The following list of Frequently Asked Questions is meant to assist you in understanding how Excess Credit Hours are calculated and the Excess Credit Hour Surcharge is applied to student accounts at FIU. It is not exhaustive of every single scenario and case that could occur regarding this fee. Florida Statute 1009.286 and associated Regulations guide FIU on how to calculate each student’s Excess Credit Counter. Please see your academic advisor for more information.
Excess Credit Cohorts
- How are Excess Credit Cohorts assigned?
Excess Credit Cohorts are assigned based on the term that you first entered a college or university after completing your high school degree. Students who entered college prior to Fall 2009 are exempt from this regulation.
Excess credit hour threshold and the surcharge percentage for each excess credit cohort Semester You First Entered a College or University after High School Excess Credit Hour Threshold Surcharge Percentage of Tuition Rate Prior to Fall 2009 Not applicable Not applicable Fall 2009 – Summer 2011 120% of Program Requirements 50% of Tuition Rate Fall 2011 – Summer 2012 115% of Program Requirements 100% of Tuition Rate Fall 2012 – Spring 2019 110% of Program Requirements 100% of Tuition Rate Summer 2019 or Thereafter 120% of Program Requirements 100% of Tuition Rate - How can I find out how many credit hours are required for my degree?
The number of credits required for your degree is dependent upon your major. You can see the requirements for a Baccalaureate Degree for your major by reviewing the Course Catalog or visiting your academic advisor.
Excess Credit Hour Surcharge - Fee Amounts
- How much is the Excess Credit Hour Surcharge?
The Excess Credit Hour Surcharge is based on a percentage of the tuition rate (not including the associated fees) dependent on the ECS cohort you have been assigned. For example, the tuition rate for the 2013-2014 academic year is $105.07 per credit hour. Based on this amount, the 50% ECS rate is $52.53 and the 100% ECS rate is $105.07 per credit hour over the Excess Credit Threshold. These amounts are subject to change as tuition rates change.
- Is the Excess Credit Hour Surcharge amount different for in-state and out-of-state students?
No. The calculation of the surcharge fee is the same for all students, regardless of residency classification.
- When will my Excess Credit Hour Surcharge appear on my account?
Excess Credit Hour Surcharge fees will be assessed after we have ensured that all exemptions have been appropriately applied to your account. Students who are required to pay an Excess Credit Hour Surcharge will be contacted by FIU email with more information.
- What is the last day I can pay my Excess Credit Hour Surcharge?
Students who are required to pay an Excess Credit Hour Surcharge will be contacted by FIU email with a payment deadline specific to this fee. All other tuition and fee payments must be made by the established deadline on the Academic Calendar.
- What if I am unable to pay the excess credit surcharge by the posted due date?
If you do not pay your balance by the established deadline, a financial hold may be placed on your account and a Late Payment Fee may be assessed.
Excess Credit Counter
- What is included in my Excess Credit Counter?
The following credit hours are included in your Excess Credit Hour Counter:
- All courses taken at FIU including:
- Failed Courses
- Courses dropped after the advertised drop/add deadline (DR grades)
- Courses from which you withdraw after the semester begins (WI grades)
- NC grades
- Repeated courses (except those for which you paid a Repeat Surcharge)
- And all credit earned at another institution and accepted for transfer and applied towards your baccalaureate degree program.
- All courses taken at FIU including:
- What is excluded from my Excess Credit Counter?
The following credit hours are excluded from your Excess Credit Hour Counter:
- College credit earned through articulated accelerated mechanisms such as AP, IB, CLEP,AICE, or dual enrollment
- Credit hours earned through internship
- Credit hours required for certification, recertification, or certificate programs
- Courses from which the student withdraws for reasons of medical or personal hardship
- Credit taken by active-duty military personnel
- Credit hours taken to achieve a dual major/second bachelor while pursuing a baccalaureate degree
- Remedial and English-as-a-second-language credit hours
- Credit hours earned in military science courses that are part of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program
- How can I petition courses to be excluded from my Excess Credit Counter?
If you feel that some of your coursework can be excluded from your Excess Credit Counter, please contact your academic advisor. Your advisor will review your academic records and verify if any exclusions can be applied.
Failed Courses
- What are failed courses?
Failed courses are those for which you have received F or F0 grade assignments.
- What if I use forgiveness on my failed course?
While the Forgiveness Policy allows you to improve your GPA, it does not remove the attempt from your record. All attempted credits are part of your Excess Credit Counter.
Dropped or Withdrawn Courses
- Are courses where I earned DR grades added to my Excess Credit Counter?
Yes. Florida Statute 1009.286 mandates that all credit hours taken at the university, including courses dropped after the drop/add period, are included in your Excess Credit Counter.
- Are classes I drop during the add/drop period included in my Excess Credit Counter?
No, only courses that are recorded as taken on your official academic record (transcript) are included in your Excess Credit Counter.
- What if I withdraw from a course?
FIU offers two types of official course withdrawals.
In the event that you appeal to drop a course for reasons relating to a medical issue, death in the immediate family, or involuntary call to military action, and your appeal is approved, the courses you petitioned will be removed from your Excess Credit Counter. See student petitions.
However, credits taken in semesters where you filed a Student Withdrawal Form and received WI grades on your official academic record (transcript) are included in your Excess Credit Counter.
Incomplete Courses
- When does my Incomplete Course (IN) get added to my Excess Credit Counter?
Incomplete courses enter your Excess Credit Counter when you first register for the course (prior to receiving your IN grade). Florida Statute 1009.286 mandates that all credit hours taken at the university are included in your Excess Credit Counter.
Repeated Courses
- If I retake a course to prepare myself for a graduate or professional program (e.g. medical school), will all attempts be included in my Excess Credit Counter?
Yes, all courses that are recorded as taken on your official academic record (transcript) are included in your Excess Credit Counter.
- If a retake a course because my original grade is not acceptable in my current major, will all attempts be included in my Excess Credit Counter?
Yes, all courses that are recorded as taken on your official academic record (transcript) are included in your Excess Credit Counter regardless of the grades earned in the courses.
- If I register for a course that is repeatable (e.g. special topics, research, etc.), will all attempts be include in my Excess Credit Counter?
Yes, all courses that are recorded as taken on your official academic record (transcript) are included in your Excess Credit Counter.
Academic Amnesty and Academic Salvage
- Are all my credits taken previously at FIU included in my Excess Credit Counter if I have been granted Academic Amnesty?
Yes. While Academic Amnesty allows you to improve your GPA, it does not remove your previous course history from your academic record. All FIU attempted credits are part of your Excess Credit Counter
- Are all my credits taken previously at FIU included in my Excess Credit Counter if I have been granted Academic Salvage?
Yes. While Academic Salvage allows you to improve your GPA, it does not remove your previous course history from your academic record. All FIU attempted credits (and accepted transfer credits) are part of your Excess Credit Counter.
Transfer Credits
- Are all my transfer credits included in my Excess Credit Counter?
Only credits that are accepted for transfer are included in your Excess Credit Counter. Credits that are non-degree applicable may be excluded. In order for non-degree applicable credits to be excluded, you must meet with your academic advisor so that your counter can be updated.
- What if I take a course as a transient student at another institution? Will that course count towards my Excess Credit Counter?
Yes. Any credits taken at another institution after your FIU admit term is included in your Excess Credit Counter. This includes courses taken as a transient, non-degree, or exchange student while still enrolled at FIU.
- Will the credits I take as a national or international student exchange student be included in my Excess Credit Counter?
Yes. Any credits taken at another institution after your FIU admit term is included in your Excess Credit Counter. This includes courses taken as a transient, non-degree, or exchange student while still enrolled at FIU.
Dual Enrollment and Test Credits
- Are test credits included in my Excess Credit Counter?
No. College credits earned through articulated accelerated mechanisms such as AP, IB, CLEP, AICE, or dual enrollment are excluded. Please see your academic advisor for more information.
- Are the credits I earned while taking dual enrollment included in my Excess Credit Counter?
No. College credits earned through articulated accelerated mechanisms such as AP, IB, CLEP, AICE, or dual enrollment are excluded. Please see your academic advisor if you believe dual enrollment credits have been incorrectly included in your Excess Credit Counter.
Internships
- What is considered an internship course?
The University will exclude internship hours automatically from your excess credit total whenever possible. However, it is not always possible to identify internship on the academic record of a student, especially when taken at another institution. If you feel that your excess credit hour total includes your internship hours, please see your academic advisor.
Certification, Recertification, and Certificate Programs
- Do I need to petition courses to be excluded from my Excess Credit Counter for the certificates I have declared?
Yes. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of certificate programs, we are unable to identify the credits counting exclusively towards a certificate program at this point in time. Please see your academic advisor if you have any concerns about certificate credits and your Excess Credit Counter. Credits can only be excluded if they are not satisfying primary major or UCC.
- Can credits towards Secondary Education track (through Arts and Sciences) e.g. SCE 4194, RED 4325 etc. be excluded, as they lead to teaching certification?
Yes. Credits that are required for certification through external third party (e.g. Florida Department of Education) can be excluded from your Excess Credit Counter.
- What if I am pursuing a certificate but it is not posted on my transcript?
Your Excess Credit Counter cannot be adjusted for certificate credits if you have not declared the appropriate certificate program on your official academic record. We evaluate your excess credit counter and threshold based on the declared majors/degrees/certificates that exist on your transcript by the end of drop/add for any given semester.
- My certificate credits also meet degree requirements for my major. Can they still be excluded?
This depends on the type of certification. If the credits are part of an internal FIU certificate program, they can only be excluded if they are not major related. If the credits are leading to certification through an external third party (e.g. State of Florida Teacher Certification), they can be excluded regardless of major.
Active Military Duty and ROTC Credits
- What documentation do I need to submit to prove I was on Active Military Duty while enrolled in school?
If you served on Active Military Duty while attending school, please bring a copy of your DD-214 or letter from your superior officer with your dates of service to your academic advisor. Any credits attempted while you were on Active Duty will be deducted from your Excess Credit Counter.
- What courses are considered part of the Military Science and ROTC program? Can they be excluded from my Excess Credit Counter?
Any courses with the prefixes of AFR or MSL are considered part of Military Science and ROTC are automatically excluded from your Excess Credit Counter. Please see your academic advisor for more information.
Majors
- Will my Excess Credit Counter be adjusted if I change my major?
No. Your Excess Credit Counter includes all credits attempted at FIU and coursework accepted for transfer to the university. If you have additional questions, please see an academic advisor.
- How is my Excess Credit Counter calculated if I am an Exploratory major?
All courses taken at FIU are included in your Excess Credit Counter. Exploratory majors are encouraged to declare an official major as soon as possible. Until an official major is declared, the Excess Credit Hour Threshold is calculated based on a 120 degree hour program.
Second Majors, Second Bachelors, and Minors
- Are the credit hours towards my second major included in my Excess Credit Counter?
Yes. Any credits that count ONLY towards your second major can be excluded from your Excess Credit Counter. See your academic advisor to ensure your counter is accurate
- Are the credit hours I take for a minor included in my Excess Credit Counter?
Yes. Credits taken towards a minor are included in your Excess Credit Counter and cannot be excluded.
- Are the credit hours towards my second degree (second bachelor) included in my Excess Credit Counter?
Any credits that count ONLY towards your second degree can be excluded from your Excess Credit Counter. See your academic advisor to ensure your counter is accurate.
- Is there a deadline to declare my second major/second degree/certificate program? Will my Excess Credit Counter (and Surcharge fee) be adjusted if I declare a second major/second degree or certificate after the semester begins?
We evaluate your Excess Credit Counter and Threshold based on the declared majors/degrees/certificates that exist on your transcript by the end of the drop/add period for each term. Therefore, second majors/degrees/certificates must be posted before the end of drop/add week for the term.
- I have already earned a Bachelor’s degree and am attending FIU to complete a second Bachelor’s degree. Am I exempt from Excess Credit Surcharge?
Yes. The law states that the Excess Credit policy should provide incentives for efficient baccalaureate degree completion. If you have already earned a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, you are exempt from Excess Credit Surcharge.
Remedial and ESL Credits
- Are Remedial and English as a Second Language credit hours included in my Excess Credit Counter?
No. Remedial and English as a Second Language credit hours are excluded from your Excess Credit Counter.
Graduate Courses
- Do graduate courses count?
If you enroll in graduate level coursework while you are an undergraduate student, these credits will be included in your Excess Credit Counter. If you are a graduate student (admitted to/enrolled in a graduate program), the Excess Credit Hour Surcharge does not apply to you if you have completed a bachelor’s degree.
Special Programs @ FIU
- Will my honors college credits be included in my Excess Credit Counter?
Yes. The law does not exempt Honors College credits from your Excess Credit Counter. Please see your academic advisor to plan accordingly.