Change of Major

It is not uncommon for students to consider changing their major at some point during their academic career.  Course Choice Counts allows for change of major; however, timing is critical to avoid a negative impact on your financial aid. 

Important Definition – Census Date for Financial Aid

The census date for financial aid is referred to as the Pell Recalculation Date (PRD). PRD is a date for reporting enrollment, freezing financial aid awards and more. It is also an important date if you are considering changing your major.

General Rules

1. Federal Pell, SEOG or Work Study – Eligibility is determined at PRD, if funds disbursed by PRD.
2. Federal Pell, SEOG or Work Study – Eligibility is determined at date of disbursement, if disbursed after PRD.
3. Student Loans – Eligibility is determined at date of disbursement whether before or after PRD.

General Recommendation

This is not university policy; however, our office recommends you consider not changing your major until after PRD. In many scenarios, it is recommended you not change your major until after the semester/term is completed.

Change of Major Guide Based on When and Where You Enroll

• Full Fall or Full Spring Semester – Clarksville Campus
  • Before PRD -- You may be billed back part of your financial aid. If your aid paid to your account based on your previous major, you may no longer be eligible for that aid.
  • After PRD -- There will be no adjustment to your aid. However, if you add a second session such as Fall II, you may no longer be eligible for aid. 

• Full Fall I and Fall II or Spring I and Spring II – Fort Campbell Campus
  • Before PRD – You may be billed back part of your financial aid. If your aid paid to your account based on your previous major, you may no longer be eligible for that aid.
  • After PRD -- There will be no adjustment to your aid.

• Fall A and B or Spring A and B – Clarksville Campus
  • Before PRD -- You may be billed back part of your financial aid. If your aid paid to your account based on your previous major, you may no longer be eligible for that aid.
  • After PRD -- There will be no adjustment to your aid; unless, you enroll in a future term, such as Fall II.

Scenarios

• Scenario I – Student changes major before PRD
  • Result – if aid is paid to account before PRD and student subsequently changes their major, they could be billed back part of their financial aid.
• Scenario II – Student changes major after PRD
  • Result – There will be no adjustment in aid; unless the student enrolls in a future term within the same aid period, such as Fall II, Part B, or Spring II.
• Scenario III – Student enrolls Fall Clarksville Campus and then enrolls at Fall II or Fall B and changes major.
  • Result – Student may be billed.

Example -- Chris enrolls Fall 2019 at Clarksville campus with Biology as his Program of Study. All of his courses are part of the program of study and count for financial aid.  Chris has student loans and Pell grant pay to his account prior to PRD. After PRD, Chris changes his major to Chemistry.  There will be no reduction or adjustment in aid for his Clarksville Campus classes because he was eligible for the aid paid before the Pell Recalculation Date as a Biology major.  However, if Chris later decides to enroll at Fort Campbell in Fall II, he will have a new Pell Recalculation Date (PRD) based on Fall II. All of his classes, Clarksville Campus and Fort Campbell Campus, must be evaluated against the Chemistry major. Any Biology courses he was previously paid Pell for will no longer be eligible and he will be billed. There will be no adjustment to his loans because he was eligible at the time of disbursement.