Janice Lozano
The number of credits an international student needs varies depending on their visa status, level of study, and country or university of enrolment. For instance, international students in the US on an F-1 visa must be enrolled full-time, with undergraduates taking a minimum of 12 credits and graduates taking a minimum of 9 credits per semester. In contrast, EU and EEA countries use the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), where a full study year is typically 60 credits, requiring 180 credits for a Bachelor's degree and 120 credits for a Master's degree.
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What You'll Learn
Undergraduate students: 12 credits per semester
International students have different credit requirements depending on their visa status, degree level, and university. Undergraduate international students on an F or J visa must be enrolled full-time, which typically means taking 12 credits per semester. However, there may be exceptions to this requirement in certain circumstances.
F-1 and J-1 Visa Requirements
International students with F-1 or J-1 visas are required by U.S. federal regulations to maintain full-time enrollment throughout their program. Undergraduate students typically need to be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester, while graduate students must generally be enrolled for at least 9 credit hours. These requirements may vary depending on the specific university and program.
Reduced Course Load (RCL)
In some cases, international students may be authorized for a reduced course load (RCL) and approved to take fewer credits than the full-time requirement. Acceptable reasons for an RCL include medical issues, initial difficulties with the English language or reading requirements, unfamiliarity with American teaching methods, or being in the final semester of the program. Any RCL must be approved in advance by the International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) or a similar office at the student's university.
Summer Enrollment
During the summer, international students beginning their program of study must enrol full-time. Undergraduate students can either enrol in 12 credit hours total between two summer sessions or enrol for the second summer session only, taking at least 6 credit hours. Students with an F-1 visa can count up to 3 credit hours of online coursework towards their total, while students with a J-1 visa cannot count any online coursework towards their full-time enrollment requirement.
European Credit System
In contrast to the U.S. system, universities in EU and EEA countries use the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). In this system, a full study year consists of 60 credits, so a Bachelor's degree would typically require 180 credits, and a Master's degree would require 120 credits. Credits in the ECTS system are earned based on the student's workload, with each course typically worth around 7.5 credits.
In summary, international undergraduate students on an F or J visa are typically required to enrol in at least 12 credits per semester, but this may vary depending on their specific university, program, and visa status. It is important for international students to carefully review the credit requirements and regulations at their chosen university to ensure they maintain their valid immigration status.
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Graduate students: 9 credits per semester
International students on an F-1 or J-1 visa are required to maintain full-time enrolment throughout their programme. Graduate students are required to enrol in a minimum of 9 credits per semester. However, there are some exceptions to this rule.
For instance, graduate students with a full-time graduate assistantship on campus (GA, TA or RA) will have their GA position count as 5 credits, so only a minimum of 4 additional credits is required. Students in this situation should verify with their academic department that there is not a departmental minimum enrolment required. Doctoral-level graduate students with teaching or research responsibilities are also exempt from the minimum credit requirement.
Students in their final semester are only required to take the necessary credits to graduate, which must be approved by their faculty or academic advisor. Students dealing with a medical issue or emergency (physical or mental) can be authorised to drop below full-time enrolment. Students who are medically unable to maintain a full-time course load will need a letter of recommendation from a physician or the counselling centre.
Students may also be authorised for an exception and approved for a reduced course load (RCL) if they are having difficulty during their first semester due to initial difficulties with the English language or reading requirements, or unfamiliarity with American teaching methods. This requires a letter of assessment from the student's academic counsellor.
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F-1 status: full-time enrollment
To maintain your status as an F-1 student in the United States, you must be enrolled full-time during the regular semesters (Fall and Spring). Summer and Winter session enrollment is optional and is considered a "vacation period". However, if you plan to complete your academic programme during the summer term, you must follow all full-time enrollment rules.
The number of credits required for full-time enrollment varies depending on your degree level and your university. Undergraduate students are generally required to enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours each fall and spring semester. Graduate students must enroll in a minimum of 8–9 credit hours each semester. However, if graduate students have a full-time assistantship on campus, only a minimum of 4 additional credits is required.
Only one online 3-credit class will count toward your enrollment requirement each semester. You may not take only an online course in your final semester of study. If you are taking a mix of online and in-person classes, make sure that no more than the equivalent of one class or three credits per session, term, semester, trimester, or quarter is online.
If you are having difficulties due to language limitations, you may take a reduced course load. You must obtain approval from your Designated School Official (DSO) prior to withdrawing or taking a leave of absence. Students who withdraw or drop all classes without DSO approval will have their SEVIS records terminated.
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J-1 status: no online courses
International students in the US with F-1 or J-1 status are required to be enrolled full-time during the regular semesters (Fall and Spring). This is referred to as maintaining a "full course load" or "full course of study". Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester, while graduate students must be enrolled in at least 9 credit hours.
However, J-1 students cannot count online courses towards their full-time enrollment requirement. This means that J-1 students must enrol full-time in on-campus, face-to-face courses before adding any online courses each semester. In other words, J-1 students must take all their courses on campus and in person, even if the instructor offers a virtual option. Only after they have enrolled full-time in on-campus courses can J-1 students add an online course to their schedule.
There are some exceptions to the full-time enrollment requirement. Students in their final semester are allowed to enrol for less than full-time status. Additionally, students in master's thesis or doctoral programs who have completed all required courses and need only research credits to complete their degree requirements may enrol in a minimum of research credits. Students with extenuating circumstances may request authorization to drop below full-time enrollment, but this must be obtained before dropping any courses or the student may lose their valid J status. Students who have already fallen out of valid J status may be able to regain it, but this is considered on a case-by-case basis.
Students who are medically unable to maintain a full-time course load due to a condition certified by a physician or the Counseling Centre may also be authorized to enrol for less than full-time. The same applies if a student is having difficulty during their first semester of enrollment due to initial difficulties with the English language or reading requirements, or if a student has been advised by their academic advisor to take a course at an improper course level or is unfamiliar with American teaching methods.
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Summer term: 8-12 credits
The number of credits an international student needs varies depending on their visa status, degree level, and the school they attend. For example, international students in F-1 immigration status are required by immigration law to be enrolled full-time during the regular semesters (Fall and Spring). Summer and Winter session enrollment is optional unless you plan to complete your academic program during the summer term, in which case you must follow all full-time enrollment rules.
For the summer term, if your immigration document was issued for 6 weeks of study, you must register for at least 8 credits. If it was issued for 12 weeks of study, you must register for at least 12 credits over the entire Summer Term.
During the Fall and Spring semesters, F-1 students can count 3 credit hours of online coursework towards their total. J-1 students cannot count any online coursework towards their total. Undergraduate students are required to be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester, while graduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 credit hours.
Some students may be eligible to enroll for less than full-time or be considered full-time with fewer hours than stated above. For example, students may be authorized for an exception and approved for a reduced course load (RCL) for academic reasons, such as improper course level placement, initial difficulties with the English language and/or reading requirements, or unfamiliarity with American teaching methods. Medical reasons may also be accepted, with a letter of recommendation from a physician or the university's Counseling Center.
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Frequently asked questions
International students in F-1 immigration status are required to be enrolled full-time during the regular semesters (Fall and Spring). Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester, while graduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 credit hours.
Yes, there are limited exceptions to the full-time enrollment requirement. Students may be authorized for a reduced course load (RCL) in certain circumstances, such as medical issues, difficulty with English, or improper course level placement.
F-1 students can count up to 3 credit hours of online coursework towards their total. However, J-1 students cannot count any online coursework towards their full-time enrollment requirement.
Summer enrollment is typically optional for international students, unless they plan to complete their academic program during the summer term. In that case, they must follow the full-time enrollment rules.
In the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), a full study year consists of 60 credits. Therefore, a Bachelor's degree typically requires 180 credits, while a Master's degree requires 120 credits.
