Course Load
Normal Load | Overload | Underload
Normal Course Load
Each semester, regular tuition is charged on the basis of a normal course load of 12 to 18 semester hours. No more than 18 or fewer than 12 credit hours may be taken in any one semester without authorization of the Administrative Committee or an assistant dean in the Office of Academic Services.
A student must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours to be classified as a full-time student.
There is an extra charge for more than 18 credit hours at the current hourly rate. First-year students may not take more than 18 credit hours in a semester.
Students permitted to take fewer than 12 credit hours are placed on probation, unless their light load is necessary because of outside employment or illness.
During the summer session, there is no minimum course load. Summer loads exceeding 14 credit hours must be authorized by an assistant dean in the Office of Academic Services.
Credit hours are semester hours; e.g., a three-hour course carries credit of 3 semester hours. One semester credit hour represents at least three hours of academic work per week, on average, for one semester. Academic work includes, but is not necessarily limited to, lectures, laboratory work, homework, research, class readings, independent study, internships, practica, studio work, recitals, practicing, rehearsing, and recitations. Some Vanderbilt courses may have requirements that exceed this definition.
Overload
If a student wishes to take more than 18 credit hours in a semester, they must complete the request form, which will be reviewed by the Office of Academic Services. There is an extra charge for more than 18 credit hours at the current hourly rate. First-year students may not take more than 18 credit hours in a semester.
Underload
Students requesting an underload must complete the request form.
Please note the following:
- No fewer than 12 credit hours may be taken in any one semester without authorization of the A&S Administrative Committee or an assistant dean in the Office of Academic Services. Students permitted to take fewer than 12 credit hours are placed on probation, unless their light load is necessary because of outside employment or illness.
- A course may not be dropped without authorization of the Administrative Committee or an assistant dean if the student is left with a course load of fewer than 12 credit hours on a regularly graded basis.
- Graduating seniors in their final semester may get permission to register for fewer than 12 hours. Such students must complete the request form, which will be reviewed by the A&S Office of Academic Services.
Students requesting an underload for medical reasons should first contact the Office of Student Care Coordination.
Students wishing to take a leave of absence must request permission from the A&S Office of Academic Services.
Consequences of Part-Time Status
Completing fewer than 12 credit hours in a semester may result in the following consequences.
Vanderbilt consequences:
- All A&S students will be placed on probation for the following semester if they drop below 12 credit hours, except in the case of:
- approval for medical underload by an associate dean, or
- second-semester seniors approved to take fewer than 12 credit hours.
Spring semester probations end at the end of the semester; probations for fall semesters begin the summer preceding the fall semester. See the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Catalog for details and further consequences of probationary status, especially of multiple probations. Notations about probation and being removed from probation will show only on internal records (e.g., in YES), not on your official transcript.
- Your financial aid may be affected. If you receive federal aid and/or Tennessee HOPE scholarship support, you should not drop below 12 credit hours without consulting a Vanderbilt financial aid adviser. Other sources of financial aid may also be affected.
- You will not be permitted to do summer work elsewhere or to earn any other type of transfer credit while on probation.
- You cannot participate in study abroad while on probation.
- You will most likely be ineligible for Greek rush. Check with the Office of Greek Life.
- You may be ineligible to be an officer in a student organization.
- You may be ineligible to represent the university in external affairs.
- NCAA athletic eligibility may be compromised.
- You will not be eligible for the Dean's List, even if your underload has been approved by the A&S Office of Academic Services.
Consequences external to Vanderbilt:
- Health insurance may require full-time status; this is a common problem. Be particularly concerned about whether insurance will carry through the summer. You should be covered, even on probation, if you buy your health insurance through Vanderbilt.
- Car insurance may require full-time status.
- Immigration status may be in jeopardy.
- If you later apply to medical or law schools and are asked if you ever took a light load or if you were on probation, you will have to answer "yes."
- You may be required to start paying back student loans sooner than you expected.