Credit load
Plan your registration carefully each semester, considering how your credit load impacts your student status, financial aid eligibility, the cost per credit you will pay, your ability to graduate in four years, and many other aspects of your academic life. Undergraduate credit loads average 15 credits per semester to graduate in four years.
By adhering to the 13-credit policy, you may actually save money by taking more than 13 credits each semester. Every credit over 13 is free for most undergraduates. You can save around $8,000 by graduating in four years rather than five. (Wisconsin reciprocity students have a plateau of rate at 12-18 credits.)
Financial aid recipients must meet certain credit requirements. If you are a Minnesota State Grant recipient, for example, your award amount may be reduced or canceled if you enroll for fewer than 15 credits per term; if you have attended postsecondary institutions full time for more than the equivalent of eight semesters; or if your award is revised due to changes in the state formula.
Understanding the topics below will help you make well-informed decisions each semester.
13-credit policy
If you are a degree-seeking undergraduate student, University policy requires you to register for 13 credits. You must have an approved exemption to register for less than 13 credits. Without an exemption, you will be charged for 13 credits, even when you take fewer credits, resulting in a higher per credit cost. See also the 13-credit FAQ.
Maximum semester credits
Maximum credit loads for undergraduate and graduate students
Enrollment certification
Official data on certification of half-time and full-time status