Less Than Full-Time Enrollment
Foreign students with F-1 or J-1 visa status must be enrolled full time during the fall and spring semesters. Full time enrollment for graduate students is defined as 9 credit hours per semester. For undergraduate students full time is 12 credit hours.
Exceptions to the Full Time Enrollment Rule:
- Illness or medical condition that prevents full time enrollment (requires physician's letter)
- Initial difficulty with the English language or with reading requirements (Allowed only during 1st semester of studies)
- Unfamiliarity with American teaching methods (Allowed only during 1st semester of studies)
- Improper course level placement
- To complete course of study in current term
- The student has a graduate teaching or research assistantship and the department/graduate school considers 6 credit hours plus the graduate assistantship assignment as full time enrollment
Students enrolled less than full time are required to provide the International Student Office with the required documentation. This must be done before the first day of classes for the semester they are under enrolled.
Instructions to Apply:
- Identify the reason for less than full time enrollment
- Meet with your academic adviser to review the "Notification of Less than Full Time Enrollment" form
- Obtain his/her recommendation and signature on the form
- Submit completed "Notification of Less than Full Time" form to the International Student Office>
- An international student adviser will notify the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of your less than full time enrollment via SEVIS (Student Exchange and Visitors Information System)
- A new I-20 with authorization for less than full time enrollment will be issued for that semester
Additional Information:
If your last remaining class is only offered online, you will be required to register for an additional class taught in an "in class" format to meet immigration regulations.
If you have any questions, please contact kcombs@wtamu.edu