A student’s most crucial time is going to college. You have a list of colleges that you may be considering, but apart from this, you should also think about how you want to attend college. Are you willing to dedicate your whole time and be a full-time student, or are you planning on being a part-time student? Certain factors help you distinguish between them, but ultimately, it depends on the institution.
Before attending any college, it’s always important to think ahead of time about the enrollment requirements. So, if you are still uncertain about the two, this article will help you explore more about the differences between a full-time and part-time student and how these can affect your education.
Defining Full-Time vs. Part-Time Student
Distinguishing between a full-time or part-time student is easy, and it all depends on how many credit hours you are taking during a semester. A full-time student takes more than half of the course load, does extracurricular activities, and spends more time on campus. To be a graduate full-time student, you must have a minimum of twelve credits per semester, while part-time includes two to eleven credits.
How Many Credits Are Required for Full-Time Enrollment?
A full-time student should have twelve credits per semester, depending on your college or university. You should also take three to four classes, more than half of a typical course load, apart from credit hours.
It would be best to keep in mind that not all colleges use a semester system; some use a quarter system, impacting the number of credits you need to be a full-time student. To find out about the enrollment credit requirements, it’s always helpful to check with your college beforehand.
How many hours is a full-time student?
Most students are considered full-time if they have twelve or more credit hours. Some students have a lot of time on their hands, so they use that to study and attend college for long periods, while others might not be able to do so.
A full-time student takes on more responsibility, such as attending more classes, studying, or completing homework. The number of hours you spend studying is usually more than 9 hours per week.
Credit hours also depend on taking your classes during the spring, summer, or fall terms. For example, spring and fall terms require a minimum of twelve credit hours, while a six-week summer term requires at least six credit hours for you to qualify as a full-time student.
How Does Full-Time Enrollment Affect Your Financial Aid?
Whether you want to be a full-time or part-time student affects your education and financial aid. Specific forms of financial assistance include school scholarships or grants from non-profit organizations. Most of these forms are limited to only full-time students, but student loans are usually available to all students.
Every college has a soft spot for full-time students. According to the College Board, in 2019-20, full-time students received an average of $27,310 in financial aid.
In terms of eligibility, here are some requirements that a full-time student needs to be eligible for federal financial aid:
- A student must enroll at least half-time to be qualified for federal student aid or other financial aid.
- Some state financial aid programs (fee tuition programs) require that you enroll as a full-time student only.
- If students receive a Federal Pell Grant, that amount will be rationed out based on their status (full-time, half-time), yielding award amounts such as 25%, 60%, 75%, or 100% of eligibility.
You can check out this chart for more eligibility information. These may vary according to FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and CADAA (California Dream Act Application).
Affect on tax deduction
Your enrollment status can impact your tax deductions. For example, there are specific tax credits and deductions that you can qualify as a full-time student while part-time students may not.
The first five months of your education program don’t have to be full-time. So, if you ever consider dropping a class, it’s always better to consult with your tax advisor before doing so because this can affect your enrollment status. Also, these tax implications may apply if your parents claim you as a dependent person. That’s why you should be a full-time student and under the age of 24 to do so.
Affect on student loan
Again, your enrollment status is closely linked to your student loan requirements, and you need to consider your credit hours. Additionally, if you’re a full-time student and have private loans, you don’t have to pay back your loans until your enrollment status changes. However, this only works if you have already picked a deferment payment plan while in school.
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If you have federal student loans, you have time to make your payments while in school. Once you finish school, you have approximately six months to start making payments. But, if you decide to change your status from a full-time student to a part-time student, this may be a red flag for your student loan payments since they can happen sooner.
Benefits of Being Enrolled as a Full-Time Student
Being a full-time student comes with many advantages that are helpful to you in the long run. You can finish your education faster and be eligible for scholarships or even tax breaks. Although this enrollment status may take much of your time, the results are worth it.
Completing your degree sooner
One of the most important benefits of being a full-time student is completing your degree sooner. When you take a full course load per semester, you are closer to getting all of your credits in time. So, the more classes you take, the closer you are to graduating in four years or so, depending on your program.
If you have twelve credits per semester, you will likely finish your studies in five years with 120 credits. However, if you take six credits per semester, the chances of you graduating in this amount of time are non-existent because it will take you up to 10 years.
Greater focus on your studies
Being a full-time student means you dedicate most of your time to your school. Even if you have a side job, there are fewer responsibilities to deal with, and you can still focus on your studies, which leads to getting good grades.
Better financial aid
Full-time students get more financial aid than those who enroll as part-time students. One reason is that full-time students have less income, so they can’t afford to pay too much for college. Another reason is that tuition is more expensive, which equals more financial need for students.
College experience
If you asked a student what they remember from their college days, most of them would start talking about their college experiences and how they were free from responsibilities. Full-time students enjoy college more than part-time students because they spend more time on campus, have a vibrant social life, and have more free time to do extracurricular activities.
Final Thoughts
Before you decide on your college, first consider your enrollment status because that will affect you in many ways in the future. There are several reasons for enrolling as a full-time student. Some include financial aid, completing your program in time, and enjoying the overall college experience. The most important thing is not to change your enrollment status without consulting a professional. Otherwise, a full-time student is a way to go.