Reduced Course Load Policy
Purpose and Scope:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and establish that academic adjustments to standard course loads may be appropriate on a case-by-case basis as a reasonable accommodation for qualified students with disabilities.
A Reduced Course Load (RCL) accommodation approved by the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (OAA) allows a student the opportunity to enjoy all the benefits afforded to a full-time student as applicable while being enrolled in less than 12 credit hours. This means they can benefit from all resources afforded to full-time students, including full participation in and access to programs, services, activities, and facilities over which the university controls.
University Policy:
The University Academic Catalog states that undergraduate students must be enrolled for at least 12 semester hours each Fall and Spring semester and during the summer term to be considered academically full-time. Graduate students are considered academically full-time during the fall, spring, and summer terms when enrolled for nine semester hours of course work that may include any combination of undergraduate or graduate courses.
Students are also encouraged to review the university’s course load policy in the Academic Policies and Procedures in the corresponding University Catalog for additional information on university requirements before applying for a reduced course load.
Parameters & Potential Impact of a Reduced Course Load:
Requests for a reduced course load must be submitted at least two weeks before the start of the semester. If approved, the course load will apply for one semester. However, students may re-apply each semester as needed. Updated documentation may be requested to evaluate the current impact of the disability.
The RCL will no longer be applicable if a student drops below the approved hours as reflected on the RCL approval letter.
An RCL cannot be implemented retroactively. Requests for an RCL received after the semester has begun may result in the student utilizing the university’s withdrawal policy.
While an RCL provides students full-time status for university purposes, it may not meet the full-time status definition for federal programs such as financial aid, vocational rehabilitation, etc. Please note that aid distribution may be adjusted in accordance with a student’s enrollment hours. Additionally, private insurance, non-university-sponsored scholarships, athletic eligibility, and veteran educational benefits may be impacted by an RCL.
The student must maintain satisfactory academic progress and meet program requirements to remain enrolled.
Eligibility Criteria and Request Process
In order to establish eligibility for a reduced course load, students must:
Step 1. Meet with Academic Advisor
Step 2. Submit Request to OAA
Step 3. Provide Documentation
The student must provide current documentation that establishes a nexus between the requested accommodation and the current impact of the student’s disability. It should also include a detailed narrative about the student’s functional limitations and how they substantially impact their ability to take a full course load.
The documentation must be on letterhead and completed by a qualified professional with expertise in the corresponding field and with an established treatment relationship with the student.
Documentation can be submitted through the Accommodation Request Form, via email to accommodations@eiu.edu, by mail, or in-person to McAfee Room 1336.
Step 4: Review and Evaluation Process
Once all materials are received, the student will meet with the Director of the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations to discuss the Reduced Course Load request.
If approved, OAA will contact the student’s assigned advisor, Department Chair of the student’s degree program, and the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships to ascertain if the reduced course load accommodation will impact the student’s academic progress or financial benefits. Any findings will be shared with the student in the recommendation letter.
Step 5. OAA Review and Recommendation
After review of documentation and conversation with the student, the Director of the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations will determine if additional documentation is needed, if the accommodation is not substantiated, or if the accommodation is recommended. The University reserves the right to require additional testing if the documentation provided is not adequate to make a determination. Reduced Course Loads are only granted when it is clear that the student’s disability makes enrollment in a full-time course load nearly impossible
If approved, a letter supporting the request for a Reduced Course Load will be issued to the student and a copy shared with the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, the student’s advisor, the Department Chair of the student’s degree program, and other relevant campus partners such as the Office of the Registrar as applicable.
The Reduced Course Load recommendation is for one semester only and is not contingent upon the information received from our campus partners. Requests may be submitted for future semesters.
If the Director of the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations determines that the substitution request is not appropriate, the student will be notified in writing via the student’s EIU email of the determination. If the student feels the determination is inaccurate, the student may request reconsideration or appeal following the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations Reconsideration and Appeal Process.
Students are strongly encouraged to contact entities not included in the OAA review process to ascertain and understand the potential impact a reduced course load for the upcoming semester.
This policy is current as of April 22, 2026. The University reserves the right to make changes to this policy as necessary at any time.