Excess Credit Hours (125% Rule)
Tuition Charged for Excess Credit Hours
On November 26, 2012, the Utah State Board of Regents approved changes to the Excess Credit Policy that may affect any student who accumulates credit hours in excess of 125% of the number needed to graduate in their program of study. The purpose of the excess credit hour policy is to discourage students from accumulating credit hours beyond those needed to graduate without completing a course of study leading to a degree.
Beginning in September 2013, excess credit hours are those hours attempted by a resident undergraduate student that exceed by more than 125% hours the number of hours required for completion of the degree plan in which the student is enrolled. Those individuals who accrue excess credit hours may be assessed a Tuition Surcharge equal to nonresident tuition rate.
Tuition for repeating a course more than once shall also be charged at the nonresident tuition rate unless the institution determines that the repetition is a result of illness, accident or other cause beyond the student’s control or unless the course is prescribed by the student’s program of study.
The semester credit hours counted toward the limitation include all hours attempted by the student except those:
- Earned through concurrent enrollment, advanced placement, and credit by examination,
- Resulting from re-entry into the educational system by a student who may have accumulated a large number of credits, or even completed degrees, but where employment requirements obligate his or her return to college,
- Resulting from a defensible change in major, and
- Developmental education credit.
We encourage students to meet with an advisor to establish a plan to avoid excess credit hours.