F-1 Students
Immigration regulations require undergraduate F-1 students to take a minimum of 12 credits every fall and spring semester. At least 9 of these credits must be for in-person or blended courses. Once a student has enrolled in 9 in-person credits the remainder of their credits can be online or remote.
Courses that count towards in-person credits are “in-person” and “hybrid” or “blended” courses. Courses that are considered online are courses with an “online” or “remote” designation.
Students must maintain this minimum enrollment for the entire semester. Dropping a course during the semester can put a student’s visa status at risk, if it will drop them below the minimum 12 credits total, or the minimum of 9 in-person credits.
J-1 Students
J-1 students can take a maximum of one online course per semester. J-1 students are allowed to take in-person classes with virtual components; hybrid classes that predominantly require in-person student attendance would be considered in-person courses.
Reduced Course Load Requests
There are some reasons that an international student may need to drop below a full course of study. A student may request a Reduced Course Load (RCL) from ISSS if they meet the criteria outlined by immigration regulations. Students must obtain ISSS approval before dropping below minimum enrollment, to avoid risk to their visa status. If you have questions about Reduced Course Loads, please contact [email protected] or 612-626-7100.
