Clemson will implement two new processes for students enrolling in the fall of 2023 that will determine eligibility for federal financial aid.
Course Program of Study (CPoS)
Course Program of Study (CPoS) is the federal requirement that a student cannot receive federal aid for coursework that is not required for their degree.
Clemson University disburses federal aid to degree-seeking students based on the coursework in which they are enrolled that meets a degree requirement, including General Education credits, major requirements (concurrent double majors/dual degrees), credits for a required minor/emphasis/concentration, non-excess electives, and prerequisites.
Beginning with early registration in April 2023, students will select courses for the Fall semester. Once registered for courses, they may review their degree audit in Degree Works to see if there are courses that do not satisfy degree requirements. This process will be repeated each semester (fall, spring and summer).
This spring, Enrollment Management and Marketing and Communications will launch the “It Pays to Plan” marketing campaign focused on raising awareness about CPoS with the campus community and encouraging a culture of purposeful degree progress to support timely graduation and financial wellness.
Participation Confirmation
Participation confirmation is the process by which Clemson University documents that a student (undergraduate and graduate) has participated in each class in which they are enrolled. The US Department of Education requires this process for institutions participating in federal student aid programs.
Beginning fall 2023, faculty will indicate in Faculty Self-Service in iROAR if a student has participated in the class at least one day, to be reported before or on the last day to drop without a record. This does not mean that faculty will be required to take attendance throughout the semester; this is confirmation that the student started the class.
For asynchronous online classes, this may require the addition of an activity to demonstrate participation beyond simply logging in. Participation for the purposes of this policy is engagement in an academically related activity, including:
- Attending a synchronous class or lab, physically or online, where there is an opportunity for interaction between the instructor and students
- Submitting an assignment
- Taking a quiz, test, or exam
- Participating in an assigned study group, interactive tutorial, or online discussion
- Interacting with the instructor about academic matters related to the course subject
Help Resources and Training
- Please visit the CPoS website for overview information, FAQs, links to training, a dictionary of terms, and implementation timelines.
- Please visit the Participation Confirmation website for overview information, FAQs, and implementation timelines.
- More information on the Participation Confirmation process, including training, will be shared with instructors as we approach the fall semester.