Enrollment Status Types

There are two types of statuses that you will need to know while at Madison College: your enrollment status and program status.

What’s My Enrollment Status?

Your enrollment status is based on your study load (the number of credits you are enrolled in). Your enrollment status may also be used to determine your Financial Aid eligibility.

What’s My Program Status?

Your program status determines your registration priority. General enrollment dates are listed in priority order below. Your personal enrollment date can be found by logging into myMadisonCollege.

  1. Veterans and TRiO students
  2. Continuing program students with 30+ credits
  3. Continuing program students with 29 or fewer credits
  4. New program students and continuing undeclared/course-taking students
  5. Undeclared students

The Academic Calendar will show you when the enrollment periods begin for certain program statuses.

Remember, withdrawing from a course, or your program, may impact your status. Find more information about Adding or Dropping Classes and Dropping and Withdrawing Classes – and yes, there is a difference!

Benefits of Being a Program Student

Students who are enrolled in a program enjoy a variety of benefits including:

Priority Registration

Register before non-program students and increase your chances of getting the classes and schedule you want. 

Financial Aid

If you are accepted into a program and have filled out the FAFSA, you may be eligible for financial aid including grants, work-study or student loans.

A Student Success Team

Your Student Success Team is made up of advisors, faculty and coaches assigned to support you. You can always reach out to your Student Success team via the Navigate app.

See Student Academic Success

Veteran or Displaced Worker Benefits

You may be eligible for other benefits as well. Learn more about veteran or displaced worker benefits.

View Veterans Educational Benefits

Program Status and Registration

First Priority: Continuing Program Students

Determine if you are a continuing program student.

Second Priority: New Program Students

  • The next group of appointments are given to those in the first semester of their program of study.
  • Attending Advising and Registration sessions can help you with enrollment decisions.

Determine if you are a new program student.

Third Priority: Non-Program Students

  • Open Registration is when anyone, regardless of program status, can enroll in classes if they meet the enrollment requirements.

Determine if you are a course-taking or undeclared student.

Enrollment Status

Your enrollment status is based on your study load (the number of credits you are enrolled in).

The Financial Aid Office is required to evaluate your financial aid award based on your enrollment status as of 4:30 p.m. on the Pell Recalculation Date. Your enrollment status is determined by the number of eligible credits you are enrolled in. Most types of aid, including state grants and student loans, require at least half-time enrollment status. Below is a list of the different enrollment statuses:

Fall and Spring Enrollment Status

  • Less than half-time: 1-5 credits
  • Half-time: 6-8 credits
  • Three-quarter time: 9-11 credits
  • Full time: 12 credits or more
  • Max load: 18 credits. Most programs limit students to 18 credits. If you wish to exceed 18 credits, you must complete the Study Load Approval Form (PDF) and have an instructor, counselor or advisor authorize the overload.

Summer Enrollment Status

  • Less than half-time: 1–2 credits
  • Half-time: 3 credits
  • Three-quarter time: 4-5 credits
  • Full time: 6 or more credits

Summer financial aid is still determined based on the Fall and Spring enrollment status breakdown. For example, having 3 credits is considered less than half-time for summer financial aid, but is considered half-time for general summer enrollment status.

You can view your class schedule in your myMadisonCollege account. Classes that are still in your shopping cart, that you have dropped, or that you are on a wait list for do not count toward your enrollment status.