Dual Enrollment Credits

Overview

Many students have the option to participate in dual enrollment, which is when they take courses for college credit during high school. Earning dual enrollment credits can prepare high school students for the rigor of college courses and allow students to arrive with some required courses already completed. This can help students graduate early, and save money on tuition, fees, and other expenses.

However, dual enrollment credits could change the financial aid students may be eligible to receive during college. That is why students, families, and high school staff should know that careful planning is required to ensure that this opportunity does not present a roadblock later in a student's college career. 

Financial Aid Enrollment Requirements

It's important for students to be familiar with both federal and state enrollment requirements. Several programs, such as Title IV federal aid and Tennessee state aid, will only apply student aid eligilibity to courses that count toward a student's program of study. These courses are often called degree-pursuant courses.

When it comes to courses that count toward aid eligibility, students who earn a large number of dual enrollment credits during high school may have limited options during some college semesters. If a regular undergraduate student is enrolled on a full-time basis but not all courses are degree pursuant, the student will still be assessed tuition and fees as a full-time student, and they may have limited federal and state aid eligibility based on degree-pursuant coursework.

The ETSU Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships conducts reviews on student accounts once they are enrolled in classes after graduating from high school through the Course Program of Study (CPoS) process. Students are notified via their ETSU email and GoldLink if their financial aid eligilibity is at risk. Students are advised to make adjustments to their schedule if possible.

There are other options available for regular undergraduate students who cannot enroll in degree-pursuant courses to reach full-time status. Those options include, but are not limited to institutional scholarships, external and private scholarships, and private loans. To learn more about aid options at ETSU, please visit the ETSU Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships homepage and click the dropdown menu option titled 'Types of Aid.'

Considerations

• Take dual enrollment credits that satisfy both the high school and ETSU general education requirements.
  
  
  
• Dual enrollment credits are recorded on college transcripts and can affect overall high school and college GPAs.
• Before transferring dual enrollment credits from other institutions, you should work with an advisor to ensure the courses satisfy requirements.