Repeating Coursework
Federal regulations limit the number of times a student may repeat a course and receive federal financial aid for that course. Generally, you can receive the Federal Pell Grant when repeating the same course up to two times (if you’ve received a passing grade both times).
How many times can you retake a course and still receive federal financial aid?
It depends on the grade earned in the previous attempt:
- If a student is repeating a course that was previously failed, the student is eligible to receive financial aid for that course.
- If a student is repeating a course that was previously passed with a D or better (or “Pass” grade), the student can receive financial aid for the repeated course one additional time. This applies even if the student did not receive financial aid when they passed the course previously.
- Once a student has completed any course twice and earned a passing grade (with a D or better, including “Pass” grade) both times, they are no longer eligible to receive federal financial aid for that course.
If a student retakes a course that is no longer eligible for financial aid, the units are excluded from the total enrollment and the student’s financial aid will be adjusted to exclude these units. Unfortunately, this policy is based on federal regulations and can not be appealed, even if a student needs to retake a class to meet their major/program GPA requirements or if a personal desire drives them to improve their grade.
The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid does not determine if a student may repeat a class, only if the student is eligible for federal financial aid for the repeated class(es). Repeat coursework can also have consequences on a student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) calculation. For more information on how repeat courses are counted for SAP, please see the Financial Aid Policy for Satisfactory Academic Progress.
The University of Arizona’s academic repeat policy is different from the federal financial aid repeat regulations. Academic Policies surrounding repeat coursework can be found through the Office of the Registrar.
| Course Examples | 1ST Class Attempt | 2ND Class Attempt | 3RD Class Attempt | Would 3RD attempt be eligible for federal financial aid? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math 100 | E | D | Enrolled | Yes (student passed course one time, eligible for 3rd attempt). |
| French 102 | D | C | Enrolled | No (student passed course twice, not eligible for 3rd attempt). |
| CHEM 151 | D | E | Enrolled | No (student passed course first attempt, on the second attempt they failed, no longer eligible for federal financial aid on 3rd attempt). |
| ECON 200 | W | E | Enrolled | Yes (student has not yet passed course, the 3rd attempt is eligible for federal financial aid). |
| PHYS 141 | E | E | Enrolled | Yes. |