Enrollment and Reductions in Course Load

To maintain valid F-1 status, a student must maintain a full-course of study. Full-time enrollment is defined in the Florida State University "General Bulletin." Below is a chart that shows minimum enrollment requirements for immigration purposes.

Please also note that if an academic department requires enrollment that exceeds the information below, international students must comply with the departmental policy. The enrollment minimums in the chart below are only minimums to maintain proper F-1 immigration status. International students must enroll for the immigration minimums AND satisfy requirements of FSU and the academic department.


Undergraduates

12 hours - minimum enrollment is required in both Fall and Spring semesters.

Final Term - Minimum enrollment in the final semester is the number of hours required to complete the degree. Students must submit a Final Term Form to the International Center no later than 2 weeks into the final term.

Online Classes - Only 1 on-line course or distance education class that counts toward a full course load is allowed per semester. (At least 9 credit hours must be face-to-face classes.) During the summer, students may enroll in as many online classes as desired, except when summer is the student’s first or last semester. In the student’s final term, enrollment cannot be 100% online.

Summer Enrollment - Summer term enrollment is NOT required by immigration regulations unless Summer is the first semester at FSU or if it is the final semester. (Students must fulfill the FSU summer term requirements, unless exempt.)
Graduates

9 hours - minimum enrollment is required in both Fall and Spring semesters except in cases described below.

3 hours - minimum enrollment is considered full-time after completing 6 thesis hours (Masters) or 24 dissertation hours (PhD). Students with assistantships or special fellowships that may stipulate higher enrollment must enroll in hours determined by department or fellowship.

Final Term for graduate students completing a Thesis or Dissertation - To satisfy immigration requirements, F-1 students are only required to take the number of credits required to complete the degree, and are not required to enroll full time. FSU requires a minimum of 2 hours enrollment for thesis or dissertation in the final term of study (even if the final term is during the summer). Note that students with assistantships must enroll in 9-12 hours, and students with special fellowship should enroll as specified in the terms of their fellowship. All F-1 students should submit a Final Term Form to the International Center no later than 2 weeks into the final term.

Final Term for Masters students completing coursework (non-thesis option) - To satisfy immigration requirements, F-1 students are only required to take the number of credits required to complete the degree, and are not required to enroll full time. However, students with assistantships must enroll in 9-12 hours, and students with special fellowship should enroll as specified in the terms of their fellowship. All F-1 students should submit a Final Term Form to the International Center no later than 2 weeks into the final term. Note: F-1 students MUST be enrolled in the semester in which they complete their degree requirements, even if completing an exam for which they enrolled in a previous semester.

Online Classes - Only 1 on-line course or distance education class that counts toward a full course load is allowed per semester. (At least 6 credit hours must be face-to-face classes.) During the summer, students may enroll in as many online classes as desired, except when summer is the student’s first or last semester, In the student’s final term, enrollment cannot be 100% online.

Summer Enrollment - Summer term enrollment is NOT required by immigration regulations unless Summer is an F-1 student’s first semester at FSU or if it is their final semester. Note: Departmental policies may dictate summer registration and students working on their degrees and using university resources should be enrolled. Doctoral students should also be aware of enrollment required to meet the FSU residence requirement.


Adds, Drops, Changes, and Withdrawals
Registered students may add or drop a course during the drop/add period in the first week of classes, as long as a full course load is maintained. During normal pre-registration and drop/add period, you  can drop and add courses online using Blackboard.

  • After the drop/add period, all drop/add requests or withdrawal requests must be approved by the International Center before the Registrar’s office will process them. Drop/adds processed after the 7th week of classes will also require signature of the Academic Dean.
  • You may also be liable for fees after the drop/add period closes.
  • If you receive an assistantship or waivers, you may be held liable for payment of the dropped hours. Check with your academic department regarding this issue.

Authorized Reductions in Course Load (RCL)
You must obtain prior authorization from an IC advisor for a reduced course load.
For students at all degree levels, immigration regulations allow an international student advisor to authorize reduced enrollment for the following specific reasons only:

  1. Initial difficulty with the English language or reading requirements
  2. Unfamiliarity with US teaching methods
  3. Improper course level placement
  4. Medical condition defined by a licensed physician or psychologist/psychiatrist
  5. Final Semester

Reduced enrollment for academic reasons (options 1-3) must consist of at least 6 (six) credit hours in the Fall and Spring semesters or at least half of the normal full course load for that term. Full-time enrollment must resume the following term. 

A reduced course load for medical reasons may allow as little as 0 (zero) enrollment hours. Medical reduced course load authorization can be renewed each term as needed for a maximum of 12 months during a student’s program of study.