Learn how financial aid, awards, and scholarships are disbursed to UMGC students.
At University of Maryland Global Campus, we want to help you understand and simplify the financial aid process by providing you information on term award disbursement—the process in which financial aid funds are credited to your student account.
The below information should be used as a guide to help you identify your enrollment level and disbursement information for common types of financial aid awards. If you have questions regarding how enrollment changes could affect your aid, please visit Dropping or Withdrawing and Financial Aid.
Enrollment Level
The amount of your award will be adjusted throughout the term if your enrollment level changes because you added, dropped, or withdrew from classes. For the specific examples of financial aid we describe on this page, we use several terms to classify students' enrollment status. Here are the definitions of those terms:
| Degree/Program Level | Credits |
|---|---|
Undergraduate Degree/Certificate Programs | 12 or more credits per term |
Graduate Programs | 9 credits per term |
Graduate Programs Requiring DCL 600 | 6 credits per term |
Doctoral Programs | 6 credits per term |
| Degree/Program Level | Credits |
|---|---|
Undergraduate Degree/Certificate Programs | 9–11 credits per term |
| Degree/Program Level | Credits |
|---|---|
Undergraduate Degree/Certificate Programs | 6–8 credits per term |
Graduate Programs (Excluding programs requiring DCL 600) | 6 credits per term |
Doctoral Programs | 3 credits per term |
| Degree/Program Level | Credits |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Degree/Certificate Programs | 5 or less credits per term |
Graduate Programs (Excluding programs requiring DCL 600) | 3 credits per term |
Impact of Enrollment Level on Federal Grants
Federal Pell Grant
Throughout the term, your Pell Grant will adjust to match your enrollment intensity (EIP) percentage/level. Students who are notified of their award prior to the semester are initially awarded at a 6-credit enrollment level. However, this amount will adjust to match your enrollment intensity level once the term begins.
Your award will disburse as you meet the following enrollment intensity levels which are based on your active course load:
| Credit Hours | Old Enrollment Category | Enrollment Intensity |
| 12 | Full Time | 100% |
| 11 | Three Quarter Time | 92% |
| 10 | Three Quarter Time | 83% |
| 9 | Three Quarter Time | 75% |
| 8 | Half Time | 67% |
| 7 | Half Time | 58% |
| 6 | Half Time | 50% |
| 5 | Less Than Half Time | 42% |
| 4 | Less Than Half Time | 33% |
| 3 | Less Than Half Time | 25% |
| 2 | Less Than Half Time | 17% |
| 1 | Less Than Half Time | 8% |
Please note: Pell Grant disbursements do not occur until after the term has begun.
Your total term award is based on your Student Aid Index (SAI) range as defined by the U.S. Department of Education. Your term award will be reduced for classes that are dropped, withdrawn, or receive an FN grade.
Example: Federal Pell Grant Disbursement
Caitlin registers as a full-time undergraduate at UMGC, signing up for 12 credits, giving her a 100 percent enrollment intensity during the fall term. She is registered for
- 3 credits in online session 1 (25% EIP)
- 3 credits in online session 2 (25% EIP)
- 6 credits in online session 3 (50% EIP)
Caitlin understands that the Pell Grant will disburse in increments that match her active enrollment. Therefore, her award will disburse after each start date during online sessions 1, 2, and 3.
After the start of online session 4, Caitlin withdraws from one 3-credit class. Her Pell Grant award amount is then adjusted to reflect her new 75 percent enrollment intensity.
Please see the graph below as an example:
Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant (Undergraduate Only)
In order for your award to disburse, you must be registered for 3 or more credits during a term. You will receive 100 percent of your term award disbursement, at the earliest, six to eight days prior to the start of your classes.
If you register for fewer than 3 credits during the term or if your enrollment decreases to fewer than 3 credits during the term, you become ineligible for this grant and the award will be canceled.
Impact of Enrollment Level on Federal Loans
UMGC employs a single disbursement process for federal loans:
Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
In order for your award to disburse, you must be registered at a half-time enrollment level or higher and have completed the required Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling. You will receive 100 percent of your term award disbursement (minus any applicable loan fees), at the earliest, six to eight days prior to the start of the class that marks your active half-time enrollment status.
Per Federal regulations, UMGC must prorate undergraduate Federal loans for any student who is only attending one semester and/or graduating in the summer or fall. This process may limit the amount you can borrow in subsidized and unsubsidized loan funding. If you register at a less than half-time level or if your enrollment decreases to below a half-time level, you become ineligible for these loans and the award will be canceled.
Example: Federal Loan Disbursement
Walter registers as a half-time undergraduate student at UMGC, signing up for 6 credits in the fall term. Of those 6 credits, he is registered for
3 credits in online session 1
3 credits in online session 3
Walter understands that his federal loan cannot disburse until, at the earliest, six to eight days prior to the start of the class that marks his active half-time enrollment. In this case, Walter will be considered actively enrolled at half-time status starting in online session 3.
Please see the graph below as an example:
Overawards
An overaward occurs when a student's financial aid awards exceed their total Cost of Attendance (COA) and/or their financial need. An overaward is usually the result of changing circumstances after financial aid has been awarded or disbursed. These circumstances include, but are not limited to:
- Cost of Attendance (COA) reductions as a result of changes in your enrollment or residency status.
- Receipt of additional funds from sources including federal, state, institutional aid, third-party, or private scholarships after the initial financial aid award is made.
- An increase to the Student Aid Index (SAI) as a result of the documentation you provided for verification.
Aid Adjustments Due to Overaward
When an overaward occurs, UMGC is required to take necessary actions to resolve it. Once the issue has been resolved, an updated aid notification is delivered to the student/borrower. Overaward resolution often results in a balance due to the university — any balance on your Student Account after aid has been adjusted is your responsibility.
Impact of Enrollment Level on Institutional Grants and Scholarships
You will receive 100 percent of your term award disbursement, at the earliest, six to eight days prior to the start of the first class of the term. Your award will be reduced if you drop classes.
In order for your award to disburse, you must be registered at a half-time enrollment level or higher. You will receive 100 percent of your term award disbursement, at the earliest, six to eight days prior to the start of the class that marks your active half-time enrollment status. If you register at a less than half-time level or if your enrollment falls below a half-time level, you become ineligible for this scholarship and the award will be canceled.
In order for your Completion Scholarship to disburse, you must be registered for 3 or more credits during a term. You will receive 100 percent of your term award disbursement, at the earliest, six to eight days prior to the start of your class marking your enrollment status of 3 or more credits. Your award will be reduced if you drop or withdraw from classes. If you register for less than 3 credits during the term or if your enrollment falls below 3 credits during the term, you become ineligible for this scholarship and the award will be canceled.
In order for your award to disburse, you must be registered for 3 or more credits during a term. You will receive 100 percent of your term award disbursement, at the earliest, six to eight days prior to the start of your class marking your enrollment status of 3 or more credits. If you register for less than 3 credits during the term or if your enrollment falls below 3 credits during the term, you become ineligible for this scholarship and the award will be canceled.
Third-Party and Institutional Scholarship Displacement
Students are eligible to receive the full disbursement of institutional and third-party scholarship funds for which they are eligible, unless those disbursements would exceed the student's federal cost of attendance, or in the case that one or both scholarship awards are non-refundable and exceed the total eligible charges for the term.
Impact of Enrollment Level on Maryland State Grants and Scholarships
UMGC students frequently inquire about the disbursement process for several State of Maryland grants and scholarships.
In order for your award to disburse, you must be registered at a full-time enrollment level. You will receive 100 percent of your term award disbursement after the start date of the final class of your semester. If you register at a less than full-time level or if your enrollment drops to below a full-time level, you become ineligible for these grants and the award will be canceled.
Full-time enrollment level: You will receive 100 percent of your term award disbursement, at the earliest, six to eight days prior to the start of the class that marks your active full-time enrollment status.
Half-time or 3/4-time enrollment level: You will receive 100 percent of the part-time term award disbursement, at the earliest, six to eight days prior to the start of the class that marks your active half-time enrollment status. If you register at a less than half-time level or if your enrollment drops to below a half-time level, you become ineligible for this scholarship and the award will be canceled.
In order for your award to disburse, you must be registered at a half-time enrollment level or higher. You will receive 100 percent of your term award disbursement, at the earliest, six to eight days prior to the start of the class that marks your active half-time enrollment status. If you register at a less than half-time level or if your enrollment drops to below a half-time level, you become ineligible for this scholarship and the award will be canceled.
In order for your award to disburse, you must be registered at a half-time or 3/4-time enrollment level. You will receive 100 percent of your term award disbursement after the start date of the final class of your semester. If you register at a full-time level or at a level that is less than half-time or if your enrollment rises to a full-time level or drops to a level that is less than half-time, you become ineligible for this grant and the award will be canceled.
Note on Disbursement Schedule
Disbursements occur on Tuesday and Thursday each week with exceptions for holidays and federal government or state closures. Undergraduate and graduate sessions are typically scheduled to begin on Wednesday, so the earliest possible disbursement date is the Tuesday prior to the start of class (eight days). MBA sessions and graduate sessions requiring DCL 600, CBR 600, and PRO 600 are typically scheduled to begin on Wednesday, so the earliest possible disbursement date is the Tuesday prior to the start of class (eight days).
Learn more about how to receive your financial aid refund if you're eligible.