When is a student considered to be enrolled at least half-time?

A student is considered to be enrolled at least half-time when they are taking a minimum number of credits that meets the criteria established by the institution and federal financial aid guidelines. Typically, this benchmark is set at 6 credits for undergraduate students in a semester system. When a student is enrolled in at least 6 credits, they are recognized as being at least half-time, which makes them eligible for certain types of financial aid, including federal loans and grants that require half-time enrollment.

Other scenarios would not meet this threshold. For example, enrolling in only a summer session does not alone determine half-time status unless combined with credits from another term. Similarly, while 9 credits would also qualify a student as half-time, it exceeds the minimum required, which is why the specific requirement for half-time status is 6 credits. Taking any amount of credits does not establish half-time enrollment, as there is a specific minimum that must be met. Therefore, taking 6 credits accurately reflects the criteria for half-time enrollment.