Excess Credit Information

The College of Southern Nevada (CSN) implemented the Excess Credit Fee in the Fall 2014 semester.  This fee was adopted by the Board of Regents for the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) and applies to all NSHE colleges and universities.   The policy requires that an Excess Credit Fee shall be charged to a student who has attempted credits equal to 150 percent of the credits required for the student’s program of study. The amount of this additional fee is equal to 50 percent of the per credit registration fee. Attempted credits include all graded courses on a student’s transcript, including but not limited to the grades of F and W (withdrawal) and repeated courses. The fee will be charged, for example, after 90 credits have been attempted towards a 60-credit associate’s degree or 180 credits towards a 120-credit bachelor’s degree. Exceptions may apply on a case-by-case basis. The fee will be charged in all terms after passing the threshold number of credits until a degree is awarded to the student. Appeal procedures and other exceptions to this fee are outlined in the catalog.

Appeals Process

CSN has established a formal process by which students may appeal to have the Excess Credit Fee removed or waived.  An Excess Credit Fee Appeal may be filed if one or more of the following conditions apply to credits in excess of the student’s degree requirements:

1. Credits were earned through examinations.
   • Examples are College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement (AP), or Challenge Exam
   • Appeal must include a copy of the Transfer Credit Report
2. Credits were attempted while enrolled as a high school student AND those credits do not meet the degree requirements for the student’s declared major.
   • Appeal must include a copy of the Academic Requirements Report
   • Appeal must include a copy of the high school transcript
3. Credits were attempted at a college or university outside of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) AND those credits do not meet the requirements for the student’s declared major at CSN.
   • Appeal must include a copy of the Transfer Credit Report and the Academic Requirements Report
4. Credits were attempted for remedial or developmental courses (these have course numbers below 100 level), in addition to English as a Second Language (ESL) courses for language acquisition.
   • Appeal must include a copy of unofficial transcripts
5. Credits attempted for community services courses: and
6. Credits were earned as part of a previously earned certificate or degree.
   • Appeal must include a copy of official or unofficial transcripts from institution where certificate or degree was granted
   • Appeal must include an Academic Requirements Report

To file an appeal, the student must:

• Complete pages 1 and 2 of the Excess Credit Fee Appeal Form. Have an advisor/counselor complete and sign the Student Academic Plan on page 2.  Appeals missing the advisor/counselor signed academic plan will not be accepted - NO EXCEPTIONS.
• If submitting a brief personal statement with supporting documentation explaining how the student's situation meets one or more of the conditions for appeal (listed above), please attach to the appeal form and submit all at once.  Incomplete appeals will NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Once an appeal has been submitted, students must know:

• Students are responsible to pay all fees when they are due, even if an appeal is pending
• Appeals are reviewed in date-order
• Please allow up to 12 weeks for the review of your appeal
• Approval of appeals is not retroactive
• Students that meet one of the exceptions listed above can submit an appeal form each semester for which they are flagged as Excess Credit

Appeal Deadlines

• Fall Semester - October 15
• Spring Semester - March 16
• Summer Semester - June 15

Excess Credit Fee Appeal Form

Click here for the Excess Credit Fee Workshop PowerPoint slides

Click here for the NSHE policy relating to excess credit fee procedures and appeals process