Course Program of Study (CPoS) is a process that helps our school stay in compliance with Title IV (federal) guidelines regarding financial aid. Guidelines state that financial aid can only be awarded for courses that are required for the degree or certificate you are enrolled in. These guidelines make it very important to take the right classes for your degree requirements. Doing so will help you ensure your courses may be eligible for financial aid and will also help you finish your degree faster!

How do I know what degree or certificate I am enrolled in?  

You can see your degree plan in your STAR account. Your major will be listed at the top of your GPS Registration page.

How do I know what courses count for this degree / certificate?  

Your STAR account will be a helpful tool in displaying the required courses for your degree or certificate. They are listed in your STAR Graduation Pathway. You can also click on a requirement for more details regarding what courses count for that requirement.

What if I need to change my degree or certificate?

To change your degree or certificate, you will need to complete a Change of Major Form (available at the Windward CC Admissions and Records Office). If you find that your degree or certificate is incorrect, it is very important that you make this change as soon as possible.

How do I know if my classes “count” for financial Aid?

When you register, be sure to check your STAR GPS Registration. Any course listed as NOT IN PLAN or Non-Applicable will not count for financial aid. Here’s how the courses will appear in your STAR GPS:

If you see a course labeled as NOT IN PLAN or Non-Applicable, don’t worry! We encourage you to email or schedule an appointment with your counselor as soon as possible to determine the best course of action.  

You can schedule with a counselor on STAR Balance or by calling the Counseling Office at 808-235-7413.

Why would a class not “count” for financial aid?

Generally, a course will display as NOT IN PLAN because it does not count for a requirement for the degree. This could be because the course is not part of the degree plan or because you took a course(s) that already fulfills that requirement.

A course will display as Non-Applicable when it is a repeat; however, some repeats can count and will be adjusted accordingly. See the next section for details on repeats that can count for financial aid.

Can I repeat classes and still have them count for financial aid?

Per Financial Aid Title IV guidelines, you may repeat an applicable course once for financial aid if you previously earned a passing grade (D grade or higher). In order for a repeat course to be considered for financial aid, the course must be taken at Windward CC. Repeat courses taken at another UH campus will not be considered. Please see below for some examples of when a repeat of a passed course may or may not be counted towards financial aid:

Repeat Course Examples

Example	1st Attempt	2nd Attempt	3rd Attempt	Course Counts for Financial Aid?
Example 1	F	D	Enrolled	Yes
Example 2	C	Enrolled	—	Yes
Example 3	D	C	Enrolled	No
Example 4	D	F	Enrolled	No
Example 5	W	F	Enrolled	Yes
Example 6	D	W	Enrolled	No
Example 7	W	Enrolled	—	Yes
Example 8	W	D	Enrolled	Yes

Academic considerations for repeat courses

IMPORTANT: In regards to repeats, there are two separate policies: Financial aid repeat regulations and the institutional academic repeat policy. 

Windward CC will use your highest grade as your standing grade. If you pass a class the first time, but fail the course the second time, the first attempt will be counted as your grade (all other attempts will still be reflected on your academic transcript). Keep in mind that you may not receive financial aid for all the repeat attempts that you have due to the financial aid repeat regulations (please see the chart above for detailed information about when financial aid will cover repeated courses).  

For information about the Windward CC institutional academic repeat policy, see the section titled Repeating Courses in the Grading section of the WCC Catalog.

What about courses that can be repeated for credit?

Courses which can be repeated for credit – meaning they can count more than once – may be considered for financial aid (please refer to the repeat examples chart above). Be sure to check with your assigned academic counselor if a repeatable course will be counted as a requirement in your degree pathway.

What if I am taking courses at another University of Hawai‘i campus?

Course(s) taken at another UH campus may be considered for financial aid at Windward CC if the following requirements are met:

1. Your home campus is Windward CC, and you are enrolled for at least one course at Windward CC.
2. The course(s) taken at another UH campus must apply to your Windward CC degree (qualify under Course Program of Study).