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full-time enrollment

Learn about what it means to be "Full-Time" and how it impacts students with an F-1 Visa. 


Overview and Definition

F-1 students are required to be enrolled "full-time" in their first semester of their program and during the academic year (Fall and Spring semesters). Students must make satisfactory progress towards their degree completion requirements to remain in compliance with federal regulations and university policies that pertain to their visa.

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policies

Physical Presence

Students may not take only online classes in their final semester. If a student will be below full-time in their final semester, they are only allowed to count a maximum of 3 credits online towards their enrollment. If Summer is the final semester, students must still have on-campus presence and it must not be treated as a vacation semester. 

Students who are engaged in thesis/dissertation work and have finished their coursework are still expected to maintain physical presence on campus during Fall and Spring semesters.

1st Half or 2nd Half Courses

Students are not allowed to be enrolled in only 1st or 2nd half courses. Students can have a mixed course-load. Students must have a FULL-SEMESTER course schedule.

Students can have a mixed course-load.

Summer (Vacation Semester)

Enrollment is optional in the Summer for continuing students who are not starting/completing their program in the Summer. They may enroll in no classes or take fewer classes as there is no enrollment requirement for continuing students in the summer.

  Students are eligible for a vacation semester if they are intending to enroll in the Fall semester. If the student is not intending to enroll in the fall semester, they should plan to depart the United States after the Spring semester and submit a SEVIS Closure request.

Summer (First Semester)

If a student begins their new program in Summer, they are REQUIRED to be enrolled full-time to remain in compliance with federal regulations and university policies that pertain to their visa.

  It is the student's responsibility to be mindful of the courses available during the summer semester before considering to start their program in the Summer. Failing to enroll full-time will be considered as failing to maintain status and will result in the student falling out-of-status with their F-1 visa status.

Hybrid  Classes

Students enrolled in a course with the instruction mode as hybrid will count towards the in-person requirements and be considered enrolled full-time.

Online or Remote Real-Time Classes

Students may not enroll in all online or all Remote Real-Time classes. If students are enrolled in Online or Remote Real-Time credits, only 3 credits of an online or Remote Real-Time course per semester will count towards the minimum number of credits needed for full-time enrollment as an F-1 or J- student. All other credits must be in-person or hybrid credits to fulfill the in-person requirement. 

Lab Courses

Only credit-bearing courses will count towards full-time enrollment. For students who are enrolled in an online course with a lab attached and the lab itself is conducted in-person, ISSS will only count the lecture (credit-bearing) course and not the lab since it is a non-credit bearing section.

Reduced Course Load (RCL)

Student’s in their final semester or those who will need to be under-enrolled for medical or academic difficulties, should visit our Reduced Course Load page.

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Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students must have the following number of credits to be considered full-time.

 

Semester Minimum Credits Required

Minimum In-Person Credits 

+

Full Semester Credits (In Person/Hybrid)

Fall

 credit hours 

 credit hours

(In-Person/Hybrid)

 credits out of   credit hours must be Full Semester )

Spring  credit hours 

 credit hours

(In-Person/Hybrid)

 credits out of   credit hours must be Full Semester )

Summer (Vacation) 0 credit hours 0 credit hours
Summer (First Semester)  credit hours 

 credit hours

(In-Person/Hybrid)

 credits out of   credit hours must be Full Semester )

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Graduate students

Graduate students must have the following number of credits to be considered full-time.

Doctoral and Master Thesis/Project students who have completed all coursework must be enrolled in a 3-credit thesis/dissertation course to be considered enrolled full-time. The course must be either In-Person or Hybrid to meet in-person credit requirements. The following course numbers are considered thesis courses: 6970-6989 or 7970-7989. 

Semester Minimum Credits Required

Minimum In-Person Credits (In-Person/Hybrid) 

Full Semester Credits

Fall

 credit hours 

 credit hours

(In-Person/Hybrid)

 credits out of   credit hours must be Full Semester)

Spring  credit hours 

 credit hours

(In-Person/Hybrid)

 credits out of   credit hours must be Full Semester)

Summer (Vacation) 0 credit hours 0 credit hours
Summer (First Semester)  credit hours 

 credit hours

(In-Person/Hybrid)

 credits out of   credit hours must be Full Semester)

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Last Updated: 11/14/24