Picking your first-year courses without hurting your aid

These words show up when you pick courses. Your school's academic calendar is the official source for what each one means at your school.

Credit

What a course is worth toward your degree or diploma.

Prerequisite

A course you must pass before you can take another one.

Elective

A course you choose, outside your required ones.

Course load

How many courses you take in a term.

Full-time or part-time

Your status, based on your course load.

Add/drop deadline

The last day to add or drop a course. Your school sets it.

Waitlist

A line for a full course. Getting on it doesn't mean you're in.

Your course load decides if you're full-time or part-time. That changes your aid.

For OSAP, you're a full-time student if you're taking 60% or more of a full course load. Your school defines your course load. Part-time is between 20% and 59% of a full course load.Source:Ontario, OSAP definitions (opens in a new tab)

If you have a disability: If you have a permanent disability or a persistent or prolonged disability, you may choose to be considered full-time if you're taking at least 40% of a full course load. You must self-identify when you apply and submit the OSAP Disability Verification Form.Source:Ontario, OSAP definitions (opens in a new tab);Ontario, how to maintain eligibility (opens in a new tab)

Your enrollment status (full-time or less than full-time) affects your aid: it's one of the things that set your Pell Grant amount and your loan limits, and Direct Unsubsidized Loan amounts are reduced if you're enrolled less than full-time.Source:StudentAid.gov, Pell Grants (opens in a new tab);StudentAid.gov, subsidized and unsubsidized loans (opens in a new tab)

To receive either type of Direct Loan, you must be enrolled at least half-time at a school that takes part in the Direct Loan Program.Source:StudentAid.gov, subsidized and unsubsidized loans (opens in a new tab)

Your school decides how many credits count as full-time or half-time. Federal aid rules are changing. Check StudentAid.gov for the latest.

• Check your program's requirements with an academic advisor.
• Check prerequisites for the second-year courses you'll want.
• Find the add/drop deadline in your school's academic calendar.
• Ask the financial aid office if your course load keeps the aid status you need.

We can't tell you how many courses to take. Your academic advisor can.

Thinking of dropping a course later? Read: dropping a course and your aid