, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will recalculate federal, state, and institutional student aid awards based on the enrollment status as of the published Census Date (Count Day) by the Office of the Registrar, which is typically the end of the 10th day of class for both Fall and Spring terms. (The Census Date for Summer enrollment will vary based on the length of the course(s) taken. Refer to the Academic Calendar for those dates and/or see below for upcoming terms.) Generally, this policy typically coincides with the end of the drop/add period for each semester. All federal, state, and institutional aid will be based upon the Census Date enrollment status.
The published census date for each semester can be found on the academic calendar.
After Census Date, students cannot request changes to the Federal Pell Grant, the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant, Federal Work-Study. Changes to Federal Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized, and PLUS loan programs are allowed if a student wishes to decrease or decline loan(s) or increase a loan if the student had previously declined a portion of or all of any one of these loans, as long as all other eligibility requirements are met. Eligibility for these federal programs may be affected by schedule changes after the Census Date for students in courses starting after Census Date or those who have had FAFSA information or corrections submitted after the Census Date. Please note that you must be enrolled full-time (at least 12 credit hours) to receive the following forms of financial aid: Access to Education, Commitment to Excellence, Transfer Academic Excellence, all Merit Awards, Panther Promise, EIU Promise, EIU Cost Match, EIU Merit Bonus, Socio-Economic Disadvantaged Student Scholarship, EIU Tuition Grant, Disadvantaged Student Waiver, Minority Affairs Award, and other awards as indicated by the department, Foundation office, and other contracts.
If you drop credits prior to the 10th day of class (the census date), you may be required to repay some or all of your aid that was disbursed to you if you do not, at that time, meet the enrollment requirements for the types of aid you have been awarded.
If you add credits after the 10th day of class (the census date), you may not be eligible to receive additional financial aid.
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships is not able to adjust all types of aid after the Census Date but will work with special situations on an individual basis. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (the email address is finaid@eiu.edu) before adding courses after the Census Date that would affect enrollment level (for example: moving from half to three-quarter time, etc.).
Withdrawals
This policy does not apply to students who withdraw from all courses. Complete withdrawals from the university are subject to federal, state, and institutional refund policies. Please review this policy for more information regarding complete withdrawals from the university.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
If you drop classes (or change your class status to audit) after the census date, you may also have future financial aid eligibility issues. Please review this policy for more information on the requirements to maintain financial aid eligibility.
Enrollment Status Definitions for Undergraduates
Full-time enrollment – 12 credits per semester
Three-quarter time enrollment – 9-11 credits per semester
Half-time enrollment – 6 credits per semester
Less than half-time enrollment – 1-5 credits per semester
Enrollment Status Definitions for Graduates and Post-Baccalaureates
Full-time enrollment – 9 credits per semester
Part-time enrollment – 6-8 credits per semester
Less than half-time enrollment – 1-5 credits per semester
