Repeated Coursework Policy

The Department of Education has published regulations which impact students who repeat courses. These repeat courses may impact your financial aid eligibility and awards for federal Title IV financial aid. 

  • You may receive aid when repeating a course for the first time.
  • You may receive aid when repeating a course that you previously failed or withdrew from, regardless of the number of times you attempted and failed the course (the satisfactory academic progress policy still applies)
  • You may receive aid to repeat a course you previously passed one additional time. If you fail the second attempt, no more financial aid will be given to repeat the course a third time. If you withdraw from the course on your second attempt, then you may attempt the course a third time. This rule applies whether or not you received aid for earlier enrollments in the course.
  • Once you have completed any course twice with a grade you are no longer eligible to receive aid for that course. If you retake a course that is not eligible for financial aid, the credit hours will be excluded from your financial aid enrollment for that semester.

When counting credit hours to determine your financial aid eligibility for a semester, credits for repeated course credits will not be included as eligible credit hours. If you have fewer than 12 financial aid-eligible credit hours in a semester, you may be eligible for less Federal Pell Grant funds.

Examples

  1. Allowable: Repeated coursework may be included if you received a falling grade or withdrew from the course. There is no limit on the number of repeats if you do not pass the course.
  2. Allowable: You take Biology 110 and receive a grade of W or F. You repeat the class and receive a D. For financial aid purposes, you are considered to have now passed the course. You may repeat the course one more time and receive financial aid. If, on the second attempt, you receive a W, then you can repeat the course again. If you receive a grade – including an F – then you cannot repeat the course again and the course cannot be counted for for financial aid for enrollment purposes.
  3. Not Allowable: You take Biology 110 and receive a D. You repeat the course and make a B. The Biology 110 course cannot be considered for financial aid enrollment on the third repeat.
  4. Not Allowable: You are enrolled in 12 credit hours, including three credit hours that are considered to be a third repeat. Only nine credits will count toward your financial aid eligibility.
Course 1st Attempt 2nd Attempt 3rd Attempt Can use Aid on Course this Semester?
1 F grade earned D grade earned enrolled yes
2 C grade earned enrolled - yes
3 D grade earned C grade earned enrolled no
4 D grade earned F grade earned enrolled no
5 withdrew F grade earned enrolled yes

Explanations of Examples

  • Course 1: Yes, these credits are included in your count of financial aid-eligible credit hours because you are allowed to repeat any failed or withdrawn course until you receive a passing grade. Once you receive a passing grade, financial aid can pay for the course again. If you make a grade of A, B, C, D or F on your third attempt, the course will not count again in the calculation of your financial-aid eligible credit hours.
  • Course 2: Yes, even though you previously passed the course, these credits may be counted because it is the first time you are repeating the course.
  • Course 3: No, you previously passed this course and this is your third attempt for this course. Two attempts are the maximum attempts these credits can count toward your financial-aid eligible credit hours when you have previously passed a course.
  • Course 4: No, the course credits are no longer eligible for financial aid because you have previously passed the course, and this is the second time you are repeating the course.
  • Course 5: Yes, because you have never passed the course, it may still be counted toward your financial aid enrollment.