Financial aid may be available to degree-seeking students enrolled in online courses. Nondegree-seeking and post-baccalaureate students are not eligible for financial aid. Students must meet minimum financial aid eligibility requirements.

Self-Paced Coursework

Fees and terms

All online tuition and fees are billed through the MU Cashiers Office. You are financially responsible for all course-related fees at the time of enrollment. You can make payments on your account and access billing information through the myZou Payment Center. Your financial aid might not cover all charges, in which case you will need to consider your payment options through the Cashiers Office. If your financial aid exceeds your charges, the Cashiers Office will process an excess financial aid refund for you to use on educational expenses.

Online classes are listed in the University Registrar system in myZou. Consult with Mizzou Online regarding registration deadlines and other important dates.

Enrollment Status and Aid Eligibility for Self-Paced Only Coursework

Federal regulations define students enrolled in only self-paced online courses to be in “correspondence study.” Enrollment status for correspondence study cannot be considered any greater than halftime status, regardless of how many self-paced courses in which you are enrolled. Eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant is limited to the halftime rate and will not be disbursed until 50% of the course has been completed (half of the exams and half of the lessons).

Generally, the cost of attendance for correspondence study (enrollment in only online self-paced courses) is restricted to tuition/fees and books/supplies. This means you might be eligible for significantly less financial aid than you would be if you were enrolled in semester-based on-campus coursework or a combination of self-paced and semester-based coursework.

Combination Self-Paced and Semester-Based Coursework

Enrollment Status

If you enroll in a combination of self-paced and semester-based coursework, these courses can be counted in your cost of attendance for the term in which they are entered. You will be considered to receive all types of federal, state and institutional aid if you have met all eligibility requirements and deadlines. Federal Pell Grant eligible students must complete the coursework by the end of the session, with passing grades, in which the coursework is entered by the Registrar and will not be disbursed until that point. Enrollment status is based on the following chart mandated by federal regulations.

Mizzou Online Self-Paced and Semester-Based Combination Enrollment Status

Academic Attendance and/or Participation

If a financial aid recipient is enrolled in a combination of regular coursework and self-paced coursework, but did not receive any passing grades at the end of the regular term, the Student Financial Aid office must follow unofficial withdrawal procedures to determine whether the student ever attended or participated in any academic-related activity for the term. Even if a student is still enrolled in self-paced coursework and the coursework is “in progress,” if there is no documentation of academic-related activity for the regular term (within the first day and the last day of the term) or a last known date of attendance, then the Student Financial Aid office must perform return of funds calculation procedures.

Financial Aid Disbursement of Funds

Regardless of enrollment or begin date, financial aid disbursements will not be made any sooner than 10 days prior to the standard MU term dates. The deadline for Mizzou Online self-paced only students to complete 50% of their coursework is November 15th for fall courses, April 15th for spring courses, and July 25th for summer courses.

Email Disclosures

The Financial Aid office will email each student individually if a portion of the Federal Pell Grant will be held for Self-Paced courses. The email will include the timeframe for completion of the courses for the Pell Grant to be disbursed to the student and how much will be held. Please contact the Financial Aid Office if enrollment changes are made after receiving the disclosure for the term.

Online Classes and Satisfactory Academic Progress

The Financial Aid Office is required by federal regulations to evaluate the academic progress of financial aid recipients, taking into consideration cumulative University of Missouri GPA, cumulative number of credits attempted and completed at Mizzou, and credits successfully transferred from any other postsecondary institution. The Satisfactory Academic Progress evaluation occurs annually after the standard spring academic term. If you have not completed coursework in which you are enrolled, including self-paced coursework, by the end of the standard spring academic term (review the Academic Calendar on the Registrar website), it will calculate as credits attempted, but not yet completed, which could negatively affect your completion rate and eligibility for financial aid.