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Course Program of Study (CPoS)

Course Program of Study (CPOS) is a federal requirement that only allows courses that count toward a student's program of study (your declared major/minor) to be eligible for Federal or State Financial Aid. In order for Southwest Tennessee Community College’s Financial Aid Office to award federal or state financial aid, a student must be enrolled in courses that count towards his/her degree, certificate, or other recognized credential. If a student is enrolled in courses that do not count towards his/her program of study (major), Southwest cannot award federal or state financial aid.

CPoS  applies to federal and state financial aid (the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Teach Grant, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant and Federal Work-Study, Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA), Tennessee Hope Scholarship, Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect).

Important Guidelines to Follow

  • Know your program of study: Federal or state financial aid only pays for courses that are in your declared major.
  • Follow the timeline to change your major, if need be: If you plan to change your major, it is important to make that change prior to the beginning of the semester, or no later than the 14th day of classes. If you anticipate enrolling into a special admissions program, your major cannot reflect this program until after you are admitted.
  • Contact your Professional Academic Advisor: Work closely with your Professional Academic Advisor to ensure you are registered for courses that are within your program of study (major).
  • Act Early: If your federal or state financial aid has been reduced due to enrollment in courses that do not count, contact your Professional Academic Advisor immediately for assistance.

 

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Course Program of Study (CPoS) is a federal requirement that allows Southwest to award federal or state financial aid only for courses that count toward your declared major/minor. A program of study refers to the courses needed to complete an approved degree.

No, federal or state aid can only be applied to courses in your degree plan. Check with the Financial Aid Office if you have questions about your financial aid.

Federal Financial Aid can only pay for eligible courses that count towards your degree/major.  Examples of federal financial aid:

  • Federal Pell Grant
  • Teach Grant
  • Federal Work-Study
  • Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

State Financial Aid can only pay for eligible course that count towards your degree/major. Examples of state financial aid:

  • Tennessee Promise
  • Tennessee Reconnect
  • The HOPE Scholarship
  • Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA)

Your Professional Academic Advisor, Financial Aid Specialist, and staff members in the Records Office all have access to run an audit of your courses to determine if they count towards your degree program. You can also run your own degree audit in Degree Works to see if courses apply towards your major. You will also receive an email from the Financial Aid Office if courses are not paid by federal or state financial aid. 

Students are notified by email. Professional Academic Advisors are your first point of contact regarding whether courses are included in a program of study. Your advisor will help you update your schedule so that all courses are within your program of study.

Do NOT begin modifying your schedule without consulting your Professional Academic Advisor. An advisor will be able to review your account and determine whether the system is accurately assessing your enrollment. If not and your enrollment has been approved to count as part of your declared major, an override request can be submitted by your advisor to have the course(s) count toward your federal or state financial aid eligibility. 

Only the current semester major will be used when evaluating the courses. Major changes must be submitted prior to the 14th day of each semester to ensure financial aid is calculating payment of federal or state aid on courses in your major. Do not wait until the last minute to change your major, as your request is processed in the order received. Major changes received in the Records Office after the 14th day will apply to the following semester.  

The 14th day of each semester is the last day to modify your schedule, or make major changes. Your federal or state financial aid eligibility will be based on this snapshot. Do not wait until the last minute to submit updates because major changes are not immediate. It is your responsibility to ensure your major and concentration accurately reflects your current enrollment and that any updates are submitted in sufficient time to allow for processing. We recommend major changes be submitted at least 5-10 business days before the beginning of each term.

Courses taken that apply directly towards financial aid eligible certificates will be paid for by federal or state financial aid.

There are two separate processes that will affect these courses. The first is the program of study evaluation, and the second is the repeated coursework evaluation. The repeated course will count for the program of study evaluation if it is in the program of study as documented by the degree evaluation, regardless of the presence of the same course taken previously. The course would still need to pass repeated coursework evaluation to be eligible for federal or state aid.

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