Financial Aid and Scholarships

Understanding Enrollment Requirements

Financial aid offers are based on your eligibility and financial need, and are initially based on the expectation of full-time enrollment. The number of units in which you are actually enrolled may impact the amount of financial aid you receive for various aid programs.

Changes in Enrollment

Your financial aid is released based on the number of units in which you are enrolled.

  • If you add classes after your aid has been released, you may be eligible for additional funds, which will be released during the next scheduled disbursement (Monday through Thursday morning)
  • If you drop classes after your aid has been released, your eligibility for certain types of aid may be reduced, and you may be billed for any overpayment.

Grant Recalculation Date

The Grant Recalculation Date is the day after the add/drop period ends.  Classes added after this date will not be included in the Grant (enrollment) Calculation just as classes dropped after this date, will not reduce Grants.

  • Eligibility for most financial aid programs is prorated based on enrollment at the time of the disbursement.
  • At the Grant Recalculation Date for the semester, the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships will freeze your enrollment status and adjust your grant aid to the correct amount based on actual units enrolled.

Any courses added after the add/drop period are not considered for additional financial aid grant eligibility. Courses added, could however, allow you to become eligible for the Federal Direct Loans, which are paid based on your enrollment at the time of disbursement.

Review the enrollment requirements in the sections below to see how enrollment impacts your eligibility by financial aid type.

 

Undergraduate Student Enrollment Requirements and Aid Impact

Beginning with the 2024-2025 aid year, the Pell grant will no longer be based on enrollment status. Instead Pell Grant disbursement amounts will now be calculated using Enrollment Intensity - which is a percentage value based on the number of credits a student is enrolled for during a term.

 

For federal student aid purposes, full-time enrollment is 12 credit hours. If you are enrolled in less than 12 credit hours (units), your Pell Grant will be reduced based on your enrollment intensity.

Below is a chart of enrolmment intensity relative to full-time enrollment. Note that enrollment intensity cannot exceed 100% for purposes of Pell Grant proration.

image of a chart of showing enrollment intensity relative to full-time (12 credit hours)

All financial aid is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment.  If you enroll in 12 units or more for a semester, you are considered full-time and are eligible to receive the full amount of your financial aid that was offered to you.

  • Wait-listed courses do not count toward your unit total
  • Your aid is released based on the number of units in which you are enrolled.  If you decrease your enrollment after aid has been released, your aid will be adjusted and you may be billed for any overpayment.
  • Although 12 units is considered full-time, in order to graduate in four years you must complete 15 units per semester (30 units per academic year).
  • Cal Grant is limited to a maximum of 4 years at full-time study (depending on your year in college when first awarded the grant).
Full Time (12 or more Semester Units)
Financial Aid Type Impact of Enrollment Status on Offered Amount
Federal Pell Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Education Opportunity Grant (EOP) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
EOP Grant - Ren Scholars No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Cal Grant Tuition Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Cal Grant Access No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
State University Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Middle Class Scholarship No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Chafee Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Dream Service Incentive Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Federal Work Study No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Parent PLUS Loan No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Private Loans No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Scholarships No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered

All financial aid is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment. If you enroll in 9 - 11 units for a semester, you are considered three-quarter time and the amount of aid you are eligible to receive from grants is required to be adjusted.

  • Wait-listed courses do not count toward your unit total
  • Your aid is released based on the number of units in which you are enrolled.  If you decrease your enrollment after aid has been released, your aid will be adjusted and you may be billed for any overpayment.
  • Cal Grant is limited to a maximum of 4 years at full-time study (depending on your year in college when first awarded the grant).
Three-Quarter Time (9 - 11 Semester Units)
Financial Aid Type Impact of Enrollment Status on Offered Amount
Federal Pell Grant* Grant Reduced based on enrollment intensity. Refer to Federal Pell Grant information above.
Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Education Opportunity Grant (EOP) Grant Canceled - Must be enrolled Full-Time
EOP Grant - Ren Scholars Grant Canceled - Must be enrolled Full-Time
Cal Grant Tuition Grant Grant Reduced - to 75% of offered amount
Cal Grant Access Grant Reduced to 75% of offered amount
State University Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Middle Class Scholarship Scholarship Reduced to 75% of original offered amount
Chafee Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Dream Service Incentive Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Federal Work Study No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Parent PLUS Loan No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Private Loans No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Scholarships Impact Varies - Check the terms of your scholarship to see whether or not Full-Time enrollment is required

All financial aid is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment. If you enroll in 6 - 8 units for a semester, you are considered half-time, and the amount from most grants you are eligible to receive is required to be reduced.

  • Wait-listed courses do not count toward your unit total
  • Your aid is released based on the number of units in which you are enrolled.  If you decrease your enrollment after aid has been released, your aid will be adjusted and you may be billed for any overpayment.
  • Cal Grant is limited to a maximum of 4 years at full-time study (depending on your year in college when first awarded the grant).
Half-Time (6 - 8 Semester Units)
Financial Aid Type Impact of Enrollment Status on Offered Amount
Federal Pell Grant* Grant Reduced based on enrollment intensity. Refer to Federal Pell Grant Information above.
Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Education Opportunity Grant (EOP) Grant Canceled - Must be enrolled Full-Time
EOP Grant - Ren Scholars Grant Canceled - Must be enrolled Full-Time
Cal Grant Tuition Grant Grant Reduced - to 50% of offered amount
Cal Grant Access Grant Reduced to 50% of offered amount
State University Grant** Grant Adjusted to amount of tuition fee charged
Middle Class Scholarship Scholarship Reduced to 50% of offered amount
Chafee Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Dream Service Incentive Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Federal Work Study No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Parent PLUS Loan No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Private Loans No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Scholarships Impact Varies - Check the terms of your scholarship to see whether or not Full-Time enrollment is required

 

**State University Grant Adjustments

The State University Grant is a tuition fee designated grant and can only be applied to a student's Tuition Fee.  The grant is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment; if enrolled half-time, the grant will be adjusted as follows:

  • If you are enrolled in 7 or more units, there is no change to the State University Grant, since the Tuition Fee remains the same.
  • If you are enrolled in 6 units, the amount of the State University Grant is adjusted to reflect the half-time Tuition Fee ($1,764 per semester for Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

All financial aid is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment; most aid programs require a student to be enrolled at least half-time in order to be eligible to receive funds. If you enroll in 1 - 5 units for a semester, you are considered less than half-time, and you will lose eligibility for most of your financial aid.

  • Wait-listed courses do not count toward your unit total
  • Your aid is released based on the number of units in which you are enrolled.  If you decrease your enrollment after aid has been released, your aid will be adjusted and you may be billed for any overpayment.
  • Cal Grant is limited to a maximum of 4 years at full-time study (depending on your year in college when first awarded the grant).
Less than Half-Time (1 - 5 Semester Units)
Financial Aid Type Impact of Enrollment Status on Offered Amount
Federal Pell Grant* Grant Reduced based on enrollment intensity. Refer to the Federal Pell Grant information above.
Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Education Opportunity Grant (EOP) Grant Canceled
EOP Grant - Ren Scholars Grant Canceled
Cal Grant Tuition Grant Grant Canceled
Cal Grant Access Grant Canceled
State University Grant** Grant Canceled
Middle Class Scholarship Scholarship Canceled
Chafee Grant Grant Canceled
Dream Service Incentive Grant Grant Canceled
Federal Work Study*** Offer Canceled
Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized)** Loan Canceled
Direct Parent PLUS Loan** Loan Canceled
Private Loans Impact Varies - Check the terms of your loan with your lender to see whether or not half-time enrollment is required
Scholarships Impact Varies - Check the terms of your scholarship to see whether or not Full-Time enrollment is required

 

**Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized, and Parent PLUS Loans)

Eligibility for Direct Loan funds is based on your actual number of enrolled units at the time of disbursement through the first day of classes.

  • You must be enrolled in at least 6 units at the time the loan funds are disbursed to your Cal Poly Pomona student account and through the first day of classes to remain eligible to receive your loan funds. 
  • If you are enrolled in at least 6 units at the time your loan funds are disbursed, but drop to less than 6 units prior to the first day of classes, you will not be eligible for the loan funds and will be required to repay the funds directly to the Federal Student Aid programs.

***Federal Work Study

Students must maintain half-time enrollment through the entire semester to be eligible to work on campus.

  • If you drop below 6 units prior to when you begin to earn Federal Work Study, your entire offer will be canceled.
  • If you drop below 6 units after you have begun working / earning Federal Work Study, you will keep any portion already earned.  The amount not earned will be canceled.

Credential Student Enrollment Requirements and Aid Impact

Beginning with the 2024-2025 aid year, the Pell grant will no longer be based on enrollment status. Instead Pell Grant disbursement amounts will now be calculated using Enrollment Intensity - which is a percentage value based on the number of credits a student is enrolled for during a term.

For federal student aid purposes, full-time enrollment is 12 credit hours. For federal student aid purposes, full-time enrollment is 12 credit hours. If you are enrolled in less than 12 credit hours (units), your Pell Grant will be reduced based on your enrollment intensity.

Below is a chart of enrolmment intensity relative to full-time enrollment. Note that enrollment intensity cannot exceed 100% for purposes of Pell Grant proration.

Enrollment Intensity
Credit Hours Enrollment Category Enrollment Intensity
12 (or more) Full Time 100%
11 Three-Quarter Time 92%
10 Three-Quarter Time 83%
9 Three-Quarter Time 75%
8 Half-Time 67%
7 Half-Time 58%
6 Half-Time 50%
Less than 6 Less than Half-Time N/A - Grant Cancelled

 

NOTE: Credential Student aid eligibility is restricted to only that coursework that is required by the State of California to receive a professional certification or licensing credential.  Any units taken outside of the required credential coursework cannot be used when determining your enrollment status.

The Federal Pell Grant requires you to be enrolled at least half-time (in required coursework) in order to be eligible to receive funds. If you enroll in less than 6 units of required coursework for a semester, you will lose eligibility for the Pell Grant for that semester.

All financial aid is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment.  If you enroll in 12 units or more for a semester, you are considered full-time and are eligible to receive the full amount of your financial aid that was offered to you.

Credential Student aid eligibility is restricted to only that coursework that is required by the State of California to receive a professional certification or licensing credential.  Any units taken outside of the required credential coursework cannot be used when determining your enrollment status.

  • Wait-listed courses do not count toward your unit total
  • Your aid is released based on the overall number of units in which you are enrolled.  If you decrease your enrollment after aid has been released, your aid will be adjusted and you may be billed for any overpayment.
  • Enrollment for Credential Students is reviewed at our Grant Recalculation Date each semester.  If you are enrolled in less than 12 units of eligible coursework at the Recalculation Date, you may be required to repay some, or all, of the aid you previously received for the semester.
Full Time (12 or more Semester Units)
Financial Aid Type Impact of Enrollment Status on Offered Amount
Federal Pell Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Cal Grant Tuition Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Cal Grant Access No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
State University Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Middle Class Scholarship No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Federal TEACH Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Golden State Teacher Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Federal Work Study No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Parent PLUS Loan No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Private Loans No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Scholarships No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered

All financial aid is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment.  If you enroll in 9 - 11 units for a semester, you are considered three-quarter time and the amount of aid you are eligible to receive from grants is required to be adjusted.

Credential Student aid eligibility is restricted to only that coursework that is required by the State of California to receive a professional certification or licensing credential.  Any units taken outside of the required credential coursework cannot be used when determining your enrollment status.

  • Wait-listed courses do not count toward your unit total
  • Your aid is released based on the overall number of units in which you are enrolled.  If you decrease your enrollment after aid has been released, your aid will be adjusted and you may be billed for any overpayment.
  • Enrollment for Credential Students is reviewed at our Grant Recalculation Date each semester.  If you are enrolled in less than 9 units of eligible coursework at the Recalculation Date, you may be required to repay some, or all, of the aid you previously received for the semester.
Three-Quarter Time (9 - 11 Semester Units)
Financial Aid Type Impact of Enrollment Status on Offered Amount
Federal Pell Grant* Grant Reduced Grant Reduced based on enrollment intensity. Refer to the Federal Pell Grant information above.
Cal Grant Tuition Grant Grant Reduced to 75% of offered amount
Cal Grant Access Grant Reduced to 75% of offered amount
State University Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Middle Class Scholarship Scholarship Reduced to 75% of offered amount
Federal TEACH Grant Grant Reduced to 75% of offered amount
Golden State Teacher Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Federal Work Study No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Parent PLUS Loan No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Private Loans No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Scholarships Impact Varies - Check the terms of your scholarship to see whether or not Full-Time enrollment is required.

All financial aid is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment.  If you enroll in 6 - 8 units for a semester, you are considered half-time and the amount of aid you are eligible to receive from grants is required to be adjusted.

Credential Student aid eligibility is restricted to only that coursework that is required by the State of California to receive a professional certification or licensing credential.  Any units taken outside of the required credential coursework cannot be used when determining your enrollment status.

  • Wait-listed courses do not count toward your unit total
  • Your aid is released based on the overall number of units in which you are enrolled.  If you decrease your enrollment after aid has been released, your aid will be adjusted and you may be billed for any overpayment.
  • Enrollment for Credential Students is reviewed at our Grant Recalculation Date each semester.  If you are enrolled in less 6 units of eligible coursework at the Recalculation Date, you may be required to repay some, or all, of the aid you previously received for the semester.
Half-Time (6 - 8 Semester Units)
Financial Aid Type Impact of Enrollment Status on Offered Amount
Federal Pell Grant* Grant Reduced Grant Reduced based on enrollment intensity. Refer to the Federal Pell Grant information above.
Cal Grant Tuition Grant Grant Reduced to 50% of offered amount
Cal Grant Access Grant Reduced to 50% of offered amount
State University Grant** Grant Adjusted to amount of tuition fee charged
Middle Class Scholarship Scholarship Reduced to 50% of offered amount
Federal TEACH Grant Grant Reduced to 50% of offered amount
Golden State Teacher Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Federal Work Study No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Parent PLUS Loan No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Private Loans No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Scholarships Impact Varies - Check the terms of your scholarship to see whether or not Full-Time enrollment is required.

 

**State University Grant Adjustments

The State University Grant is a tuition fee designated grant and can only be applied to a student's Tuition Fee.  The grant is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment; if enrolled half-time, your grant will be adjusted as follows:

  • If you are enrolled in 7 or more units, there is no change to the State University Grant, since the Tuition Fee remains the same.
  • If you are enrolled in 6 units, the amount of the State University Grant is adjusted to reflect the half-time Tuition Fee ($2,049 per semester for Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

All financial aid is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment.  Most aid programs require a student to be enrolled at least half-time in order to be eligible to receive funds. If you enroll in 1 - 5 units for a semester, you are considered less than half-time, and you will lose eligibility for most of your financial aid.

Credential Student aid eligibility is restricted to only that coursework that is required by the State of California to receive a professional certification or licensing credential.  Any units taken outside of the required credential coursework cannot be used when determining your enrollment status.

  • Wait-listed courses do not count toward your unit total
  • Your aid is released based on the overall number of units in which you are enrolled.  If you decrease your enrollment after aid has been released, your aid will be adjusted and you may be billed for any overpayment.
  • Enrollment for Credential Students is reviewed at our Grant Recalculation Date each semester.  If you are enrolled in less 1 unit of eligible coursework at the Recalculation Date, you may be required to repay some, or all, of the aid you previously received for the semester.
Less than Half-Time (1 - 5 Semester Units)
Financial Aid Type Impact of Enrollment Status on Offered Amount
Federal Pell Grant* Grant Canceled
Cal Grant Tuition Grant Grant Canceled
Cal Grant Access Grant Canceled
State University Grant** Grant Canceled
Middle Class Scholarship Scholarship Canceled
Federal TEACH Grant Grant Canceled
Golden State Teacher Grant No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Federal Work Study*** Offer Canceled
Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized)** Loan Canceled
Direct Parent PLUS Loan** Loan Canceled
Private Loans Impact Varies - Check the terms of your loan with your lender to see whether or not half-time enrollment is required
Scholarships Impact Varies - Check the terms of your scholarship to see whether or not Full-Time enrollment is required.

*Pell Grant Reductions

Credential Students are required to be enrolled at least half-time in required coursework in order to be eligible to receive any federal or state funds, including the Federal Pell Grant.

If you are enrolled in only 1 - 5 units of required credential coursework, your federal Pell Grant  will be cancelled and you will be required to repay any funds that had already been released.

**Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized, and Parent PLUS Loans)

Eligibility for Direct Loan funds is based on your actual number of enrolled units at the time of disbursement through the first day of classes.

  • You must be enrolled in at least 6 units of required credential coursework at the time the loan funds are disbursed to your Cal Poly Pomona student account and through the first day of classes to remain eligible to receive your loan funds. 
  • If you are enrolled in at least 6 units at the time your loan funds are disbursed, but drop to less than 6 units prior to the first day of classes, you will not be eligible for the loan funds and will be required to repay the funds directly to the Federal Student Aid programs.

***Federal Work Study

Students must maintain half-time enrollment through the entire semester to be eligible to work on campus.

  • If you drop below 6 units prior to when you begin to earn Federal Work Study, your entire offer will be canceled.
  • If you drop below 6 units after you have begun working / earning Federal Work Study, you will keep any portion already earned.  The amount not earned will be canceled.

Graduate Student Enrollment Requirements and Aid Impact

All financial aid is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment.  As a graduate student, if you enroll in 6 units or more for a semester, you are considered full-time and are eligible to receive the full amount of your financial aid that was offered to you.

  • Wait-listed courses do not count toward your unit total
  • All courses with the course number 6990 are Masters Degree Continuation courses, designed to avoid break in residence. These courses are 0 unit courses, and do not count toward your enrolled unit total.
  • Your aid is released based on the number of units in which you are enrolled.  If you decrease your enrollment after aid has been released, your aid will be adjusted and you may be billed for any overpayment.
Full Time (6 or more Semester Units)
Financial Aid Type Impact of Enrollment Status on Offered Amount
State University Grant* Grant Adjusted to amount of tuition fee charged
Federal Work Study No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Loans (Unsubsidized) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Graduate PLUS Loan No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Private Loans No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Scholarships No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered

*State University Grant Adjustments

The State University Grant is a tuition fee designated grant and can only be applied to a student's Tuition Fee.  The grant is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment; if enrolled half-time, your grant will be adjusted as follows:

  • If you are enrolled in 7 or more units, there is no change to the State University Grant, since the Tuition Fee remains the same.
  • If you are enrolled in 6 units, the amount of the State University Grant is adjusted to reflect the 6 unit Tuition Fee ($2,208 per semester Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

All financial aid is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment.  As a graduate student, if you enroll in 4.5 - 5 units for a semester, you are considered three-quarter time and are eligible to receive financial aid. The State University Grant will be adjusted to your tuition fee as will any scholarships that have enrollment restrictions.

  • Wait-listed courses do not count toward your unit total
  • All courses with the course number 6990 are Masters Degree Continuation courses, designed to avoid break in residence. These courses are 0 unit courses, and do not count toward your enrolled unit total.
  • Your aid is released based on the number of units in which you are enrolled.  If you decrease your enrollment after aid has been released, your aid will be adjusted and you may be billed for any overpayment.
Three-Quarter Time (4.5 - 5 Semester Units)
Financial Aid Type Impact of Enrollment Status on Offered Amount
State University Grant* Grant Adjusted to amount of tuition fee charged
Federal Work Study No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Loans (Unsubsidized) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Graduate PLUS Loan No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Private Loans No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Scholarships Impact Varies - Check the terms of your scholarship to see whether or not Full-Time enrollment is required.

*State University Grant Adjustments

The State University Grant is a tuition fee designated grant and can only be applied to a student's Tuition Fee. If you are enrolled in 4.5 - 5 units, the amount of the State University Grant is adjusted to reflect the lower Tuition Fee ($2,208 per semester Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

All financial aid is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment.  As a graduate student, if you enroll in 3 - 4 units for a semester, you are considered half-time and remain eligible to receive financial aid. The State University Grant will be adjusted to your tuition fee as will any scholarships that have enrollment restrictions.

  • Wait-listed courses do not count toward your unit total
  • All courses with the course number 6990 are Masters Degree Continuation courses, designed to avoid break in residence. These courses are 0 unit courses, and do not count toward your enrolled unit total.
  • Your aid is released based on the number of units in which you are enrolled.  If you decrease your enrollment after aid has been released, your aid will be adjusted and you may be billed for any overpayment.
Half-Time (3 - 4 Semester Units)
Financial Aid Type Impact of Enrollment Status on Offered Amount
State University Grant* Grant Adjusted to amount of tuition fee charged
Federal Work Study No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Loans (Unsubsidized) No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Direct Graduate PLUS Loan No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Private Loans No Impact - Eligible for full amount offered
Scholarships Impact Varies - Check the terms of your scholarship to see whether or not Full-Time enrollment is required.

*State University Grant Adjustments

The State University Grant is a tuition fee designated grant and can only be applied to a student's Tuition Fee. If you are enrolled in 3 - 4 units, the amount of the State University Grant is adjusted to reflect the lower Tuition Fee ($2,208 per semester Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

All financial aid is offered based on the expectation of full-time enrollment.  As a graduate student, if you enroll in 1 - 2 units for a semester, you are considered less than half-time and lose eligibility for most types of financial aid.

  • Wait-listed courses do not count toward your unit total
  • All courses with the course number 6990 are Masters Degree Continuation courses, designed to avoid break in residence. These courses are 0 unit courses, and do not count toward your enrolled unit total.
  • Your aid is released based on the number of units in which you are enrolled.  If you decrease your enrollment after aid has been released, your aid will be adjusted and you may be billed for any overpayment.
Less than Half-Time (1 - 2 Semester Units)
Financial Aid Type Impact of Enrollment Status on Offered Amount
State University Grant Grant Canceled
Federal Work Study** Offer Canceled
Direct Loans (Unsubsidized)* Loan Canceled
Direct Graduate PLUS Loan* Loan Canceled
Private Loans Impact Varies - Check the terms of your loan with your lender to see whether or not half-time enrollment is required
Scholarships Impact Varies - Check the terms of your scholarship to see whether or not Full-Time enrollment is required.

*Federal Direct Loans (Unsubsidized, and Graduate PLUS Loans)

Eligibility for Direct Loan funds is based on your actual number of enrolled units at the time of disbursement through the first day of classes.

  • You must be enrolled in at least 3 units at the time the loan funds are disbursed to your Cal Poly Pomona student account and through the first day of classes to remain eligible to receive your loan funds. 
  • If you are enrolled in at least 3 units at the time your loan funds are disbursed, but drop to less than 3 units prior to the first day of classes, you will not be eligible for the loan funds and will be required to repay the funds directly to the Federal Student Aid programs.

**Federal Work Study

Students must maintain half-time enrollment through the entire semester to be eligible to work on campus.

  • If you drop below 3 units prior to when you begin to earn Federal Work Study, your entire offer will be canceled.
  • If you drop below 3 units after you have begun working / earning Federal Work Study, you will keep any portion already earned.  The amount not earned will be canceled.