Course Program of Study (CPoS)
Course Program of Study (CPOS) is a federal requirement set by the US Department of Education. CPoS mandates that only the courses in a student’s declared major program will count toward eligibility for federal or state financial aid (which can include the Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, federal loans, etc).
CPoS was designed to help students stay on track with their degree program and graduate on time. Enrolling in only courses that count toward your program of study helps to minimize your education expenses and debt.
Maintaining CPoS Eligibility
To remain eligible for full-time federal and state financial aid, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours in their degree program. Students with fewer than 12 credit hours will have prorated federal and state financial aid, depending on their total amount of qualifying hours.
Make Your Courses Count
Before registering for classes, we recommend you meet with an academic advisor to ensure you are enrolling in the courses required for your degree.
Other Financial Aid and Scholarships
Remember - any institutional or private financial aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.) obtained from LSCO or outside organizations is not affected by CPoS requirements, but is subject to the rules and regulations set by those institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can determine if your schedule is CPoS eligible by reviewing your program requirements and meeting with an academic advisor to ensure that at least 12 credit hours are “In Program.”
If your courses for the upcoming semester are not CPoS eligible, we will contact you and encourage you to review and/or make changes to your schedule to get you back on track.
Your enrollment will be checked each semester when financial aid is disbursed and immediately following the end of the drop/add period. Any changes to your schedule after the census date will not impact aid eligibility.
LSCO’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships does not review appeals on individual courses. Please talk to your academic advisor and ask if the course can be added as a qualified course within your degree program.
Your state and federal aid eligibility will be based on only the remaining courses that apply to your degree program.
Contact your academic advisor to see if a different course could be substituted for the unavailable course in your program of study.
All of the courses required for both declared programs will be taken into consideration for CPoS.
Electives, development (also called remedial or zero level), and concentration courses all can count as long as they are required for the program of study.
If the prerequisite is listed as a required course for your program, the course will be eligible.
Yes, you may take a course that is not required. Just know that the course will not count toward the financial aid enrollment status.
No, only courses that count toward your program at LSCO can be counted for student aid.