Financial Aid Census Dates
What are census dates, and what does it mean for you as a student?
The financial aid census date is the point at which a student’s enrollment status is locked for financial aid purposes. This is the date the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid takes a "snapshot" of students' enrollment to establish the "official enrollment" for reporting purposes and financial aid eligibility. At this point in the term, credit hours are locked and financial aid for the term is adjusted to reflect the student's enrolled credits that are eligible to receive financial aid. For example, if a student registered full time at the beginning of the term and then dropped credits before the financial aid census date, the student’s financial aid is then revised to match their eligibility based on the number of credits enrolled in as of the census date and types of aid that were awarded. Credits added after the census date cannot be used to increase financial aid eligibility.
- To ensure receipt of the maximum Pell Grant for which a student is eligible as well as avoid having to pay back Pell Grant funds already posted to the student's account, students are strongly encouraged to finalize their course schedule no later than the census date.
- If the student increases or decreases their credit load before the census date, their financial aid may be adjusted, as appropriate, for their enrollment level. If the student’s financial aid is reduced and it creates a balance due on their student account, the student will be responsible for payment.
- If the student adds credits after the census date, the student’s financial aid will not be increased. Classes added after the census date will not be eligible to be counted for Pell Grant eligibility purposes. The student will be responsible for any additional charges not covered by your financial aid award as of the census date.
- The student’s financial aid may be affected if the student is taking courses that begin after the census date. For example, if the student is enrolled in a class that starts after the census date, the Federal Pell Grant and other financial aid funds will not be disbursed until after the course has started. If the student fails to begin attendance in all classes, the student’s financial aid will be reduced accordingly.
- If a student initially enrolls for the semester after the census date, the census date for that student will be the date of their initial enrollment. Therefore, students will want to maximize their aid eligibility by enrolling in all of the courses they are planning to take during the initial registration process.
- The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid 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 Scholarships and Financial Aid before adding courses after the census date that would affect their enrollment level.
| Semester | Census Date |
|---|---|
| Fall 2022 | September 08, 2022 |
| Spring 2023 | February 09, 2023 |
| Summer 2023 | June 15, 2023 |