Students on F visas must meet certain enrollment requirements in order to remain in status. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the termination (cancellation) of your I-20.
Undergraduate students
Must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits (full time) for Fall and Spring semesters.
Summer enrollment is not required to maintain status unless one of the following exceptions applies to you.
- EXCEPTIONS:
- Students whose first semester of enrollment at Cedar Crest in during the Summer must enroll in 12 credits (full time).
- Students who took the Spring semester off and are returning in the Summer must enroll in 12 credits (full time).
Graduate students
Must enroll in a minimum of 9 credits (full time) for Fall and Spring semesters.
Summer enrollment is not required to maintain status unless one of the following exceptions applies to you.
- EXCEPTIONS:
- Students whose first semester of enrollment at Cedar Crest in during the Summer must enroll for 9 credits (full time).
- Students who took the Spring semester off and are returning in the Summer must enroll in 9 credits (full time).
Online Courses
International students may not pursue online programs, but you are permitted by USCIS to take online courses. Only 1 online course or 3 online credits may be used towards the enrollment minimums listed above.
- Example: an undergraduate student who must enroll in 12 credits in the Fall may take a 3-credit online course and 9 credits of on-campus courses to equal the 12-credit requirement. In other words...
- 3 credits online + 9 credits on-campus = OK for full time status
- 2 courses online + 2 courses on-campus = 12 credits? NOT OK for full time status
- EXCEPTION: If you are in your last semester and have only one course remaining for graduation, you may not take this course online.
Permission to enroll as a part-time student
Students may be permitted to enroll as part-time students (Reduced Course Load, RCL) once per academic level. Part-time enrollment requires prior approval, and may only be approved for reasons defined by USCIS. Please review the Reduced Course Load (RCL) Information section in Information and Resources.
Overload requests
Students at Cedar Crest are allowed to enroll for up to 19 credits without special permission. If you register for more than 19 credits, you will be charged an extra fee. If your tuition is paid by a scholarship agency, we strongly recommend that you contact them before registering for an overload to see if they will pay the extra fee. If they will not, you will be required to pay the fee yourself.
To request permission to register for more than 19 credits, you must submit the Overload Request Form in My.CedarCrest. After you submit your request, it will be reviewed by Academic Services and the Registrar's Office and you will receive a response to your request by email.