6How SFP handles loan limits for less than full-time enrollment

For term-based programs, Oracle Student Financial Planning (SFP) applies a configurable schedule of reductions to direct loans by prorating the student’s annual loan eligibility based on enrollment intensity, which is the percent of full-time enrollment.

This ensures the student’s academic year award doesn’t exceed the adjusted loan limit when the student enrolls less than full time. Disbursed amounts are maintained when enrollment changes occur during a payment period.

This applies to Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized, Grad PLUS, and Unsubsidized Medical) but not to nonterm program types.

High-level baseline configuration calculation

Before applying enrollment intensity, SFP evaluates all standard Direct Loan eligibility rules, such as grade level, full-time or full-year rules, remaining annual and aggregate eligibility, unpackaged amount, and overlapping loans. It also determines whether a loan limit exception applies, which drives whether the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) versus pre-OBBB limits are used.

SFP:

Calculates the academic year enrollment intensity percentage: (Academic year enrolled credits ÷ academic year full-time credits) × 100
Determines the term share of the annual limit based on the term structure for the academic year.
Calculates the term enrollment intensity percentage: (Term enrolled credits ÷ term full-time credits) × 100
Applies enrollment intensity to determine the adjusted term award for each loan.

Note: Enrollment intensity is independently calculated per loan. For example, Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans aren't prorated as a combined total. For Grad PLUS Loans, enrollment intensity is applied to the unpackaged amount (cost of attendance (COA) - higher priority aid) to determine the adjusted annual eligibility.

Carry forward and disbursement timing

Enrollment intensity must be evaluated at the time of disbursement.
SFP doesn’t recalculate enrollment intensity for a disbursement after it has already disbursed.
If enrollment is updated mid-term after the term is fully disbursed, SFP recalculates and applies changes to future anticipated disbursements only.
When calculating term-enrolled credits for enrollment intensity, SFP excludes withdrawn credits.
If a student’s calculated eligibility for a term exceeds the maximum allowed for that term, such as when the student enrolls above full-time credits, the excess amount is carried forward to a subsequent term.

Rounding

Enrollment Intensity percentages are rounded to the nearest whole percentage using standard rounding rules.