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VA Educational Benefits Definition of Full-Time Status

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) uses the following guidelines to determine full-time student status for students who use VA benefits to pay for school. The VA determines student status on a monthly basis.

Please note:  This chart does not apply to Federal Student Aid (FSA). If you are applying for FSA, there is a different enrollment status standard for determining aid eligibility. Please contact [email protected] with any questions. 

Course Load and Student Status for VA Benefits
Session of CoursesMonthly Course LoadStudent StatusRate of Pursuit1,2
Graduate: 8-week courses

4 + Credit hours

Ful- time1.00
 3 Credit HoursThree-quarter time.75
    
Graduate: 16-week courses9 + Credit hoursFull-time1.00
 6 Credit hours Three-quarter time.75
 3 Credit hours Half-time.38
    
Undergraduate:
8-week courses		6 + Credit hoursFull-time1.00
 5 Credit hoursThree-Quarter time.83
 4 Credit hoursThree-Quarter time.67
 3 Credit hoursHalf-time.56
 2 Credit hours Less than Half-time.38
    
Undergraduate:
16-week courses		12 + Credit hoursFull-time1.00
 9 Credit hours Three-Quarter time.75
 6 Credit hoursHalf-time.50
 4 Credit hoursLess than Half-time.33
 3 Credit hoursLess than Half-time.25
1. BAH is only payable for a rate of pursuit greater than .50.
2. The Rate of Pursuit is calculated by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This calculation is determined by training level, credits taken in a term, and length of the term. APUS does not calculate the Rate of Pursuit.

Please contact your admissions coach during our regular business hours if you have additional questions about your student status.