International students must make normal progress towards their degree and enroll full-time every semester. Dropping below full-time without authorization from International Student Services (ISS) is a violation of immigration status. If a student drops below full-time without prior authorization, their SEVIS record could be terminated and they may be required to leave the U.S.
If an undergraduate international student needs to be administratively dropped from a course due to nonattendance, please contact ISS for assistance.
Normal Progress
International students must make normal progress towards completing their degree. We rely on you to confirm whether students are making normal progress.
If your students submit a request to ISS, we may ask you to provide additional information about their academic progress, such as GPA, degree requirements remaining or expected degree completion date. For many requests, you'll be able to provide this information directly in MyGlobal, our online system for managing international student records. Your students will initiate the requests by submitting an e-form in MyGlobal. After submission, you’ll receive an email with a direct link to the advisor portion of the e-form.
Full-Time Enrollment
Undergraduate Students
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Must enroll in a minimum of 12 units every fall and spring semester. Winter and summer courses do not count toward full-time enrollment.
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Must enroll in a minimum of 6 units if beginning their program in summer
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After the first day of the semester, the minimum unit load in UAccess will be set to 12 units, to prevent undergraduate students from dropping below full-time. Student should use the swap function or add, then drop to change their schedule. If a student needs to be administratively dropped from a course due to nonattendance, please contact an international student advisor for assistance.
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Only 1 class or 3 units of online courses can be counted towards full-time (students must have at least 9 units in-person each fall and spring semester).
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Final term: If a student is completing during the summer or winter term, they must enroll in at least 1 in-person class during their final term. If completing during the fall or spring term and the student needs less than 12 units to complete their degree, they must submit the Full-Time Enrollment Exemption e-form in MyGlobal before the semester begins. After students submit the e-form, you will receive an automatic email with a link to log into MyGlobal so you can complete the advisor portion of the e-form. Students cannot use GRO in their final semester if it is their only class and they do not need to receive a higher grade for the class in order to earn their degree.
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Students who receive a grade of “incomplete” for a class cannot remain in the U.S. for additional semesters to finish the requirements without enrolling.
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Read more about concurrent enrollment under Full-Time Enrollment: Undergraduate Students.
Graduate Students
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Must enroll in a minimum of 9 units, or 6 units with an assistantship, every fall and spring semester. Winter and summer courses do not count toward full-time enrollment. See chart below for additional enrollment scenarios.
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Must enroll in a minimum of 6 units if beginning their program in summer
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Final term: If a student is completing during the summer or winter term, they must enroll in at least 1 in-person class during their final term. Doctoral students completing during the summer or winter are not required to enroll for any units if they have already completed coursework and the required 900-level thesis/master’s report/dissertation/recital units. If a student is completing during the fall or spring term and needs less than 9 units to complete their degree, they must submit the Full-Time Enrollment Exemption e-form in MyGlobal before the semester begins. After students submit the e-form, you will receive an automatic email with a link to log into MyGlobal so you can complete the advisor portion of the e-form.
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Students who receive a grade of “incomplete” for a class cannot remain in the U.S. for additional semesters to finish the requirements without enrolling.
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Students who have completed all coursework or all coursework and 900-level thesis/master’s report/dissertation/recital units may be eligible to be considered full-time with fewer units (see the chart below).
| Scenario | Enrollment Required for Full-Time Status |
Required Forms | Action by Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| No assistantship | 9 units each fall and spring | No | |
| Assistantship | 6 units each fall and spring | No | |
| Completed coursework | 3 units of 900-level thesis/master's report/dissertation/recital | Submit the Graduate Coursework Completion e-form in MyGlobal | Advisor e-form (you will receive an email with the link after the student submits) |
| Completed coursework and minimum required 900-level units | 1 unit | Submit Application for Advanced Status to Registrar. ISS may also request the Graduate Coursework Completion e-form in MyGlobal if the student has a pending request with our office. | Advisor e-form (you will receive an email with the link after the student submits) |
What classes count toward full-time enrollment for undergraduate and graduate international students?
| Class Type | Counts Towards Full-Time Enrollment? | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|
| Audit | No | |
| Correspondence | No | |
| Hybrid | Yes | |
| Independent Study | Yes | Exchange students can only count 3 units toward full-time enrollment, and should submit a copy of the independent study plan to ISS. |
| In-person | Yes | |
| Online | Yes | 1 class or 3 units count towards full-time; cannot be only units in the final semester or term including summer and winter |
Exemptions to Full-Time Enrollment
International students can be exempted from full-time enrollment if they meet one of the conditions below and receive prior written approval from International Student Services (ISS).
Last Semester
If they need less than the units normally required for full-time enrollment in their last semester, students can submit the Full-Time Enrollment Exemption e-form in MyGlobal before the semester begins. After students submit the e-form, you will receive an automatic email with a link to log into MyGlobal so you can complete the advisor portion of the e-form. If students do not graduate in the semester for which they were approved, they may be out of status.
Medical Conditions
If a student cannot attend classes due to a severe illness or injury, they must contact ISS to request an exemption. Students must submit a letter from a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy or a licensed clinical psychologist. They are eligible for up to 12 months of medical reduced course load per degree level and must apply for an exemption each semester.
Academic Difficulty
If a student is having severe difficulty understanding classroom lectures due to lack of proper English and/or reading skills, unfamiliarity with American teaching methods or improper course level placement, they can be authorized for a reduced course load. Students must submit a letter from their department explaining why the exemption is needed. Exemptions for academic difficulty are normally approved during a student’s first semester, and only once per degree level. If approved, students must register for a minimum of 6 units. For more information, contact an international student advisor.