Enrollment Requirements

Full-Time Student Status for Official Enrollment Certification Purposes

Listed below are the requirements that constitute full-time student status for official enrollment certification purposes by the Office of the Registrar and for financial assistance.

The Office of the Registrar is responsible for determining standards for full-time and half-time enrollment and if an exception to those standards can be made. Questions regarding exceptions should be directed to the Office of the Registrar.

A student who is working on an undergraduate degree that requires 120 to 128 credit hours for completion of requirements should expect to complete 15 or 16 credit hours during regular semesters in order to complete degree requirements in eight semesters. See your advisor for more specific information regarding academic full-time credit hour recommendations for your program.

Note that correspondence courses will not be counted toward credit hour totals.

To get the most benefits from each academic year, students will be able to take advantage of 40 credit hours across fall, spring, and our August and winter intersessions—for the same cost. The cap related to the number of credit hours a student can take will vary depending on the program they are enrolled in. To take more than their maximum allowed credit hours for the semester, students will need to contact the recorder of their school. Recorder contact information should be listed on each school’s website.

Fall/Spring/Summer:
Undergraduate - 12 hrs.
Graduate - 8 hrs.

Full-time enrollment for Kelley Direct online MBA students is 6 credits per term.

Fellowships1,2Grad. - 6 hrs.3
Assistantships4Grad. - 6 hrs.

1 Except for those enrolled in thesis or dissertation hours
2 Some fellowships require enrollment in more than 6 credit hours. Consult the IU office that is providing the fellowship for more information.
3 For summer fellowships, consult the IU office providing the fellowship for enrollment.
4 Graduate students on an assistantship (student academic appointment) at 37.5% FTE or greater must enroll in a minimum of 6 credit hours.

Housing: Eligibility

To be eligible to reside in an RPS Residence Hall Unit, you must be:

  • at least sixteen (16) years of age on the Start Date, and
  • a registered, full-time IUB student enrolled in at least 12 credit hours as an undergraduate student or enrolled in the number of credit hours defined as full time by your academic program as a graduate student, or
  • a student who is enrolled in Hoosier Link and who has been approved by RPS for residency, or
  • deemed eligible by the RPS Housing Assignments office.

To be eligible to reside in an RPS Furnished Apartment Unit, you must be:

  • a registered, full-time IU student enrolled in at least 12 credit hours as an undergraduate student or enrolled in the number of credit hours defined as full time by your academic program as a graduate student, and
    • must be at least nineteen (19) years of age on the Start Date, and
    • cannot be a first year, first time IUB student, and
    • must have either lived in an IUB residence hall or apartment (including The Avenue on College) for two semesters or completed two semesters at another college or university; or
  • deemed eligible by the RPS Assistant Director for Assignments.

Convicted sex offenders are not eligible to reside in university housing. If RPS learns that a current or pending resident is a convicted sex offender, this contract will be cancelled.

Obligation to Vacate the Unit; Abandoned Personal Property

You agree to vacate your unit:

  • immediately, if directed to do so in exigent circumstances, or
  • within three (3) calendar days of losing eligibility for housing, or
  • the earlier of twenty-four (24) hours after completing your last final examination or by 10 a.m. the calendar day following the last day of in person examinations, or
  • at the end of the Contract Term

The University may choose not to refund any portion of the housing fees paid if the Resident is required to vacate or relocate pursuant to any emergency or exigent circumstances and the University determines that the Resident received the substantial benefit of this agreement. Exigent circumstances include, but are not limited to, University decisions related to community health and safety, including those related to COVID-19 or other public health or safety emergencies. These determinations will be made by the University in its sole discretion.

Personal property remaining in the unit after you vacate or abandon the unit will be disposed of by RPS after seven (7) days. Your bursar account will be billed the daily room rate for storage, plus any cost associated with such disposal.

Academic LevelFall/SpringSummer*
Undergraduate12 hrs.6 hrs.
Graduate8 hrs.4 hrs.
Graduate SAA6 hrs.3 hrs.
* Applies to students who have NOT been enrolled at IU in the previous 5 months. Summer term starts are restricted to 2nd 8 weeks

Full-Time status is based upon the VA interpretation of the student rate of pursuit. This rate of pursuit varies depending on two things:

  • Whether you are an undergraduate or a graduate student, and
  • the number of credit hours that are being pursued as 16-week courses

The chart below shows full time status for coursework that spans the full term.


LevelFall/Spring
16-week Coursework
Undergraduate12 hrs.
Graduate8 hrs.

Students who pursue coursework that includes non-standard terms (twelve-, eight-, six-, and four-week classes) should contact the Center for Veterans and Military Students to learn how this impacts their VA Education benefits. Online Kelley Direct graduate students full time rate of pursuit for coursework that spans their 13-week term is six credit hours.

For further information about other VA education benefit requirements, please contact the Center for Veteran and Military Students.