Exceptions to Full Time Enrollment Minimums

Per Student Rule 1.7, students may be certified as full time with fewer than the required hours under the following circumstances:

1. Participation in an authorized cooperative education (co-op) experience;
2. Fewer than 12 hours remain for an undergraduate student to complete degree requirements in the final semester before graduation;
3. Fewer than 9 hours remain for an graduate student to complete degree requirements in the final semester before graduation;
4. Participation in an approved internship that is equivalent to a full-time course load;
5. Enrollment in student teaching course sections;
6. Disability Resources approved accommodation (https://disability.tamu.edu/process/)

Important Information regarding Financial Aid

• These exceptions may not apply to a student's eligibility for certain types of financial aid. 
• Enrollment reporting for student loan repayment purposes will be reported as actual hours enrolled. 
• Cooperative education students are reported as full time for student loan repayment purposes. 
• Students who have questions about how exceptions to full time enrollment requirements will affect their scholarships, loans, grants, etc., should confer with their financial aid advisor.

Important Information for International Students

International students, in F-1 and J-1 status, requesting an exception to full time requirements must verify with International Student & Scholar Services that they are maintaining F-1/J-1 status if enrolling less than full time.  

 

Process

Internships, CO-OPs, student teaching
If a student is participating in a course that is coded as an internship, cooperative education (co-op), or student teaching (see the instructional method – INTRN, COOP, STDNT), then the Office of the Registrar will automatically code a student as full-time for enrollment purposes after the fifth-class day. 

If the student is participating in a course that is not coded as an internship, co-op, or student teaching, then the academic department will need to submit a memo (signed by the Department Head and academic advisor) to the Office of the Registrar, recordsadmin@tamu.edu, to request the student be considered full-time. It will be reviewed within seven business days upon receipt.

After the fifth-class day, check the status of your full-time status on Howdy. 

Graduation
Degree candidates who applied for graduation and received a full-time exception will have their enrollment statuses updated by Degree Audit staff if they cancel their graduation application. 

F-1/J-1 international students are encouraged to inform ISSS, https://global.tamu.edu/isss, in advance if their graduation plans change.