Reduced Course Load Policy

I. Scope

This policy applies to undergraduate students who wish to take a reduced course load as an accommodation for a disability.

Students who are not requesting to maintain institutional aid or scholarships that require full-time attendance, or to remain in campus housing while carrying less than a full-time course load do not need to submit a request for an accommodation but may simply register for a reduced course load pursuant to regular registration processes. Students who are seeking to finish their degree with a remaining course or non-degree seeking students may also have a reduced load pursuant to regular registration processes. See Non-Degree Seeking Policy (PDF).

II. Statement

Registration for a reduced course load may have an impact on progress towards degree completion and so should be discussed with the student’s academic advisor. Students should also consult with Student Financial Services prior to registering for a reduced course load.

Approval of a course load pursuant to this policy entitles the student to maintain ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ institutional aid on a prorated basis and to remain in the residence halls while carrying a less than full-time course load.

III. Procedures

Students with disabilities that significantly limit their ability to manage a full-time course load (12 or more credits) may be accommodated by receiving approval to take a reduced course load. While it is typically preferable for a student with a disability to be accommodated through methods such as academic advising, priority enrollment, and academic accommodations, it may be necessary for a student to request a reduced course load because of a more severe academic impact of a significant disability. Factors such as employment, extracurricular activities, failure to make use of appropriate academic accommodations, or poor class attendance are not acceptable reasons for a reduced course load under this policy.

Requests for this accommodation will be considered on a semester-by-semester basis and students must submit a request to the Office of Accessibility Services as soon as possible.

A. Billing & financial aid

  1. Students who drop below a full-time load will be billed for tuition on a per-credit basis.
  2. The reduced credit load will potentially result in an adjusted financial aid package:
    • Federal Direct Loan Eligibility: Federal Direct Loans are prorated based on enrollment status. A student approved for a reduced course load can -no less than 6 credits and still be eligible for a Federal Direct Loan.
    • Federal Pell Grant Eligibility: Federal Pell Grants are prorated based on number of credits enrolled. ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ institutional aid (ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ grants and merit scholarships): All ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ institutional aid will be prorated based on - number of credits enrolled but must maintain a minimum of 6 credits.
    • Federal Work Study Program: The Federal Work Study Program is limited and only offered to students with federal need who are enrolled in 12 credit hours. Exceptions to the credit hour requirement will be considered as an accommodation for a disability.
    • Other Financial Aid: Students who receive any other type of aid should check with Student Financial Services to determine the effect on such aid of a less than full-time enrollment status.

B. Health insurance

Students who are registered for ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ’s student health insurance program must be registered for at least seven credits, which is the credit requirement of the college’s insurance provider.

C. On campus employment

Students who have been granted permission to carry less than a full-time course load due to a documented disability are still eligible to work an on-campus job.

D. Honors & awards

Certain honors and awards may require full-time status as a condition of eligibility; such restrictions may be established by the donor or organization supporting such awards, and the college is unable to modify such requirements. Students carrying a reduced course load pursuant to this policy are, however, eligible to receive any honor or award that does not carry such a restriction.

E. Full-time status

  1. In order to maintain full-time status (except for purposes of eligibility for federal and state aid), a student must register for a minimum of 8 credits during a regular semester.
  2. In the event that a student approved for a reduced course load is required to verify full-time status to a third party, such as a health insurance company or a landlord, a request for a verification letter should be made to the Registrar. Generally, the Registrar will, with the student’s consent, confirm with the third party that the student maintains full-time status if the student has registered for at least 8 credits, and has been granted a reduced course load accommodation. It is important for students to note that the decision to maintain third party benefits for a student with full-time status on a reduced course load rests solely with the third party. ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ’s role is simply to verify that it is providing the student with full-time status. In most cases the college’s determination of full-time status results in the preservation of third-party benefits, but ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ is not responsible to guarantee this outcome.
  3. Full-time Enrollment Requirement for International Students (F-1 visas): International students are required by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal visa regulations to enroll fulltime and maintain full-time status throughout the semester. There are very limited circumstances in which the Designated School Official may approve a reduced load to accommodate documented disabilities. In order to maintain immigration status in the United States, an international student must be approved for a reduced course load by the Designated School Official prior to reducing course load and pursuing institutional exceptions. An international student who is granted reduced load for reasons related to a documented disability may be granted such reduction for not more than 12 months for the duration of their time in F-1 status, which may or may not be consecutive.
  4. Athletics Participation: The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Division III: Regulations, Section 14.1.8.1.7.2. Student-Athlete with Education-Impacting Disabilities – 12- hour requirement only, provides: The Management Council, or a committee designated by the Management Council to act for it, may waive the 12-hour requirement for a student-athlete when objective evidence demonstrates that an institution defines full-time enrollment for that studentathlete to be fewer than 12 hours to accommodate for the student’s education-impacting disability. Pursuant to this policy, students must be enrolled in at least 8 credit hours in order to maintain eligibility to participate in intercollegiate sports.
  5. Housing: Students approved to take a reduced course load as an accommodation are entitled to remain in college housing but must maintain a course load of at least 8 credits.

IV. Request process

  1. Requests for reduced course loads under this policy should be made to the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) with supporting documentation as soon as possible. For more information, see the Accommodations and Services page or via email access@goucher.edu.
  2. Reduced course load status is not automatically renewed. Students are required to request this status every semester.
  3. OAS will evaluate the documentation to determine the impact of the disability on the student’s ability to carry a full course load.
  4. The student is responsible for informing their academic advisor and contacting Student Financial Services regarding billing and financial aid questions.
  5. If the student wishes to drop below the approved reduced course load at any time during the semester after the add/drop deadline, the student will need to follow regular withdrawal process. Billing will not be retroactively adjusted for individual course withdrawals. Financial aid may need to adjust aid further based upon the student’s completion of the financial aid process. Second session courses are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and depend on a student’s attendance in a second session course. Financial aid and billing may be adjusted in these cases if the student has not started attendance. A student’s complete withdrawal from ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñfollows the regular refund policy.

V. Responsible office

For more information or if you have questions about this policy, please contact the Office of Accessibility Services at access@goucher.edu.

VI. History

Updated: October 2020; April 2024

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