Start the Semester Right!
As the 1st day of classes and the bill due date quickly approach, we wanted to remind you to check your schedule so you can make sure you are fully-enrolled and ready to start the semester off right. Your enrollment is the foundation of your student account as it can impact how you are billed and how your financial aid is applied. Check out the tips below to learn more.
Student Account Impacts
Potential Impacts
- Students who enroll part-time may only be charged on a per credit basis for only those credits in which they are enrolled
- Not all fees required of full-time students may post for part-time students
- If students enroll in additional credits at a later time—even if this is because they got a spot in a class off of a waitlist—the per credit rate and the fees may be adjusted accordingly, which means new balances may appear on students’ bills
- Visit the “Billing and Payment” portion of our website and click on “Tuition and Fee Rates” under “Tuition and Fees” for additional details on how tuition and fee rates vary by part-time and full-time enrollment statuses
Financial Aid Impacts
Potential Impacts
- Some financial aid requires full-time enrollment to be disbursed, which means it could be held or subject to cancellation if students are not enrolled in a full-time credit load
- Other financial aid may be prorated for part-time students, which means the amount awarded may be reduced prior to disbursement as aid may have been awarded based on the presumption of full-time enrollment
Key Terms
- Disbursement = This is the process by which aid funds are officially posted to students’ accounts (Note: If a refund is due because of aid disbursement, refunds are typically issued within 24-48 hours)
- Federal aid (e.g., unsub loans, sub loans, etc.) will start to disburse 10 calendar days before the semester begins
- State of FL aid (e.g., FL Bright Futures, EASE, etc.) will disburse after the financial aid census date, which is after the Last Day to Drop a Course Without a “W”
- Census = This is the date in which the University takes a snapshot of students’ enrollment and the number of credits students are enrolled in at that time will be marked for aid eligibility
Recommendation
If you do not plan to attend full-time, then you may be all set! If you do not use financial aid, then you may be all set too!
Otherwise, it is highly recommended you register for a full schedule of courses that will satisfy your degree requirements—even if it is not your 100% desired schedule—and then set up swaps, not waitlists, to maximize your ability to enroll in your preferred courses by accounting for potential enrollment issues. This will also help you avoid any potential impacts to your student account and/or financial aid. Learn more from our waitlist vs. swap Knowledge Article that is available in the “Get Help With …” tab on our website, www.canescentral.miami.edu. Also be sure to consult your academic advisor if you have any questions about your Spring 2021 schedule.
