Enrollment Requirements
U.S. immigration regulations require F-1 and J-1 international students to be enrolled for a full course load each semester. ISS is required to confirm and report that all international students maintain full-time enrollment throughout the semester. Immigration regulations only allow limited academic or medical reasons for reduced enrollment. Any reduction in course load below full-time must be authorized in advance by ISS.
Students who drop below full-time without authorization from ISS would face serious consequences to their F-1 or J-1 status, including termination of the SEVIS record and I-20/DS-2019.
If you have any questions regarding your enrollment, please schedule an appointment with an immigration specialist at this link.
Remember that most requests can be completed by logging into your ISSDeacs account.
Undergraduate students: 12 credit hours
Graduate students: 9 credit hours, unless otherwise specified by the student’s academic program.
Immigration regulations limit the number of online courses a student can count towards the full-time requirement. International students can count only 1 course or 3 credit hours of online coursework towards the full-time requirement. For example, an undergraduate student must enroll in 12 credit hours each semester. One course, or 3 credit hours, of online enrollment counts towards full time enrollment requirements. Students may be able to enroll in additional online courses if their full time enrollment requirements are met, with consultation from ISS.
If the full-time requirement for a student’s last semester can be satisfied with 3 credit hours or 1 course, the full-time requirement cannot be satisfied with online coursework alone. For example, if a graduate student only needs one course to complete their degree program in their final semester before graduation, the course must be in-person.
Reduced Course Load (RCL) Requirements
Immigration regulations permit exceptions to full-time enrollment in very limited circumstances and only with prior approval from ISS. Students will be considered for a reduced enrollment based on the reasons listed below. To be considered for an exception, RCL requests must be submitted to ISS through your ISSDeacs account as soon as possible. It can take up to two weeks to review documentation and process this request. RCL requests made after the last day of class for the semester the RCL is needed can not be considered nor approved per immigration regulations.
If you have any questions regarding RCLs, please schedule an appointment with an immigration specialist at this link.
Students may apply for a reduced course load due to academic difficulties if an academic advisor verifies and authorizes their situation. Immigration regulations specify four academic difficulty reasons for which a reduced course load may be approved:
- Initial difficulties with the English language (usable only in student’s first year)
- Initial difficulties with reading requirements (usable only in student’s first year)
- Unfamiliarity with American teaching methods
- Improper course level placement
Reduced Course Load requests must be approved by a student’s primary academic advisor before they can be reviewed by ISS.
Reduced enrollment for academic reasons may be approved for only one semester during the student’s degree program. Students should consider this carefully before requesting an approved reduced enrollment for academic reasons since it can only be used once.
Source: [8 CFR § 214.2(f)(6)(iii)(A)]
Students may drop below full-time enrollment or if necessary, no course load, for physical or mental health reasons, with specific documentation.
- Immigration regulations state that only a licensed medical doctor, psychiatrist, doctor of osteopathy, licensed psychologist, or clinical psychologist may recommend a student for a medical reduced course load.
- Medical RCLs are approved for one semester at a time. Continuing health problems may need more than one approval if they continue beyond one semester.
- Medical RCLs may be approved for no more than a cumulative period of 12 months during the student’s degree program.
- The letter from the medical provider must recommend either that the student be part time or not enrolled due to medical circumstances
- The letter from the medical provider must be in English, on professional letterhead, indicating the contact information for the provider with their signature.
Please note that requesting a medical leave or reduced course load from ISS is necessary for maintaining the visa status but there are additional procedures that involve other campus offices to obtain official approval based on the student’s academic program.
Source: [8 CFR § 214.2(f)(6)(iii)(B)]
Students must apply for an RCL in their final semester if fewer courses (i.e. less than full-time) are needed and required to complete the course of study.
The student must obtain approval from their academic advisor in their ISSDeacs account to verify that the current term will be the final term for the student to complete their academic program.
Source: [8 CFR § 214.2(f)(6)(iii)(C)]
Leave of Absence or Continuing Enrollment Status (CES)
A student who needs to pause their enrollment for a semester or more may request a leave of absence or continuous enrollment status. The process is different for undergraduate and graduate students. Before withdrawing or canceling enrollment, the following steps must be taken.
Undergraduate students must work with the Office of Academic Advising (OAA) and ISS to request continuous enrollment status (CES). Once a CES is approved, ISS will take appropriate action to terminate your immigration record for “authorized withdrawal” which carries no negative impact on future immigration status. Authorized Withdrawal allows F-1 students a 15-day grace period during which time they would be able to stay lawfully in the U.S. and prepare for departure.
Graduate students should work with their individual school and ISS to request a leave of absence. Once a leave of absence is approved, ISS will take appropriate action to terminate your immigration record for “authorized early withdrawal” which carries no negative impact on future immigration status. Authorized Withdrawal allows F-1 students a 15-day grace period during which time they would be able to stay lawfully in the U.S. and prepare for departure.
When or if you are ready to return, you will work with OAA or your individual school for a return from CES/leave of absence and acquire a return letter. Once approved for return, you will work with ISS to get a new I-20 with a new SEVIS ID number. You will need to repay the SEVIS I-901 fee and you will need to check with the U.S. consulate to see if a new visa is needed. This process should be started as soon as you know of your return.
A new I-20 will also start your Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) time clock over, this means you will need to complete two consecutive semesters before you can apply for CPT or OPT.
If you plan to transfer to another U.S. institution, you will need to request a Transfer Out request in ISSDeacs before ISS processes your CES/leave of absence withdrawal. Request a Transfer Out as soon as you know you will be going to a different institution.