Enrollment Requirements

Full Time Requirement

F-1 students must enroll in a full course of study for all academic semesters

Academic semesters/terms are defined as:

  • Fall
  • Spring
  • Summer (if it is the student’s first or last semester of study)

A full course of study is defined as:

  • A minimum of 12 credits for undergraduate students, of which at least 9 credits must be in-person (face-to-face or hybrid).
  • A minimum of 9 credits for graduate students in Fall and Spring semesters, of which at least 6 credits must be in-person (face-to-face or hybrid) and a minimum of 6 credits in Summer semesters, of which at least 3 credits must be in-person (face-to-face or hybrid).

Failure to be enrolled in a full course of study by the Add/Drop Date for the semester of enrollment may result in the loss of F-1 status and termination of SEVIS record and I-20.

Online and Hybrid Courses

  • Hybrid courses are considered in-person for F-1 purposes and do not count toward the online limits.
  • Online courses include synchronous and asynchronous. SEVP regulations limit the number of online course credits (3 credits maximum) that may count toward the minimum number of credits required for full-time study.
  • Students who enroll in additional credits beyond the minimum full-time requirements may enroll in additional online courses.

Note: Sponsors, which may include government funding (such as SACM), scholarships, athletics, on-campus jobs, and others may have different requirements regarding allowability of online courses/credits. Check directly with your sponsor.

Exceptions to Full Time Requirements

You must receive written approval on your I-20 from ISSS before you drop below full-time status. Exceptions to the full-time requirement are rare, but may include:

  • Academic reasons:
    • English Language difficulties
    • Unfamiliarity with US teaching methods
    • Improper course placement level
  • Illness or medical condition
  • Final semester to complete course of study

Read Reduced Course Load information for details about eligibility and instructions to request ISSS approval.

Retroactive Withdrawal

If a student withdraws from a course or courses which results in the student being under-enrolled before the date that grades are due in a semester, and the student does not have an appropriate authorization for a Reduced Course Load, then the student’s SEVIS record and I-20 will be terminated for unauthorized drop below full-time.

If a student retroactively withdraws from a course or courses which makes the student under-enrolled, no action will be taken on the student’s SEVIS record provided the following applies:

  • ​The withdrawal occurs after the date that grades are due for that semester.
  • The student maintains documentation of when and why the withdrawal occurred.

 

 

 

 

10/03/2024