Part-time student is an undergraduate enrolled for fewer than 12 semester credits, fewer than 12 quarter credits, or fewer than 24 clock hours a week in a term, or a graduate student below the institution’s full-time threshold.
How it is measured
Institutions report headcounts of part-time students by level, race/ethnicity, and gender. Retention rates for part-time first-time students are calculated independently of the full-time rates. Outcome Measures tracks part-time first-time and part-time non-first-time cohorts at four, six, and eight years.
Example: an undergraduate registers for three 3-credit courses (9 credits) in the fall. At the census date the student is part-time. If the student later adds a fourth course after the census date, the official IPEDS status for that term remains part-time.
How it differs
Full-time status begins at 12 undergraduate credits. Full-time-equivalent enrollment converts part-time headcounts into a comparable total using standard factors; it is not a count of part-time students. Enrollment intensity for financial aid can use slightly different rules, but the IPEDS definition governs official reporting.
Common errors
Assuming a student taking “most of a full load” is full-time. Comparing part-time retention or completion figures directly to full-time figures without noting the separate cohorts. Using credits earned rather than attempted at the census date.
References
- 1. IPEDS full-time and part-time definitionsCredit load thresholds
- 2. Outcome Measures cohort constructionPart-time cohorts tracked separately
Part-time student is an undergraduate enrolled for fewer than 12 semester credits, fewer than 12 quarter credits, or fewer than 24 clock hours a week in a term, or a graduate student below the institution’s full-time threshold.