Excess Hours Surcharge
In 2009, the Florida Legislature implemented
Section 1009.286, Florida Statutes
to encourage students to complete their baccalaureate degree as quickly and efficiently as possible. It established what is commonly referred to as an "Excess Credit Hour Surcharge." The bill requires universities to add a surcharge to each credit hour taken in excess of the total number of credit hours required to complete the degree being pursued. The amount in excess of the total hours is calculated based on a percentage defined in law and is referred to by Florida Atlantic University as Excess Hours threshold. The amount charged per credit hour is a calculated amount referred to as the surcharge.
| Students entering FTIC SUS* or FTIC FCS* | Fee to be charged |
|---|---|
| Prior to Fall 2009 | None |
| Fall 2009 - Summer 2011 | 50% for credits above 120% of program |
| Fall 2011 - Summer 2012 | 100% for credits above 115% of program |
| Fall 2012 - Spring 2019 | 100% for credits above 110% of program |
| Summer 2019 - and thereafter | 100% for credits above 120% of program |
*SUS = State University System of Florida
*FCS = Florida College System
The surcharge is assessed only on the tuition portion of the semester hour cost, not on the fees.
Students who are eligible for the Excess Hours Surcharge and break continuous enrollment after fall 2012 by not enrolling for two consecutive semesters and not registering for the third consecutive semester before the first day of that term will, upon their return to the University, be subject to the 110% credit hour threshold and 100% surcharge.
Under Florida law, the following credit hours count towards Excess Credit Hours:
- Failed courses
- Hours dropped after the University's drop/add period
- Courses from which a student withdraws
- Repeated courses. Exception: repeated courses for which the student has paid the repeat course surcharge as provided in Section 1009.285, Florida Statutes
- All credit earned at another institution and accepted for transfer and applied toward the baccalaureate degree program
Under Florida law, the following credit hours do not count towards Excess Credit Hours:
- 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 double-major while pursuing a baccalaureate degree
- Remedial and English-as-a-second-language credit hours
- Credit hours earned while participating in a Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) program
The number of hours required for the baccalaureate degree will be identified by the students declared major. This is typically 120 semester hours, although, some programs have been approved to require more than 120 semester hours.
Every undergraduate student must have a degree evaluation identifying the degree requirements, the transfer courses applied to the degree, and the FAU courses applied to the degree by the end of their first semester at FAU. Please see your college advisor if you have questions.
If you would like to contact the State of Florida to ask questions about this policy, you can find contact information here.
To provide feedback regarding this law, contact your legislator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What credit hours count towards Excess Credit Hours?
Under Florida law, the following credit hours count towards Excess Credit Hours:
- Failed courses
- Hours dropped after the University's drop/add period
- Courses from which a student withdraws
- Repeated courses. Exception: repeated courses for which the student has paid the repeat course surcharge as provided in Section 1009.285, Florida Statutes
- All credit earned at another institution and accepted for transfer and applied toward the baccalaureate degree program
What credit hours do not count towards Excess Credit Hours?
- 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 took by active-duty military personnel
- Credit hours are taken to achieve a double-major while pursuing a baccalaureate degree
- Remedial and English-as-a-second-language credit hours
- Credit hours earned while participating in a Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) program
What if I am pursuing double majors/degree?
If you have added a double major or degree and think that Excess Hours Surcharge might apply, you are encouraged to talk with your academic advisor about your Excess Credit Hours Surcharge.
Are second bachelor's degrees included?
Second bachelor's degrees are not excluded from the Excess Credit Hour law. However, since most second bachelor's degrees only require that you complete an extra 30-40 hours, you most likely will not end up in an excess credit hour situation.
What about credit for Certification?
Courses that are part of the class instruction preparation for a professional certification exam, may be excluded from your excess credit total. Examples of these might be a computer science class that prepares you for a Microsoft certification exam, or a foundational education class that prepares you for a teacher certification exam. In these cases, the one specific course that prepares you for the exam may be excluded from your total, but not all courses in the degree program.
Courses used for undergraduate certificate programs, as defined in the University catalog, may be considered for exemption from excess hours if the certificate program is declared at the same time that a student declares an intended major. All courses for the certificate program must be completed and the certificate awarded in order for the exemption to be applied.
Courses used for undergraduate certificate programs, as defined in the University catalog, may be considered for exemption from excess hours if the certificate program is declared at the same time that a student declares an intended major. All courses for the certificate program must be completed and the certificate awarded in order for the exemption to be applied.
What about credit I earned while on active duty military?
All credit earned while on active duty is exempt from the Excess Credit Hour law. Documenting active duty military service is something that we do not currently track, so it is critical that you let us know of any credit that you have earned while on active duty. You will need to submit a written request and you should include a copy of your DD214 as part of the appeal.
Do graduate courses count?
Some graduate courses are excluded from your Excess Credit Hour count if they are being used toward your baccalaureate degree such as Architecture or Accounting as an example. Credit that is only used for the graduate degree will be excluded.
What is the difference between Excess Hours Surcharge and Repeat Course Surcharge?
The Excess Hours Surcharge relates to Section 1009.286, Florida Statutes that requires universities to add a surcharge to each credit hour taken in excess of the total number of credit hours required to complete the degree being pursued. The Repeat Course Surcharge relates to Section 1009.285, Florida Statutes that require a student enrolled in the same undergraduate college-credit course more than twice shall pay tuition at 100 percent of the full cost of instruction.
Can FAU waive the Excess Credit Hours fee?
No, an institution cannot waive the fee. The language of the statute is mandatory.
Who can I contact about my Excess Hours Surcharge notice?
For questions regarding an Excess Hours Surcharge notice you received, please send all inquiries to
excesshours@babycatcher.net
.
How do I appeal an excess hour surcharge?
You can submit an appeal by completing the
Excess Hours Appeal form
. For questions regarding Excess Hours Surcharge, please send all inquiries to
excesshours@babycatcher.net
.
Definitions of the Excess Hours Summary
(Headings on the Unofficial Transcript in MYFAU)
Term you started at first Post-Secondary Institution
This is the term in which you first enrolled in a post-secondary institution within the State University System of Florida (ex. FAU, UCF, FSU, etc.) or the Florida College System (ex. Palm Beach State College, Broward College, etc.).
Initial Degree Program
This entry lists your college/degree/major when you first entered at FAU (for example SC-BS-BIO). This will also include the required hours to complete the degree.
Current Degree Program
This entry would be your latest college/degree/major if it is different from the first. This will also include the required hours to complete the degree.
FAU Program Start Term
This is the start term for your initial or current declared college/degree/major (Degree Program) at FAU.
Base Degree Hours
At the time of your formal acceptance to FAU, your Base Degree Hours are calculated. This will represent all applicable transfer credits, as determined by your degree audit (less any hours excluded by statute described above), which are used toward your first declared college/degree/major (Degree Program).
As an example: suppose you have 20 credits from Palm Beach State College and 20 credits from Broward College but only 30 of these credits are applicable towards your degree requirements. Then your Base Degree Hours would be 30. Once determined, this number of credits hours CANNOT be changed by a change of major. Most degrees at FAU require 120 credit hours.
In addition, the base degree hours can include applicable degree credits that were earned at FAU during any period in which you were enrolled in a pre-major or as undeclared/undecided prior to declaring an actual major.
As an example: suppose you have 20 credits from Palm Beach State College and 20 credits from Broward College but only 30 of these credits are applicable towards your degree requirements. Then your Base Degree Hours would be 30. Once determined, this number of credits hours CANNOT be changed by a change of major. Most degrees at FAU require 120 credit hours.
In addition, the base degree hours can include applicable degree credits that were earned at FAU during any period in which you were enrolled in a pre-major or as undeclared/undecided prior to declaring an actual major.
Post Degree Hours
This represents any additional transfer credits that should have been included in the original base degree hours calculation. This could occur because of late receipt of transcripts or because a change of major might allow applicable transfer credits earned before the change to be included.
Enrolled Hours
This is the total credit hours in which you are enrolled for the current term and any future terms.
Institution Historical Hours
This is all of your attempted and earned FAU credit hours that have been taken after the start term of your initial degree program.
Post Admit Transfer Hours
This is the total of any applicable degree credits that have taken at another post-secondary institution
after
being admitted to an FAU degree program.
High School Dual Hours at FAU
Credit hours taken at FAU while still a high school student. This item is for information only. These credit hours are not used in any calculations and they DO NOT count toward excess credit hours.
Transfer High School Dual Hours
Credit hours are taken at another college or University while still a high school student
. These credit hours are not used in any calculations and they DO NOT count toward excess credit hours.
Total Hours
This is your total hours added together.
Base Degree Hours + Post Degree Hours + Enrolled Hours + Inst. Historical Hours + Post Admit Transfer = Total Hours
Base Degree Hours + Post Degree Hours + Enrolled Hours + Inst. Historical Hours + Post Admit Transfer = Total Hours
Additional Hours Waived By Appeal
Credit hours earned under the items listed below have already been excluded from your Excess Hour calculation. If there are any additional credit hours from these items that you believe should be excluded, you may file an appeal and, if approved, those waived hours will appear in this area.
- College credits are earned through articulated accelerated mechanisms such as AP, IB, CLEP, and AICE.
- Credit hours earned through an internship.
- Credit hours are required for certification, recertification, or certificate programs.
- Credit hours for courses from which the student withdraws for reasons of medical or personal hardship.
- Credit hours are taken by active-duty military personnel.
- Credit hours are taken to achieve a dual major while pursuing a first baccalaureate degree.
- Remedial and English-as-a-second-language credit hours.
- Credit hours earned while participating in a Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program.
Excess Hours Percent
This represents the percentage of degree program credit hours that you are allowed to accumulate before you will be charged the excess hour surcharge.
If you started an institution of higher education prior to Fall 2009 before starting FAU, then you are exempt from the excess hour surcharge.
If you started an institution of higher education, including FAU, between Fall 2009 through Summer 2011, then you are allowed 120 percent of your required program hours. Example: For a 120-credit program, 144 credits can be accumulated before the excess hour surcharge will be applied.
If you started, an institution of higher education, including FAU, between Fall 2011 through Summer 2012, then you are allowed 115 percent of your required program hours. Example: For a 120-credit program, 138 credits can be accumulated before the excess hour surcharge will be applied.
If you started, an institution of higher education, including FAU, in Fall 2012 or later, then you are allowed 110 percent of your required program hours. Example: For a 120-credit program, 132 credits can be accumulated before the excess hour surcharge will be applied.
If you started an institution of higher education prior to Fall 2009 before starting FAU, then you are exempt from the excess hour surcharge.
If you started an institution of higher education, including FAU, between Fall 2009 through Summer 2011, then you are allowed 120 percent of your required program hours. Example: For a 120-credit program, 144 credits can be accumulated before the excess hour surcharge will be applied.
If you started, an institution of higher education, including FAU, between Fall 2011 through Summer 2012, then you are allowed 115 percent of your required program hours. Example: For a 120-credit program, 138 credits can be accumulated before the excess hour surcharge will be applied.
If you started, an institution of higher education, including FAU, in Fall 2012 or later, then you are allowed 110 percent of your required program hours. Example: For a 120-credit program, 132 credits can be accumulated before the excess hour surcharge will be applied.
Excess Hours Charge Percent
This is the total percent of tuition that you will be charged for exceeding the hours described in number 12 above.
If you started an institution of higher education, including FAU, between Fall 2009 through Summer 2011, then, in the example above, you will be assessed an additional 50% tuition charge for each credit exceeding 144 credit hours.
If you started an institution of higher education, including FAU, between Fall 2011 through Summer 2012, then, in the example above, you will be assessed an additional 100% tuition charge for each credit exceeding 138 credit hours.
If you started an institution of higher education, including FAU, in Fall 2012 or later, then, in the example above, you will be assessed an additional 100% tuition charge for each credit exceeding 132 credit hours.
If you started an institution of higher education, including FAU, between Fall 2009 through Summer 2011, then, in the example above, you will be assessed an additional 50% tuition charge for each credit exceeding 144 credit hours.
If you started an institution of higher education, including FAU, between Fall 2011 through Summer 2012, then, in the example above, you will be assessed an additional 100% tuition charge for each credit exceeding 138 credit hours.
If you started an institution of higher education, including FAU, in Fall 2012 or later, then, in the example above, you will be assessed an additional 100% tuition charge for each credit exceeding 132 credit hours.
Excess Hours
This is the number of credit hours that you are currently over the limit that you are allowed for your degree program.
Excess Hours Charge
This is the dollar amount that you are assessed for every credit hour that exceeds the total allowed. For example, if you entered in the Summer of 2019 or after, Excess Hours will be calculated for any credit hours over 120% or your program’s requirements. If your degree requires 120 credits, the Excess Hours surcharge will be applied for each credit hour that goes beyond 144 credits (120% x 120 credits = 144). Do note that some credits may not count towards the total. Please see above for further information.