The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has indicated it plans to return to the usual registration requirements for F-1 students in Fall 2023. As classes at the University of Minnesota have returned to primarily in-person and blended modes of delivery and the U.S. government’s COVID-19 emergency will end in May 2023, the Department of Homeland Security’s exception allowing additional online courses no longer applies and will expire.
This means that there is a limit to how many credits of online courses can count toward your full-time registration each semester.
Undergraduate F-1 students
You are required to take a minimum of 12 credits every fall and spring semester. At least 9 of your credits must be for in-person or blended courses. Once you have enrolled in 9 credits of in-person or blended courses, the remainder of your credits can be online or remote.
Summer enrollment for continuing students is optional and is not subject to this requirement.
Graduate F-1 students
You are required to take a minimum of 6 credits every fall and spring semester. At least 3 of your credits must be for in-person or blended courses. Your remaining credits may be online or remote.
Summer enrollment for continuing students is optional and is not subject to this requirement.
Professional F-1 students
As a professional student, you are required to take between 6 and 12 credits per semester, depending on your program, to be considered full-time. No more than 3 credits of online or remote coursework can count toward your full-time registration.
Summer enrollment for continuing students is optional and is not subject to this requirement.
F-1 students on post-completion OPT
As the U.S. government’s COVID-19 emergency will end in May 2023, the Department of Homeland Security’s exception allowing F-1 students on OPT to work less than 20 hours per week no longer applies and will expire. The usual F-1 regulations will resume as a result.
Starting on May 11, 2023, students in their 12 months of post-completion OPT must work at least 20 hours per week in order to be considered employed.
F-1 students starting a new program in summer
F-1 students must enroll full-time in their first term of a program, even if that first term is in the summer. No more than 3 credits of online or remote coursework can count toward their full-time registration.
Frequently asked questions
What is changing?
The rules are a return to previous, pre-pandemic requirements.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government allowed F-1 students with Active SEVIS records to take UMN online or remote courses from outside the U.S. or to be on campus but enroll in more online or remote credits. This has been called the COVID exception to F-1 regulations.
Why is this change being made?
The U.S. government is ending the COVID-19 emergency effective in May 2023.
At the University of Minnesota, operations have largely returned to normal, with more than 80% of courses offered in-person or blended.
What kinds of classes count toward the requirement?
The University of Minnesota offers four types of course delivery modes:
- In-person
- Blended (combination of in-person and online or remote)
- Online
- Remote
Both in-person and blended courses count toward the requirement. How many credits you need depends on your student level:
- Undergraduate students: At least 9 credits of in-person or blended courses. The remainder of your credits may be online or remote.
- Graduate students: At least 3 credits of in-person or blended courses. The remainder of your credits may be online or remote.
- Professional students: No more than 3 credits of online or remote coursework can count toward your full-time registration each semester.
Can I take less than a full course of study?
Under F-1 student visa regulations, all students must be registered full time each fall and spring semester. You must get ISSS approval to take less than a full course of study. There are limited reasons that ISSS can approve a student’s Reduced Course Load.
I am a graduate student planning to take thesis credits / FTE / GRAD 999. Are these in-person courses?
Yes, thesis credits, FTE (full-time equivalent), and GRAD 999 are all considered on campus, in-person courses.
What if I will be studying abroad or conducting research abroad?
Students participating in a UMN-approved study abroad program and graduate students on thesis/dissertation research abroad will continue to work with ISSS to keep their F-1 status Active.
What if I am on OPT?
Starting on May 11, 2023, students in their 12 months of post-completion OPT must work at least 20 hours per week in order to be considered employed.
What if I am on the 24-month STEM OPT Extension?
Nothing is changing. F-1 students on the 24-month STEM OPT extension have always been required to work at least 20 hours per week.
What are the requirements for J-1 students?
J-1 students may take a maximum of one online course per semester. J-1 students may take in-person classes with virtual components. Hybrid classes that predominantly require in-person student attendance would be considered in-person courses.
Have additional questions?
Please contact an ISSS advisor.
