Full Course of Study Requirement
- Full Course Requirement
- Acceptable Reasons for Reduced Course Load
- Reasons Not Accepable for a Reduced Course Load
- Reduced Course Load for J-1 Students Form
- Enrollment for Classes at Another School
- Consequence of Failure to Enroll Full Time Without an Acceptable Reason
Full Course of Study Requirement
Immigration regulations require that all J-1 students register for and complete a full course of study every term to maintain legal status. Read below for general rules about registration. Click here for information about exceptions to the full course of study requirement.
Students must have prior approval from ISSS before the semester begins if you plan to enroll for less than a full course of study or before a cancel/withdraw that results in less than a full course load.
- Credit Requirements:
- Graduate School Students: 6 credits per semester
- Undergraduate Students: 12 credits per semester
- Non-degree seeking students: 12 credits per semester
- Professional School Students: 12 credits per semester
- Note: Certain academic programs as well as exchange and scholarship program sponsors and other private educational funding agencies may use a different credit requirement for their students. If this credit requirement is higher than the requirement listed above, it takes precedence over the above requirement.
- Summer Session Enrollment: Continuing students are not required to enroll during summer session. Students admitted to begin a program in the summer MUST enroll full-time during the summer of admission.
- Thesis credits DO count toward your full course of study requirement. As long as the total number of credits meets your minimum requirement, you may take any combination of thesis and/or course credits.
- FTE stands for Full Time Equivalent. This means that the FTE courses (8444 for PhD students and 8333 for Master’s students) satisfy the full-course requirement for Graduate Students. If you are taking the FTE course, you do NOT need to submit a
Reduced Course Load for J-1 Students
form to ISSS.
- Grad0999 enrollment does NOT satisfy the full course requirement. Grad0999 is a zero-credit registration. Students enrolling in Grad0999 must also submit a Reduced Course Load Form to ISSS in order to maintain immigration status.
- Audited courses do NOT count toward your full course requirement. The audit grade basis for courses means you do not earn credit for the course.
- Enroll for all of your credits at the beginning of the term. If you plan to split your enrollment between the first and second half of the semester, you must enroll for ALL courses at the beginning of the term. You may not wait until mid-term to enroll for second half courses.
- You are responsible for your enrollment. If your department will perform enrollment for you, make sure that your enrollment occurs before the drop/add deadline of the term. SEVIS reporting occurs early in the semester, therefore retroactive enrollment is not acceptable. If your department does not enroll you before the deadline, YOU will lose your legal status.
Acceptable Reasons for a Reduced Course Load (J-1 Students)
The immigration service recognizes that circumstances exist that prohibit a student from enrolling full time. Consequently, the immigration service has declared the following to be acceptable reasons for carrying less than a full course load.
Note: The reasons below are acceptable only if a student has obtained PRIOR approval from an ISSS adviser for completing less than a full course of study. Approval is given once the student has completed and submitted the Reduced Course Load Form. Students who may have an acceptable reason but fail to obtain prior approval from ISSS are in violation of legal status.
- It is your final semester and you need less than a full course load to graduate.
- You are participating in authorized pre-completion Academic Training.
- You have a bona fide academic reason. In addition to the Reduced Course Load Form, you must submit a letter from your academic adviser explaining the reason.
- You have a medical reason. In addition to the Reduced Course Load form, a letter from your physician is required which states that you are not able to maintain full-time study.
- You have been granted Special Asian Student Relief. You must attach a copy of your authorization.
Students not present in the U.S. are not required to adhere to U.S. government regulations relating to the J-1 visa status.
Reasons Not Acceptable for Reduced Course Load
- Financial difficulties
- Medical illness of family member or friend
- Study for the GMAT, GRE, CPA, or other similar exam(s)
- Suspension from academic program
- Working on Incompletes from a previous quarter/semester
Reduced Course Load for J-1 Students Form
The Reduced Course Load for J-1 Students Form must be completed for each semester that a student fails to enroll full time. It is imperative that the Reduced Course Load form be submitted to ISSS and approved prior to enrollment for less than a full course of study or prior to a cancel/withdrawal that results in less than a full course of study. Failure to obtain prior approval for a reduced course load will result in the loss of legal status.
- All Students must submit their Reduced Course Load form to an ISSS adviser during scheduled walk-in hours or a scheduled appointment.
- Graduate students taking zero credits must register for grad 0999 BEFORE submitting the Reduced Course Load Form to ISSS.
- ISSS advisers will make the final decision on the acceptability of the Reduced Course Load form.
- A Reduced Course Load form approved by ISSS allows a student to maintain legal J-1 status.
Medical Reasons
- ISSS advises that students who are ill and unable to attend classes see a doctor regarding their illness. If the illness is such that the doctor recommends that the student withdraw from classes or not enroll, the student may file a Reduced Course Load form with a supporting letter from the physician. The supporting documentation must clearly state that request for a reduction in the student's course load is based on medical considerations.
- The supporting letter which accompanies your Reduced Course Load Form for a medical reason must be written by a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or licensed clinical psychologist. The letter must clearly state that the student is unable to maintain full-time enrollment or is unable to enroll in any classes, whichever is the case.
- Illness of family members is not a reason recognized by the immigration service for failure to enroll for a full course of study.
Enrollment for Classes at Another School
- The U of MN DS-2019 requires that a J-1 student satisfy the full-course requirement at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus during the academic year.
- A U of MN student may enroll for classes at another school during the academic year if s/he is enrolled full-time at the University of Minnesota.
- A U of MN student may enroll at another school during the summer vacation.
- In extremely limited circumstances, ISSS will provide approval for a student to take a class at another school during the academic year. A student must obtain ISSS approval before enrolling at another school in such case. A copy of the registration statement from the other school with the number of credits displayed must be submitted with the Reduced Course Load Form.
- Students who are required by their college to register for 13 credits per semester will be charged for 13 unless they file the request for a reduced credit load form.
Consequences of Failure to Enroll Full Time Without an Acceptable Reason
- Results in a Violation of Legal Status
- Results in the loss of eligibility to maintain on-campus employment and off-campus employment.
- Results in ineligibility to transfer to another institution or J-1 sponsor
- Results in ineligibility to change visa status
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