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Awarding and Processing Aid for Modular Session Programs

Learn about how to award and disburse financial aid for programs that use modular sessions, handling intersessions, and R2T4 regulations affecting modules.

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Awarding and Processing Aid for Modular Session Programs

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  1. Awarding and Processing Aid for Modular Session Programs Pamela Moran and Dan Klock U.S. Department of Education

  2. Topics • Awarding Aid for Programs Using Modules • Disbursing Aid for Programs Using Modules • Handling Intersessions • R2T4 Regulations Affecting Modules

  3. Awarding and Disbursing Aid for Programs Using Modules

  4. Use of ModulesChanging Patterns in Education • Short term and sequential course enrollment • Courses are often offered in modules (usually 1-8 weeks in length) • Programs with modules may - • compose an entire program; or • be offered in conjunction with other full-term length courses

  5. Use of ModulesChanging Patterns in Education • Used in Standard and Non-Standard Term and Non-Term Settings • Sometimes involve overlapping terms • Courses offered as modules may begin in one term and end in another term • Enrollment can begin at beginning of any module • Students may skip one or more modules

  6. Basics: Term A term: • Defined as a discrete period of time during which all courses are scheduled to begin and end • Within a term: full-length courses, compressed courses or modules, and courses offered sequentially

  7. Basics: Standard and Non-Standard Terms • Standard Term: a semester or trimester (generally 14-17 weeks long) or a quarter (generally 10-12 weeks long) • Non-standard Term: all coursework begins and ends within a set period, but it is not a semester, trimester, or quarter

  8. Basics: Non-Term • Courses do not all begin and end within a discrete period of time and may: - contain self-paced or independent study courses without fixed timeframes - consist of sequential modules or courses that do not begin and end within a term • Clock-hour programs are always non-term

  9. Other Title IV Factors • Definitions: • Academic year – 30 (credit hours) or 26 weeks (clock hours) of instructional time, and for undergraduates: 24 semester/trimester hours, 36 quarter credits, or 900 clock hours; for graduates, institutional minimum full-time standard • Full-time – greater than statutory minimum or adjusted for summer or intersession?

  10. Modules - Operating Principles • Schools may combine a series of modules into a single term • Enrollment can begin at beginning of any module • Students may skip one or more modules within the term • Loan period includes entire term

  11. Modules - Operating Principles • Up-front enrollment (registered courses) should support aid eligibility and award amount • Cost of attendance excludes periods of non-attendance • Student must begin attendance in all credits or recalculation required (except loans)

  12. Module - Operating Principles • For loans, student must commence attendance or is ineligible borrower for entire term • No disbursement can be scheduled during period of non-enrollment • Earliest attendance dictates first disbursement; payment period begins with module that includes first date of attendance

  13. Modules - Operating Principles Change in enrollment status to less-than-half-time results in cancellation of subsequent loan disbursements.

  14. Modules - Operating Principles within a Standard Term or Substantially Equal Non-Standard Term of at Least Nine Weeks • Pell Formula 1 applies • Standard Term loan disbursement and annual loan limit progression applies • Warning: Structure of modular terms can transform standard term program into non-standard term module begin/end date must be within 2 weeks of durationof standard term (Ex #2 & #3)

  15. ModulesCommon Term Configurations Example #1 - A series of modules within a standard 16-week term Semester- 16 Weeks/ 12 cr. Module I- Module II- Module III- Module IV- Four Weeks /3 cr. Four Weeks/3 cr. Four Weeks/3 cr. Four Weeks/ 3cr. Module 1 Module 2 Eight Weeks - 6 cr. Eight Weeks – 6 cr.

  16. ModulesCommon Term Configurations Example #2 - A standard term with several concurrent and overlapping modules Semester- 16 Weeks/12 cr. Module I- Module II- Module III- 6 Wks/ 5 cr. 4 Wks/ 3 cr. 6 Wks/ 4 cr. Module IV- Beginning at 4Wks/ 3cr. Module V- 4 Wks/3 cr.

  17. ModulesCommonTerm Configurations Example #3 A 16-week standard term with three modules offered concurrently; module begin and/or end dates within two weeks of standard term’s duration Semester-16 Weeks/ 12 cr. Module I- 6Wks/4cr. Module II- 6Wks/4cr. Module III-6Wks/4cr.

  18. Example #1 – Standard Term • Student enrolls in I, II, & IV 3-credit hour modules • Student enrolls in 2nd 8-credit hour module only - adjust the COA downward to reflect the costs of the actual period of enrollment - loan period is entire semester

  19. Example #1- Standard Term - low cohort default rate school – single disbursement for the term scheduled for actual attendance; otherwise multiple disbursement with 2nd disb. at calendar midpoint of term - if no enrollment in 3 cr. Module III, 2nd disb. not at calendar midpoint - Pell and campus-based payment period is term; recalc. required if no attendance in all registered classes

  20. Examples #2 and #3 – Standard Term • Module duration within 2 weeks of semester’s duration, therefore standard term treatment maintained • Pell Formula 1 applies • Total enrollment in all modules, including overlapping modules used to determine COA if student registered for all modules

  21. Example #4 - Non-Standard Terms 2nd Loan Disbursement • Academic Calendar: 36 semester credits over 40 weeks of instructional time • Title IV academic year: 24 semester credits and 30 weeks of instructional time

  22. Example #4- Non-Substantially Equal Non-Standard Term • Pell Grant Formula 3 applies • Term = Payment Period for Pell and Campus-Based • Minimum BBAY loan period = 36cr/37wks • Loan must be multiply disbursed; 2nd Disbursement after completion of 18 credits and 21 instructional weeks

  23. Example #4 – Non-Substantially Equal Non-Standard Term • Calculation of Full-Time Enrollment Status for each payment period: # of credit hrs. in academic year X wks of instruct.time in pay.period wks of instruct.time in acad. year

  24. Example #4- Non-Substantially Equal Non-Standard Term • Pell Grant Formula 3 applies • Term = Payment Period for Pell and Campus-Based • Minimum BBAY loan period = 36cr/37wks • Loan must be multiply disbursed; 2nd Disbursement after completion of 18 credits and 21 instructional weeks

  25. Modules: Non-Term ConfigurationExample #5 – Non-term Undergrad Cert. Program • Academic Calendar: 60 quarter hours over 54 weeks of instructional time; not self-paced • Title IV academic year = 36 quarter hours and 30 weeks of instructional time • Full-time = 36 quarter hours over 30 weeks of instructional time

  26. Modules: Non-term ConfigurationExample #5 – Non-term Undergrad Cert. Program • Minimum BBAY loan period = academic year; first 10-hour module must be included to meet 36 hour requirement; 40 quarter hours and 38 weeks of instructional time • Loan must be multiply disbursed ; 2nd Disbursement of Loan #1 after completion of 20 quarter hours and half the weeks of instructional time

  27. Modules: Non-term ConfigurationExample #5 – Non-term Undergrad Cert. Program • Second loan period is remaining balance of program – 20hrs/16 weeks for multiply-disbursed, prorated loan amount calculated as 20/36 (hrs in loan period over hours in the academic year • Pell uses Formula 4 and Pell and Campus-Based observe same payment periods

  28. Handling Intersessions

  29. Intersessions • Generally offered at schools using standard terms • May be a short session between two standard terms – for example, 3 weeks of instructional time between two 15-week semesters • May be a shorter summer term – for example, 12 weeks of instructional time with a 12-semester hour full-time standard • Must offer aid to eligible students in these sessions

  30. Intersessions – Applicable Title IV Definitions • Academic year: - 30 weeks of instructional time - 24 semester hours for undergraduate programs • Full-time: - 12 semester hours for semesters and summer term; 3 semester hours for intersession treated as separate term 3 wks in term X 24 hrs in acad.year 30 wks in acad. year = 3 hrs (2.4 rnd up)

  31. Intersession as Separate Term • Creates Non-Standard Term Environment • Pell – Formula 3 • Direct Loans; - BBAY only; No longer qualifies to use SAY - Payment Period and Disbursement for unequal terms

  32. Intersession as Separate Term - Pell • Payment period calculations vary under Formula 3 • Prorate payments based on weeks in each payment period: -Semesters: 15/30 annual award -Summer: 12/30 annual award - Intersession: 3/30 annual award

  33. Intersession as Separate Term – Direct Loans • Loan Period: Minimum is lesser of Title IV acad. year, program length, or remaining balance of acad. year; for grad/prof, hours a full-time student completes in acad. year – No one-term loans • Payment period is non-term; disburse at beginning and midpoint after completing 1/2 hours and instructional weeks • Annual loan limit progression: completion of both weeks and hours in the acad. year

  34. Intersession Merged with Standard Term • Pell - Formula 1 • Direct Loans: - Choice of SAY or BBAY - Loan periods, payment periods, disbursement, and loan limit progression based on standard term, traditional calendar treatment

  35. Intersession Merged with Standard Term - Pell • Same payment period calculations for all terms if Formula 1 used • Payments for payment periods same for all terms in an award year for particular award year • Payments: (e.g., semester ) - Semesters: ½ annual award - Summer: ½ annual award - Intersession: None; part of the term

  36. Intersession Merged with Standard Term – Direct Loan Requirements • Loan Period Options: - SAY with summer as header or trailer - Standard Term BBAY - one term loan • Loan Limit Progression: after completion of SAY or Standard Term BBAY • Payment Period: term, which may include addition of intersession • Disbursement Frequency: Next term

  37. Case Study #1-Treated as Separate Term • Anticipated Enrollment: 12 credits each semester; 3 credits for intersession • Pell Scheduled Award: $4,000 for award year • Loan Period for DL: Fall and Spring • Non-standard term treatment for loans; Pell remains by term

  38. Case Study #1-Treated as Separate Term Student’s Actual Enrollment: • Fall 1 - 12 credits (drops to 6 before drop/add) • Intersession – 3 credits • Spring - 6 credits • Summer – 6 credits (fails 3 credits)

  39. Case Study #1- Treated as Separate Term – Pell Formula 3 • Fall 1 – half-time [withdrew before census date]: 15/30 X $2,000 = $1,000 • Intersession – full-time: 3/30 X $ 4,000 = $400 • Spring – half-time: 15/30 X $2,000 = $1,000 • Summer – half-time: 12/30 X $2,000 = $800

  40. Case Study #1 – Treated as Separate Term – Direct Loan • Loan Originated for Fall through Spring (24 attempted credits over 33 instructional weeks) • Student must complete credits and instructional weeks – non-standard term treatment • Two disbursements; 2nd scheduled for Spring

  41. Case Study #1 – Treated as Separate Term- Direct Loan • Due to enrollment changes and non-completion, 2nd disbursement rescheduled and loan limit progression at completion of following Fall term rather than originally anticipated Spring term

  42. Case Study #2 – Merged with Term • Anticipated Enrollment: 12 credits for Fall and 15 credits for Spring (includes intersession) • Pell Scheduled Award: $4,000 for award year • Loan Period: Fall and extended Spring (includes intersession)

  43. Case Study #2 – Merged with Term • Student’s Actual Enrollment: • Fall 1: 12 credit hours (drops 6 before drop/add) • Intersession: 3 credits (toward Spring) • Spring: 6 credit hours (fails 3 credits) • Summer: 6 hours

  44. Case Study #2 – Merged with Term – Pell Formula 1 • Fall 1 – half-time [withdrew before census date] : ½ X $2,000 = $1,000 • Spring – three-quarter time with intersession credits: ½ X $1,500 • Summer – half-time: ½ X $2,000 = $1,000 • ½ used because there are two terms

  45. Case Study #2 – Merged with Term Direct Loan • Loan originated for Fall through Spring • 2nd Disbursement made for start of intersession as part of second term • Remaining annual loan limit eligibility used for summer • New academic year for loan limit begins following Fall term

  46. Other Considerations for Intersessions • Must apply same treatment in an eligible program for all Title IV • If merged, must merge with same term for all students in program for all Title IV • Whether merged or not, must adjust COA for loans/campus-based for a period of non-attendance

  47. Other Considerations for Intersessions • If not merged: - under §674.16 and 676.16 for Perkins and FSEOG, if student incurs uneven costs (e.g., short intersession) is a reduced payment for that payment period)

  48. Other Considerations for Intersessions If merged: - census date for Pell recalculation may need to be reconsidered - may support loan eligibility for otherwise ineligible term - earliest Spring disb. date shifts with Spring and non-attendance

  49. R2T4 Regulations Affecting Modules

  50. Current Rules – 34 CFR 668.22 • When a recipient ceases attendance before the scheduled end of the program for which s/he received Title IV, HEA aid • The institution is required to determine the amount of aid that the student earned • The institution also determines the unearned portion

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