Course Program of Study

Course Program of Study (CPOS) is a federal financial aid requirement that limits federal financial aid eligibility to courses that apply toward the completion of a student's officially declared degree, major, concentration or certificate program.

Federal regulations require universities to review students' enrollment each term to determine whether courses count toward their academic program. Courses that do not apply to program requirements may not be eligible for federal financial aid funding.

Your financial aid eligibility may be adjusted if you enroll in classes that do not count toward your course requirements. This could affect your enrollment status for financial aid purposes and potentially reduce certain types of aid.

Consult your degree evaluation in Degree Works, academic catalog or academic advisor/mentor. These resources can help you determine whether a course fulfills a requirement for your declared program.

Courses that do not count toward your program requirements may be excluded from the financial aid enrollment calculation. As a result, your financial aid eligibility may be reduced.

In some cases, repeated courses may be eligible for financial aid consideration. Eligibility depends on federal regulations and the requirements of your academic program. Contact the Office of Student Financial Services for specific guidance.

If you change your major, courses that previously did not count toward your program may become eligible, or vice versa. Be sure to update your major officially and consult with your degree evaluation in Degree Works.

CPOS only applies to Federal and State of Missouri Financial Aid (e.g., Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Stafford Loans, PLUS Loans, Bright Flight Scholarships, Missouri Grants). It does NOT impact eligibility for institutional financial aid (e.g., Dean's Scholarships, Graduate Assistantships, etc.).

Students enrolled in courses impacted by CPOS will be notified by the Office of Student Financial Services. 

DO NOT begin modifying your schedule without consultation with an academic advisor/mentor. They will be able to review your degree evaluation in Degree Works and determine whether the system is accurately assessing your enrollment. Additionally, you may request a review through this link.

Working with your academic advisor/mentor determines the appropriate next steps (adding a required course, dropping the ineligible course, or remaining enrolled in the ineligible course). 

No. There is no appeal process for courses that do not satisfy a requirement of your program of study.

However, if a course has been approved as a substitution it needs to be reflected in Degree Works. If it is not listed request a review through this link.

Substitutions record in Degree Works will allow the course to count toward your Federal and State of Missouri Financial Aid eligibility.

Do NOT begin modifying your schedule without consultation with an academic advisor/mentor!

The override process is completely manual and requires action from multiple departments. Please allow 3-5 business days for your financial aid to reflect the override.

Yes. If your enrollment isn't satisfying a requirement for your declared major/minor, the system will flag the courses as ineligible and they will not count toward your Federal or State of Missouri Financial Aid eligibility. NOTE: Some courses may be required by both majors/minors and will not be flagged. You should still update your officially declared major/minor through your advisor as soon as possible. It may not be an issue this semester, but it will eventually pose a problem.

Possibly. Electives must satisfy a requirement of your declared major/minor. If you have been notified that an elective is not counting toward your Federal or State of Missouri Financial Aid eligibility, contact the advisor referenced in the email notification. If an advisor determines that the elective is satisfying a requirement and will count toward your declared major/minor, they will submit an override request. Specific contact information for an advisor or office in your college is provided. Not all academic advisors will be able to submit an override request so it is important that you use the contact information for your specific college.

First, the term “financial aid” refers to any funding designed to assist with your educational expenses. Most financial aid flows through the school and is applied directly to your student account. 

FEDERAL Financial Aid: This financial aid is generally determined based on the information included on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and comes from the U.S. Department of Education. Examples include the Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Stafford Loans, and PLUS Loans to name a few. CPOS does impact these awards beginning with the Summer 2027 term.

STATE Financial Aid: This financial aid may also use information included on the FAFSA to determine eligibility, but sometimes require an additional application. The primary difference is the source of funding is from the state government. Examples include the Bright Flight Scholarship, Missouri Grant, and other Missouri Scholarships/Grants. CPOS does impact these awards beginning with the Summer 2027 term.

INSTITUTIONAL Financial Aid: This financial aid may also use information included on the FAFSA to determine eligibility, but primarily looks at other factors such as high school GPA, standardized test scores, and performance. Examples include SLU's Academic Scholarships, Athletic Scholarships, Departmental Scholarships, etc. CPOS does not impact any of these awards.