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.
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.
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 ) |
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) |
Full-Course Enrollment - Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, students who are returning from a break in study on a new SEVIS ID will need to meet full time enrollment requirements.
If your program is broken into 1st, 2nd, or 3rd sessions, students should ensure they are enrolled in at least 3 credits in-person at any given point in the semester.
No, if summer is your last semester and you have no plans to enroll for the following fall, you are required to maintain a full course load or apply for a reduced course load for your final semester. Please see our Reduced Course Load page for more information.
If you are unsure if you are meeting full-time enrollment requirements, please meet with an international student advisor to confirm your academic schedule meets requirements.
To see if you qualify for a reduced course load, please visit the Reduced Course Load page and discuss your situation with an International Student Advisor.
Students in F-1 status are required to maintain full-time enrollment each semester. If you are found to be under-enrolled without ISSS's permission your immigration status will be at risk of termination. If you find you are not meeting enrollment requirements, please contact ISSS to discuss your options.
You will need to ensure that you enroll in at least 3 credits of in-person courses first and then you may add an additional 2 credits online, if necessary. In-person courses should always be prioritized first. You must also make sure you submit a reduced course load authorization request prior to the start of the semester.
The US government has stated that students are not allowed to be in all online courses in their last semester as it implies that the student no longer needs to be present in the United States and could complete their degree in their home country. If you only have one online credit left to graduate, you must find another in-person course to take to ensure you maintain on-campus presence in your last semester. You may also return home to finish your program; however, this will make you ineligible for OPT.
No, if you will be below full-time enrollment, you may only count a maximum of 3 credits online towards your enrollment.
We are seeing an increased number of requests for evidence from USCIS asking students to prove their physical presence on-campus. Regardless, if you are finished with your coursework, we recommend you work with your advisor to find ways to continue to come to campus (e.g. in-person meetings with department, working in labs, etc).
You only need to apply for a reduced course load if you will be below full-time enrollment in your last semester. One will not automatically be granted to you. If you are able to enroll full-time then no reduced course load is needed.