Loan Proration for Less than Full-Time Enrollment

Beginning in Fall 2026, all Direct Loan (excluding Parent PLUS) amounts will be subject to proration based on your number of credit hours taken (referred to in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as Schedule of Reductions, or SOR).  If you are enrolled less than full-time (see chart below for reference) in any semester, your loan eligibility will be reduced, or prorated, for that semester.   

The calculation for these reductions is based on your percentage of enrollment as compared to full-time:

Undergrad Example 1:

Jane is a first-year Undergraduate student attending 9 hours in the Fall and 9 hours in the Spring.  Her annual maximum loan eligibility as a first-year student is $5500 ($2750 per semester).  We will use her semester amounts for our calculation:

9 hours (enrolled) / 12 hours (full-time status) = .75 x 100 = 75%

Jane is eligible for 75% of her full-time-semester's loan eligibility, or $2750 x .75 = $2062.50

Because Jane is enrolled in 9 hours for both Fall and Spring, her eligibility for both semesters is the same: $2062.50 for Fall, and $2062.50 for Spring, or $4125 for the year.

Note: the percentage calculation MUST be applied to maximum Subsidized and Unsubsidized loan amounts separately. 

Undergrad Example 2:

John is a second-year Undergraduate student attending 12 hours in the Fall and 9 hours in the Spring.  His annual maximum loan eligibility as a sophomore is $10,500 ($5250 per semester).  We will use his semester amounts for our calculation:

12 hours enrolled / 12 hours (full-time status) = 100% for Fall

9 hours enrolled / 12 hours (full-time status) = 75% for Spring

Loan amounts will be updated prior to each semester's disbursement.  So John is eligible for:

$5250 x 1.00 = $5250 Fall

$5250 x .75 = $3937.50 Spring

Graduate (non-professional) Example:

Sally is a Graduate student attending 6 hours in the Fall and 6 hours in the Spring.  Her annual maximum loan eligibility as a Graduate student is $20,500 ($10,250 per semester).  We will use her semester amounts for our calculation:

6 hours (enrolled) / 9 hours (full-time status) = .67 x 100 = 67%

Sally is eligible for 67% of her full-time-semester's loan eligibility, or $10,250 x .67 = $6867.50

Because Sally is enrolled in 6 hours for both Fall and Spring, her eligibility for both semesters is the same: $6867.50 for Fall, and $6867.50 for Spring, or $13,735 for the year.