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OLLU follows the Academic Load policy published in the University catalog, in addition to following the policy from the Education Department of Veterans Affairs.
If a school offers training on a nonstandard term basis, or if there are nonstandard formats or sessions within standard terms, the beginning and ending dates of each term, session or course must be shown separately from the standard semester or quarter (See Summer Terms and Nonstandard Enrollment Periods).
What Beginning Date Must a School Report To VA? (38 CFR 21.4131, 21.7131, and 21.9625)
Schools should report the first scheduled date of classes for any standard term, quarter, or semester in which the student is enrolled.
Prior to April 25, 2016, if a class began after the initial calendar week then the school would report the actual date those classes began.
If the standard term is after April 25, 2016 and a course begins within 7 calendar days then the school should certify the course using the first day of the term. If a standard term is taken concurrently with a nonstandard term, the two must still be certified separately.
Example (Term After April 25, 2016): A student is taking 9 credits for two 3 credit classes (held Tuesday and Thursday) and one 3 credit class (held Friday) during a standard term. The term began on a Friday. The school would submit one enrollment certification for this term for all 9 credits with a begin date of the first day of term and the normal term end date.
Example (Term After April 25, 2016): A student is taking 9 credits during a nonstandard summer term. The term dates for those classes are:
Graduate
Standard Terms: In addition to certifying the number of credit hours the student takes which apply to his or her program, also report the number of credit hours considered full-time for either the standard semester/quarter, or for the nonstandard semester/quarter if individually defined, by your academic regulations, as explained below. The minimum number of credit hours required to be considered full-time for a semester, quarter, or any individually defined training period, as published in your catalog, is referred to as the full-time modifier.
If the Objective Type on the student’s Programs Tab in Enrollment Manager (EM) is graduate level, there will be a TT/FT box on the certification page. When the term is a standard-length semester (15-19 weeks) or a standard-length quarter (10-13 weeks), enter the number of credit hours that your academic regulations require to be considered full-time for a normal semester or quarter.
Nonstandard Terms: Effective August 1, 2021, if the SCO certifies a chapter 33 graduate student for a nonstandard length term, VA will no longer convert the credit certified to an equivalent credit hour (ECH). When the term is shorter or longer in length than a standard term (semester shorter than 15 weeks/longer than 19 weeks or quarter shorter than 10 weeks/longer than 13 weeks), there are two potential reporting paths. Determining the correct path is dependent on whether the term in question has an individually defined full-time modifier (IDM).
Example 2: (Path #1. Nonstandard term-individually defined FT modifier)
A student takes 3 credit hours in a nonstandard term and your school considers 6 credit hours to be full-time for the period certified (i.e., the nonstandard term), you should enter 6 in the TT/FT box. No remark is necessary. VA will divide credits taken by credits considered full-time (FT) to determine the student’s rate of pursuit (3 ÷ 6 equals .50). The student’s rate of pursuit is 50% or exactly halftime. No monthly housing is warranted for this period based on a 50% rate of pursuit.
Example 3: (Path #2. Nonstandard term shorter than 15 weeks for a semester or 10 weeks for a quarter-not individually defined)
Example (Term After April 25, 2016): A student is taking 9 credits during a nonstandard summer term. The term dates for those classes are:
- 7/01/16 – 8/01/16
- 7/07/16 – 8/01/16
- 7/13/16 – 8/13/16
In the example above each of these terms would need to be certified separately because each term is a non-standard term.
******Please Note: If your classes have different start and end dates, per VA regulations. Your classes will not be certified together as one term. Per VA Policy, the VA will NOT pay you a full-time rate if you have a break in between terms. Please see examples below:
What is Academic Load for VA/Military Undergraduate Students? I
12 credits= considered full time.
9-11 Credits= ¾ time
6-8 credits = ½ time
5 credits or less = less than ½ time
What is the Academic Load for VA/ Military Graduate Students?
6 credits= Fulltime
3 credits= ½ time
1 credit (Doctoral students) = is less than ½ but greater than ¼ time
1 credit hour for Doctoral Candidacy is not considered full time for VA
Class 1 (Example of when classes have different start and end date, so this will NOT be certified together)
Science: 09/11/2001- 10/10/2001
History: 09/11/2001- 10/10/2001
Math: 09/11/2001- 11/10/2001
Class 2 (Example of classes has same start and end date and WILL be certified together)
Science: 09/21/2000
History: 09/21/2000
Math: 09/21/2000
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