Generally, students are not able to have all their federal aid for the fall semester, even if they are a prospective December graduate.
Only federal student loans (i.e., Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans) may be prorated. These loans may only be prorated if the prospective graduate is taking credit hours in excess of the full-time standard for his/her school/college. (information on excess hours per school/college may be found online at:http://www.howard.edu/bisonweb/documents/2010SpringSTUDMANUAL_10-30-09_Final_2_Tuition_After_2007_000.pdf)
Students enrolled in excess hours may have a letter from their academic advisor certifying that they are a prospective December graduate sent to the Office of Financial Aid (ATTN: Financial Aid Officer). The prorated amount will only be that of the excess tuition/fee charges.