Immigration regulations permit up to 3 credits of online/remote instruction to count towards the credits needed to complete their program in their final semester.
- This rule applies even in the final semester.
If You Will Be Enrolled Full-Time In Your Final Semester (at least 12 credits as an undergrad or 5 credits as a graduate student)
The standard semester enrollment policy remains the same. Only 3 credits of online instruction are permitted out of the 12 credits for undergraduate students, 5 credits for graduate students.- Example: An undergraduate student enrolled in 12 credit hours must have 9 credits in-person, the other 3 credits can be online or in-person.
- Example: A graduate student enrolled in 5 credit hours must have at least 2 credits in-person, the other 3 credits can be online or in-person.
If You Will Be Enrolled Part-Time In Your Final Semester (fewer than 12 credits as an undergrad or fewer than 5 credits as a graduate student)
International students are permitted to enroll in fewer credits during their final semester if they do not need full-time enrollment to complete their academic program requirements. However, students are still limited to applying no more than 3 credits of online/distance learning toward the required credits to graduate.
On-Campus presence is still required in a student’s final semester.
- Example: An undergraduate student requires 6 credits to graduate. 3 credits must be from an in-person class, and the other 3 credits can be online or in-person. Â
- Example: A graduate student requires 4 credits to graduate. At least 1 credit must be in-person, the other 3 credits can be online or in-person.
Do the Rules Change During Summer?
These rules do NOT change for summer. If summer is the term you will graduate, then you must either enroll full-time (6 credit hours for undergraduate and 3 for graduate students, depending on graduate student registration status and level of course enrollment ) or submit a Confirmation of Final Semester e-form (available in MyISSS portal) to enroll less than full-time. Only 3 online/remote credits are allowed towards your full-time enrollment.
Example: An undergraduate student requires just 3 credits to graduate in the summer term, and the course has both in-person and online availability. You have two enrollment options to maintain your F-1 status and remain inside the U.S.:
- Option 1: Choose the 3 credit in-person course
- Option 2: Enroll in the 3 credit online/remote course, but you must also enroll in at least 1 additional in-person credit hour to meet the on-campus presence requirement.
How to Apply for Permission to Enroll in Fewer Credits in Your Final Semester
Submit the Confirmation of Final Semester e-form (available in ).
- At the bottom of the e-form, you will enter your Academic Advisor's or Graduate Program Administrator's name and email address. This person will be emailed a link to access your Confirmation of Final Semester e-form and will be asked to complete a section of the e-form confirming the required courses needed for you to complete your program.
- Do NOT change these courses until you first speak with an ISSS advisor to confirm if changing the classes will affect your immigration status.