Full-time Enrollment

Regulations require F-1 students to enroll full-time each semester to maintain status. In order to ensure your status, you must follow the enrollment requirements listed below:

  • Regulations require all undergraduate students to enroll for at least 12 credit hours per semester. Graduate and doctoral students must enroll for at least 6 credit hours per semester, and law student’s 12 credit hours.
  • Graduate students who have completed all their coursework need to enroll in the three-credit or zero-credit research only course which is considered full-time.
  • Classes taken for ‘audit’ do not count toward the full course of study.
  • Do not enroll in more than one 3-credit on-line course per semester towards the “full-time” course load requirement.

 

What if I need to drop a class below full-time?

Before you drop a class that will take you below full-time registration, contact both your academic advisor and international student advisor.

You must submit a completed RCL Authorization Form and any supplemental documentation to an international student advisor.

Reasons to Drop Below Full-Time:

  • Initial difficulty with English language
  • Initial difficulty with reading requirement
  • Unfamiliarity with American teaching methods
  • Improper course level placement
  • Illness or medical condition (Physician’s note is required)
  • Final academic semester; academic program expected to be completed during the current academic semester

If any of the above exceptions apply to you, you MUST meet with the international student advisor to obtain permission prior to the start of the semester or as soon as you know you will not be enrolled full time at St. Thomas University.

Do not drop below full-time before you have received ISSS approval. Students who drop below full-time without ISSS approval may be considered in violation of their F-1 status.