Course Program of Study (CPoS)
The U.S. Department of Education regulations require that a student be enrolled in a degree-seeking or eligible certificate program to receive federal financial aid (Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG), Direct Loans, and Federal Work Study) known as the Course Program of Study (CPoS).
Why does CPoS exist?
Time limits and aggregate lifetime limits exist for all aid programs; therefore, timely degree completion is critical, and students must be enrolled in courses that are applicable to the degree program or eligible certificate to qualify for federal financial aid. If a student is enrolled in courses that are not required, the federal financial aid award could be prorated or canceled.
What this means for your course planning
Cornell College defines CPoS as referring to all courses and requirements needed to earn a degree. Undergraduate programs are outlined on the Stellic degree evaluation and include courses in your major (one major, not two), teaching certification, general education requirements, or electives needed to meet the overall requirement (i.e. 31 credits). We evaluate whether your course plan meets the eligibity requirement each semester.
Courses that qualify for aid under CPoS
A course is eligible for federal financial aid if it satisfies a requirement in your program of study (general education requirements for the degree, and one major). Consult your Stellic degree audit to review which courses will fulfill your degree or major requirements (including courses needed to meet the overall graduation requirement of 31 credits). In-progress or complete courses listed in the ‘Unmatched’ section are not aid eligible under CPoS.
Note: Once you are enrolled in enough credits in your program of study to be full-time for the semester (3 blocks), you are eligible for maximum federal and state aid, and can take additional courses whether or not the course is in your program of study. So, in a semester 3 courses apply to your major and graduation requirements, the 4th block can apply to a second major, a minor, or something you want to explore.
How CPoS impacts your financial aid
CPoS affects your federal financial aid and state aid disbursement for the semester:
| Federal Aid | State Aid (IA residents) |
|---|---|
| Pell Grant | Iowa Tuition Grant |
| SEOG Grant | AIOS |
| TEACH Grant | ETV |
| Federal Direct Loans | GEAR UP |
| Federal Direct PLUS Loans | |
| Federal Work Study |
Your Cornell scholarship, awards, or grants are not subject to the same regulatory restrictions. However, because your Cost of Attendance (COA) will be reduced for ineligible coursework, it could reduce your Cornell aid because your total aid cannot exceed your COA.
Outside scholarships from foundations and organizations are not impacted by CPoS.
If you have questions about how CPoS impacts your financial aid award, please contact the Financial Assistance Office at 319.895.4216, email financialassistance@cornellcollege.edu or stop by the office in Old Sem.
CPoS Notification & Academic Advising
Your academic advisor will help you navigate the requirements for CPoS as you create your course plan each year. Your course registration will be reviewed each semester and the Office of Financial aid will notify you if any adjustment will be made to your financial aid via email. If you get a notice, don't change your courses right away, make an appointment with your advisor to review your Stellic degree audit and discuss what makes sense for your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cornell will begin actively implementing CPoS in the Fall 2025 term.
Courses taken for a second degree or minor may not be considered a required part of the program of study. Requirements for either may be combined each semester; however, once you have completed the requirements for your degree and your first major, you are considered to have earned a degree under CPoS, and you are no longer eligible for Title IV federal grants or state aid for additional coursework.
The situation: your general education requirements are completed, and 31 credits have been earned but I have not completed my major? Can I still receive full-time aid for that semester?
If you have earned 31 credits and have completed all the general education requirements, but you still need to complete courses for the major, those courses are still aid eligible. However, if you only need to complete 1 or 2 courses for that major, any additional courses you take that semester will not be eligible for aid.
Students enrolled in courses impacted by CPoS will be notified via email. If an adjustment is made to your financial aid offer, you will receive an email from financial aid alerting you that there has been a change in your financial aid eligibility.
Do NOT begin modifying your schedule without consultation with an academic advisor! An advisor will be able to review your academic record and Stellic Degree Audit to determine whether the CPoS process is accurately assessing your courses.
The federal rules for dual majors or degrees are specific to the Pell and SEOG grant programs. For these programs, once the student completes all degree requirements for one major or degree, a student is no longer eligible for Pell or SEOG, whether the student has been conferred a bachelor’s degree or not.
Students can avoid losing aid eligibility by arranging courses to enter their final semester with degree requirements in both majors.
Courses for a minor are only eligible for federal financial aid if they meet part of your degree completion requirements, such as an elective or credits toward your major.
You are considered to be full-time and eligible for the maximum federal aid at 3 blocks (credits) per semester and therefore eligible to take additional courses outside of your program of study or major in your 4th block.
A prerequisite course is only eligible for federal aid programs if the course satisfies a degree requirement in the program of study such as a general education requirement or an elective credit needed to meet overall degree requirements.
Yes, you may take a course that is not required in your program. However, you will not receive any federal financial aid to support the cost of the course. Please speak with your advisor and the Registrar and Financial Assistance offices.
If you are taking at least 3 other courses that do apply to your program of study, you will be considered full-time and your aid will not be impacted.