Course Program of Study
The Course Program of Study (CPOS) is a requirement from the U.S. Department of Education. Because of CPOS, colleges and universities like EWU may only award federal financial aid for the classes listed in a student’s official degree plan in the EWU Catalog. If you’re a student taking classes that are not part of a degree plan, those courses might not qualify for financial aid.
CPOS can feel complex, but it is a positive requirement. Because it limits the number of courses a student can take, it makes it easier for you to spend less on your education. The rules of CPOS make it simpler for EWU to organize degrees, for students to plan and sign up for classes, and for you to determine the best time to graduate.
Federal financial aid is only awarded for courses included in your program of study.
This federal requirement is not new. What is new is how EWU’s data systems can track it. Beginning with Fall 2024 registration, student systems will indicate when students aren’t following CPOS rules for federal aid. All federal aid sources are affected, including Pell grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), federal work-study, and student loans (subsidized, unsubsidized, parent PLUS, and graduate PLUS).