Degree Applicable Credit (DAC)

Financial aid eligibility is partially dependent on taking coursework that is required for a particular degree. This is referred to as Degree Applicable Credit (DAC). Each semester, students must choose courses that are considered DAC to remain eligible for financial aid.

To be eligible for Federal/State financial assistance, a student must be enrolled in a Program of Study by the time they have earned 56 credits. A program of study is a degree (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science) with a declared primary major. Financial aid eligibility can be calculated based on coursework required for this degree and primary major. View a list of majors.

Degree Applicable Credit (DAC) is credit needed to complete the primary major along with other overall college requirements as follows:

• 120 total credits (Beginning Fall 2017); 122 total credits (Pre-Fall 2017)
• 60 or 90 Liberal Arts credits
• 45 upper division credits (200-level or higher beginning Fall 2019), (3000-level or higher beginning Fall 2022); 48 credits prior to Fall 2019
• 45 credits in residence
• 30 of last 60 credits in residence
• 1/2 the major in residence

If you work with an Advisor early on you may be able to use elective spaces to complete a dual major and/or minor, but only credit needed to reach your overall college requirements (primary major, General Education, and the minimum number of electives to reach 120 sh) is considered DAC.

The rules regulating Financial Aid are many and complex. Students need to work closely with their Financial Aid Counselor to understand financial support.

DEGREE PLANNING & FINANCIAL AID

• Degree Applicable Credit (DAC) is the minimum coursework required to complete the program of study.
• Only credit determined to be DAC is eligible for federal and state aid.
• State aid DAC is based on the primary major only (except Excelsior which includes dual majors)
• Federal aid DAC may be based on primary and dual majors.
• Minors are not DAC unless the credit is needed to fulfill electives to meet overall minimum degree requirements.
• If a program of study will exceed 150% (6 years), aid ceases immediately.
• Most federal and state aid requires students be enrolled in at least 12sh of DAC.
• For most federal and state aid, if a student becomes ineligible for aid, there is a ONE ACADEMIC LIFETIME appeal.

Students must meet minimum standards to retain FEDERAL and/or STATE aid eligibility (SAP and ROP). Note: The 5 year Accounting program gets the 5th year of aid.