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Paying for College > Financial Aid > Schedule of Reductions

Schedule of Reductions

Federal regulations now require annual Federal Direct Loan limits to be adjusted for students enrolled less than full-time. Beginning July 1, 2026, loan eligibility is prorated based on the number of eligible credits a student is taking. This means students enrolled less than full-time may qualify for a lower annual loan amount than students enrolled full-time. Previously, students enrolled at least half-time were generally eligible for the full annual loan limit.

What You Need to Know

  • Only credits that apply toward graduation requirements in your program of study are considered eligible credits for federal financial aid purposes.
  • Students must be enrolled in at least 12 credits to be considered full-time for a semester. Over the course of an academic year, students must be enrolled in at least 24 credits to be considered full-time.
  • If you enroll less than full-time for a semester, or if your annual enrollment is less than full-time for the academic year, your Federal Direct Loan eligibility may be reduced proportionally based on the number of eligible credits in which you are enrolled.
  • Changes to your enrollment, including failing to begin attendance, dropping or withdrawing from courses, course cancellations, or receiving an "NB - No Basis" grade, may result in a recalculation of your loan eligibility.
  • If enrollment changes occur after a loan disbursement, any required Schedule of Reductions adjustment will generally be applied to a future loan disbursement rather than to a disbursement that was correct when it was made. In other words, the recalculation will occur at the next disbursement of the loan (if any), which may be in a subsequent semester.
  • Students do not need to be enrolled full-time to receive Federal Direct Loans, federal grants (such as the Pell Grant), or most state grants (such as the Wisconsin Grant).
  • You must be enrolled in at least six eligible credits to receive a Direct Loan disbursement.

What Blackhawk Will Do

  • Your initial 2026-2027 Financial Aid Estimated Award Offer will be based on an assumption of full-time enrollment.
  • After you accept a loan and register for courses, Blackhawk will adjust your loan eligibility based on your enrollment if you are enrolled less than full-time.
  • Blackhawk will send you an email with the subject line Student Loan Reduction Notice when your loan eligibility has been reduced. The email will be sent from btcfinaid@blackhawk.edu to your Blackhawk student email address.
  • In MyBTC, you will see your accepted loan amount adjusted based on the Schedule of Reductions.
  • Before each loan disbursement, the Financial Aid Office will review your enrollment again. If a Schedule of Reductions adjustment is required, your loan amount will be adjusted, and you will receive an email notification.

What You Can Do

  • If you know you will not be enrolled full-time, be prepared for your loan amount to be reduced.
  • Apply for Blackhawk Foundation Scholarships during open application windows and apply for other scholarships by each scholarship’s deadline.
  • Enroll in a course load that you can realistically complete successfully.
    • Register only for the number of credits that you will realistically be able to complete each semester.
    • Work closely with your Academic Advisor when choosing your courses.
    • Seek assistance early if you are having difficulty with a course. Reach out to Blackhawk’s Learning Center to support your success.
  • Monitor MyBTC regularly for financial aid and account information.
  • Contact Blackhawk’s Financial Aid Office and your Academic Advisor before withdrawing from a class to learn how it may affect your student loans, future enrollment, and Satisfactory Academic Progress.