Maintaining your status as either an F-1 or J-1 student is your responsibility. The United States Department of Homeland Security (F-1) and the U.S. Department of State (J-1) do not consider ignorance of the law a legitimate reason for failing to obey it. The information below is designed to assist you with your awareness of and compliance with the rules that regulate those in F-1/J-1 status.
CONTINUING students (Fall/Spring semesters):
Full-Time Enrollment Requirements
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All Undergraduate and Kent-Law students must be enrolled/registered for a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester.
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All Graduate students must be enrolled/registered for a minimum of 9 credit hours each semester.
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Graduate students with a teaching or research assistantship may register for a minimum of 6 credit hours to maintain their status.
Online Courses
Continuing F-1 and J-1 Students are permitted to take as many online courses as their academic department and instructors permit, without any negative consequences to their immigration status (per COVID instructional method guidance which currently is valid through Academic Year 2022-2023).
Reduced Course Load
If the Fall or Spring semester is your last semester, and you are registering for less than full time, you are REQUIRED to complete and submit to the International Center a Reduced Course Load (RCL) request within the ISSS portal.
Illinois Tech allows graduate students who have permission from their academic department to enroll in the following courses that are considered full-time (do not require an RCL request):
- Graduate students enrolled in research (course numbers 591, 691, 594, 597).
Add/Drop Deadline
There is a deadline for all international students to add or drop a class each semester, and the date is available on the Registrar's Office's website here. It is VERY important that you're enrolled fully by this date. Failure to be enrolled full-time by this deadline may negatively impact your immigration status.
The International Center is required to report your enrollment information to the Department of Homeland Security each semester, therefore, it is important that you enroll appropriately.
NEW students (Fall/Spring semesters):
(NEW students are considered students who are in their first semester in F-1 status in the U.S.)
Full-Time Enrollment Requirements
-
All Undergraduate and Kent-Law students must be enrolled/registered for a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester.
-
All Graduate students must be enrolled/registered for a minimum of 9 credit hours each semester.
-
Graduate students with a teaching or research assistantship may register for a minimum of 6 credit hours to maintain their status.
Online Courses
New F-1 and J-1 students are required to take at least one live/hybrid course in addition to other courses, in order to maintain their status. This means you cannot enroll in all online courses, at least one of your courses must be live/hybrid (per COVID instructional method guidance which currently is valid through Academic Year 2022-2023).
Add/Drop Deadline
There is a deadline for all international students to add or drop a class each semester, and the date is available on the Registrar's Office's website here. It is VERY important that you're enrolled fully by this date. Failure to be enrolled full-time by this deadline may negatively impact your immigration status.
The International Center is required to report your enrollment information to the Department of Homeland Security each semester, therefore, it is important that you enroll appropriately.