Every international student must be enrolled full time every semester. Dropping below full time without prior authorization from OGI is considered a serious violation of your status and can be cause for termination of your SEVIS record.
You must have at least one in person class in your final semester, even if your final semester is a summer term.
What is considered full-time enrollment?
Undergraduate students: Enroll in 12 credits every spring and fall semesters. Enrollment in the summer is optional. You do not need to be full-time during that term.
Limit on online courses: Only 3 credits per semester may count towards full-time enrollment. This means you must have at least 9 credits in person every semester.
Graduate students: Enroll in 9 credits every spring and fall semesters. Enrollment in the summer is optional. You do not need to be full-time during that term.
Limit on online courses: Only 3 credits per semester may count towards full-time enrollment. This means you must have at least 6 credits in person every semester.
What is Full-Time Certification?
Full-time certification means you are approved to study part-time because you meet very specific criteria and you have been approved by OGI to be part-time. It is for immigration purposes only.
Undergraduate students: You may drop below 12 credits only if:
- You are in your last semester and you do not need 12 units in order to graduate. You must submit the Adviser Form for Full-Time Certification for Undergraduate students.
- You have medical or academic reasons that warrant dropping below full time. You must submit the Adviser Form for Reduced Course Load. Medical documentation from a U.S. based doctor is required for a medical reduced course load.
You are still limited to only 3 online credits and you must have at least 1 in-person class. Exceptions may apply for medical reduced course load. You must have prior authorization from OGI to drop below full time.
Graduate Students: You may only drop below 9 credits if:
- You are in your last semester and you need less than 9 credits in order to graduate.
- You are taking less than required number of credits due to a co-op/internship.
- You have medical reasons that warrant dropping below full time. Medical documentation from a U.S. based doctor is required.
You are still limited to only 3 online credits and you must have at least 1 in-person class. Exceptions may apply for medical reduced course load.
You must submit the Adviser Form for Full Time Certification for Master’s students or Doctorate students. You must have prior authorization from OGI to drop below full time.
For example, master’s students typically follow this sequence of number of credits per semester:
Option 1: 9-9-9-3 (in this case the student will graduate at the end of the 4th semester)
Option 2: 12-12-6* (in this case the student will graduate at the end of the 3rd semester)
PhD students can have multiple semesters of below full-time enrollment due to dissertation work only.
*Students cannot take 6 thesis credits at once. Thesis credits have to be combined with other courses.