Course Program of Study (CPOS)
Financial Aid

To maintain your financial aid eligibility:

1. Avoid repeating, dropping, or skipping classes, as these actions can impact your current and future aid.
2. Review your course program of study (CPOS) with your advisor before registering each term to make sure all courses are eligible for aid.
3. If your degree program isn't listed correctly, work with your advisor to update it in the system.
4. If your aid has been reduced due to ineligible courses, contact your advisor to explore your options.
5. If you need to take courses not listed in Fort Lewis College's catalogs, have your advisor submit course adjustments (like substitutions or waivers) as soon as possible.

No. The College Opportunity Fund applies to Colorado residents based on their total tuition charges.

No. CPOS regulations do not impact the Native American Tution Waiver.

Institutional Scholarships, such as Merit Scholarships, WUE, New Mexico Reciprocal scholarships, athletic scholarships, and Foundation Scholarships, are not subject to the CPOS regulation if your enrollment status is full-time. 

Outside scholarships have their own enrollment and renewal criteria. It is your responsibility to maintain the enrollment requirements as defined by the issuing party.

If you take courses outside those required for your major to reach full-time status, you can still receive aid not affected by CPOS, like Merit or institutional scholarships. However, extra courses that aren't part of your major won't help you qualify for full-time federal or state financial aid. To be considered full time for federal and state aid, you must enroll in 12 credits of CPOS-required courses each semester.

Note: There is a limit on the number of credits or the length of time you can receive financial aid. Taking courses that aren't required may affect your ability to finish your degree while still being eligible for federal aid.

Taking extra courses outside your degree program to maintain full-time status is allowed, but Federal Direct Loans for graduate students will only cover courses required for your degree.

Note: There is a limit on the number of credits or time you can receive financial aid. Taking courses that aren’t required may affect your ability to finish your degree while keeping your federal aid.

If you make a mistake and register for a course that doesn't qualify, the Financial Aid Office will review your enrollment and let you know. You can drop the course before the term begins and add a different one. However, it's ultimately your responsibility to enroll in eligible courses.

If the course is still required for your program, you can retake it. The U.S. Department of Education allows a repeated course to count toward your enrollment status for financial aid, as long as it is not a previously passed course being repeated more than once.

Financial aid is not adjusted retroactively for past terms. If you change your major after the census date, that change will take effect the following semester. CPOS calculations for that semester will be based on your new major.

CPOS does not impact the number of credits needed for on-campus housing eligibility. Students must be enrolled in at least 9 credits to live on campus. However, if you are close to completing your degree and have fewer courses left, you can apply for an exemption to stay in on-campus housing.

For double majors, you must have both majors declared, and all courses taken must apply to completing both majors in the same semester to get full financial aid. Once you complete the requirements for one major, you will be considered a post-baccalaureate student, meaning you can no longer receive federal or state aid except for loans for the second major.

Students are encouraged to use elective credits within their declared major to complete minors, double majors, or certificates. Most bachelor's degrees require 120 total credits. If minors, double majors, or certificates fit within these 120 credits, your aid will not be affected.