Once you’ve been accepted to college, an important decision you’ll need to make is whether to attend full-time or part-time. Status is determined by the number of credits you take during a term, but you may want to consider more than just academic workload. Your enrollment status can also impact your financial aid, cost of attendance, taxes, and college experience.
Below, we’ll explain key differences between going to school full-time vs part-time. We’ll also look at the implications of both to help you determine what makes sense for you.
Table of Contents
Key Points
• Full-time students typically take 12+ credits (9+ for grad students), while part-time students take fewer; thresholds vary by institution.
• Tuition structures differ — full-time often pays a flat rate (12–18 credits), while part-time pays per credit, which can spread costs but extend graduation.
• Financial aid and scholarships may require at least half-time enrollment (6+ credits), and Pell Grant awards scale with course load.
• Loan repayment rules generally allow deferment while enrolled half-time or more; dropping below can trigger repayment.
• Enrollment status impacts the college experience — full-time students have higher retention, broader access to housing and activities, and meet NCAA eligibility requirements.
What Is a Full-Time Student?
Undergraduate students are typically considered to be full-time when they’re enrolled in 12 or more credits during a term. Graduate students may take as few as nine credits to be considered full-time. However, every institution sets its own threshold, so check your school’s policies and requirements.
How Many Credit Hours Is Considered Full-Time?
Full-time enrollment typically means taking a minimum number of credit hours each semester, which varies slightly by program and institution. Most classes are worth three credits. To be considered full-time, undergraduate students usually take at least four classes per semester, or 12 credit hours, and graduate students enroll in at least three classes, or nine credit hours.
What Is a Part-Time Student?
In general, part-time undergraduate students take fewer than 12 credit hours. Graduate students attending school part-time often enroll in fewer than nine credits. As with full-time enrollment, thresholds for part-time status can vary by institution, so consult your school’s policies.
How Many Classes Do You Need to Be Part-Time?
Part-time undergraduate students typically take three or fewer classes per semester, or less than 12 credit hours. Graduate students studying part-time may enroll in one or two classes, or less than nine credits.
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Difference Between Full-Time and Part-Time Students
The difference between full-time and part-time students comes down to the number of credits they take during a term. Enrollment status can impact how students pay for their education. Here are some other differences between full- and part-time students.
| Full-Time Students | Part-Time Students | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Cost | Full-time rate for 12-18 credits per semester | Pay per credit hour |
| Time Commitment | Greater; harder to work | Smaller; more flexibility to work |
| Financial Aid | Qualify for financial aid | Qualify for financial aid |
| Student Loan Repayment | Six months after graduating or dropping below half-time | Six months after graduating or dropping below half-time |
| Scholarships | Eligible for majority of scholarships | May not be eligible for all scholarships |
| Tax Credit Eligibility | Eligible | Eligible |
| College Experience | Typically more immersive | Less campus-centered |
| Graduation Timeline | Faster | Slower |
| Career Planning / Internship Opportunities | Greater access due to being on campus full-time | May face challenges and scheduling constraints |
| Access to Campus Resources and Support | Broader and more consistent access | Have access to resources, but may need to adjust schedule for desired support |
Tuition Cost
Part-time students generally pay per credit hour. This allows them to spread out the cost of their education over a longer period of time.
Full-time tuition is capped once a student reaches the credit threshold. This means a student may be able to pay the same in tuition for taking anywhere between 12 to 18 credits in a term. Because of this, full-time students may be interested in maximizing credit hours to reduce education costs. While this can help students stay on track or even graduate early, they may be charged an additional fee per credit hour if they enroll in more than 18 hours per term.
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Time Commitment
For many, the choice to be a part-time vs full-time student can often come down to scheduling.
As a general rule of thumb, students can expect between two and three hours of work per week for each credit they’re taking. This means that a three-credit course would require approximately six to nine hours of student engagement, including class time, homework, readings, and studying.
Many full- and part-time students work while completing their degrees to help pay for education and living expenses, according to information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In October 2023, 39.6% of full-time students had some type of employment while 77.7% of part-time students were employed.
To make their schedule more feasible, part-time students may consider taking online classes while working to reduce commute times and have access to a wider selection of academic programs.
Taking night classes is another option for students to study while working.
Financial Aid
Enrollment status can affect a student’s financial aid options. For instance, some types of federal student aid require students to be enrolled at least half-time (six or more credits) to qualify.
Pell Grants, which are awarded based on a student’s financial need, vary according to enrollment status. Full-time students may receive up to $7,395 for the 2025-2026 academic year. Awards for part-time students are proportional to the number of credit hours a student takes. For example, a student taking nine credits would be eligible for 75% of the maximum award. Part-time students should keep in mind that eligibility for Pell Grants can’t exceed 12 academic terms.
Both full-time and part-time students can qualify for federal Direct Loans and, if they attend a participating university, the federal work-study program. Interested students must indicate that they’d like to be considered for work-study on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®).
Since financial aid awards can vary by institution. Consider checking with your school to determine how enrollment status could impact your overall financial aid package.
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Student Loan Repayment
Whether studying part-time or full-time, many students take out an undergraduate loan to pay for their education expenses. Most federal student loans do not require repayment while the student is enrolled in school at least half-time. Part-time students have to repay loans once they drop below half-time enrollment.
Borrowers with Direct Subsidized, Direct Unsubsidized, or Federal Family Education Loans will also have a six-month grace period after graduation before loan payments are due. And if you return to half-time or full-time enrollment prior to the end of the grace period, you will be eligible for the full six-month period upon graduation. Interest on Direct Subsidized Loans is covered by the U.S. Education Department while students are enrolled and during certain periods of deferment.
Graduate and professional students with PLUS Loans may also receive a six-month deferment on repayment when falling below half-time status.
Borrowers with private student loans and certain federal loans may be expected to begin repayment immediately.
Scholarships
Scholarships can help pay for tuition and related educational expenses. Organizations may use a variety of criteria when awarding scholarships, including academic merit, financial need, quality of application responses, and enrollment status.
Some scholarships have eligibility requirements that require recipients to be full-time students. Still, opportunities exist for part-time students to secure financial help, including unclaimed scholarships and grants.
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Tax Credit Eligibility
Enrollment status can have implications for your or your parents’ taxes. There are two main programs — the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) and the Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC) — that can give tax credits for out-of-pocket education expenses.
The AOTC can provide an annual credit up to $2,500 per student, given they are enrolled at least half-time.
Meanwhile, the LLC is open to all students regardless of enrollment status. The maximum credit per return is 20% of eligible education expenses up to $10,000, or $2,000 total.
College Experience
Financial considerations are only part of the picture when deciding whether to go to school full- or part-time. Your overall college experience is another piece. Students carrying a full course load tend to have better continuing and graduation rates. For Fall 2023 starters, 53.2% of part-time students continued school the following fall, compared with 84.4% of full-time students.
Enrollment status could influence aspects of campus life and extracurricular activities as well. For instance, some schools may only allow full-time students to live in on-campus housing. And student-athletes must abide by NCAA regulations, which include minimum coursework requirements, to be eligible to play.
Graduation Timeline
Full-time students typically follow a faster and more predictable path to graduation because they take the standard course load of 12-15 credit hours per semester. This pace allows them to complete degree requirements within the traditional two-year (associate) or four-year (bachelor’s) timeline, assuming they stay on track and pass all required courses.
Part-time students, on the other hand, usually take fewer than 12 credit hours per semester, which naturally extends the time it takes to earn a degree. Because they’re often balancing school with work, caregiving, or other commitments, their progress may be slower and more variable from term to term.
Career Planning and Internship Opportunities
Full-time students often have greater access to career planning resources and internship opportunities because their schedules allow them to participate in on-campus recruiting events, career fairs, and networking programs. Being enrolled full-time can also make it easier to take internships during the academic year or over the summer.
Part-time students may face more challenges in pursuing internships and structured career programs due to scheduling constraints, particularly if they are balancing work or family responsibilities. However, part-time students can still benefit from flexible, remote, or part-time summer internship opportunities, evening networking events, and online career services.
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Access to Campus Resources and Support Services
Full-time students generally have broader and more consistent access to campus resources and support services. These can include academic advising, tutoring centers, libraries, counseling services, health facilities, and extracurricular activities. Being on campus regularly makes it easier to take advantage of these resources, engage with faculty, and participate in student organizations.
Part-time students can still access many campus resources, but scheduling and availability may be more limited. Evening or weekend services, online tutoring, and virtual counseling can help part-time learners, but they may need to plan carefully to make full use of what’s offered.
Choosing Between Full-Time vs. Part-Time
When deciding whether to enroll as a full-time or part-time student, it’s important to weigh factors such as your academic goals, financial situation, and personal commitments. Answer the following questions to help you decide:
• How quickly do I want to complete my degree?
• Can I manage a heavier course load each semester?
• What is my current work or family schedule, and how much time can I commit to school?
• How will full-time or part-time status affect my financial aid eligibility?
• Do I want to participate in on-campus activities, clubs, or organizations?
• How important is access to internships or career-building opportunities during school?
• Will I have enough time for studying and academic success in a full-time schedule?
• How flexible do I need my education to be to balance personal or professional commitments?
The Takeaway
The difference between going to college full-time or part-time comes down to how many credits are taken during a term. In general, full-time students take 12 or more credits, while part-time students take 11 or fewer credits.
When deciding whether to be a full-time vs. part-time student, you may want to consider more than courseload. Enrollment status can impact tuition costs, taxes, and financial aid options.
If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.
FAQ
What are some benefits of being a full-time student?
Students who go to school full time are often able to focus completely on their studies, and a full course load means they can complete their degree faster. Full-time enrollment is also required for some scholarships, grants, and financial aid.
What are some benefits of being a part-time student?
Studying part time gives you the chance to work while going to school, which can make tuition and fees easier to manage. Plus, some employers will help pay for a portion of the cost.
What factors should I think about when weighing whether to enroll full time or part time?
Deciding whether to be a full-time vs. part-time student is a personal decision. As you’re weighing your options, consider factors like how much time you have in your schedule for school; any work or family commitments; your financial situation and available financial aid options; and your goals after graduation and their time frames.
Is it cheaper to be a part-time student?
Being a part-time student can be cheaper in terms of tuition costs per semester since you are paying for fewer courses at a time. However, part-time status may extend the overall duration of your studies, potentially leading to higher total costs due to prolonged living expenses and delayed entry into the full-time workforce. Also, part-time students might have limited access to certain financial aid options, scholarships, and campus resources, which could offset some of the immediate savings on tuition.
Can you work and be a full-time student?
Yes, you can work and be a full-time student, but it requires strong time management and organizational skills to balance academic responsibilities with job commitments. Many students successfully juggle both by taking advantage of flexible work hours, on-campus employment opportunities, and jobs that offer part-time or weekend shifts.
How long does graduate school take for part-time students?
Graduate school for part-time students typically takes longer than the standard duration for full-time students, often extending to about 3 to 6 years or more, depending on the program and the student’s course load each semester.
Photo credit: iStock/Drazen Zigic
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