Excess Hours Surcharge

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

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

  • 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

No, an institution cannot waive the fee. The language of the statute is mandatory.

For questions regarding an Excess Hours Surcharge notice you received, please send all inquiries to excesshours@fau.edu.

You can submit an appeal by completing the Excess Hours Appeal form. For questions regarding Excess Hours Surcharge, please send all inquiries to excesshours@fau.edu.

Registrar’s Office

We manages student academic records, course registration, graduation applications, and class schedules. We serve current students, alumni, and faculty by maintaining official university data and enforcing academic policies.

Registrar’s Office

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Student Services Building (SU-80, Room 144)
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call (561) 297-3050
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