Close
Close
Search this website

Enrollment Requirements

Understanding F-1 student enrollment requirements is an important part of maintaining your student status while studying in the United States. This section provides an overview of enrollment expectations and key requirements to help you stay informed, plan ahead, and make the most of your university experience.

  • UNDERGRADUATE (Bachelor’s degree)

    • Fall & Spring Semesters

      • Full Time = minimum total twelve (12) undergraduate credit hours
      • Minimum of nine (9) credits must be in-person (NOT online) classes
      • Maximum of three (3) online credits may be counted toward the 12-credit total

       Summer Semester, if it is your first or last term

      • Full Time = minimum total twelve (12) undergraduate credit hours
      • Minimum of nine (9) credits must be in-person (NOT online) classes
      • Maximum of three (3) online credits may be counted toward the 12-credit total
      • You must be enrolled for in-person classes that run the entire semester May - July (for example session C classes or combination of session A and B). Students may not enroll in session A only.

    NOTE:

    To maintain your F-1 student status, you must be enrolled full-time from the beginning of each semester. During session A and B or session C, you must be enrolled in at least one in-person course.

    Hybrid courses count as in-person courses, as long as the course has a designated meeting day, time, and classroom location. Courses with any of these details listed as TBA will not count toward the in-person enrollment requirement.

    Summer enrollment: You are not required to enroll in classes during the summer unless it is your first or final term.

  • GRADUATE (Master’s and/or Doctoral Degree)

    Fall & Spring Semesters

    • Full Time = minimum total nine (9) graduate credit hours
    • Minimum of six (6) credits must be in-person (NOT online) classes
    • Maximum of three (3) online credits may be counted toward the 9-credit total

     Summer Semester, if it is your first or last term

    • Full Time = minimum total six (6) graduate credit hours
    • Minimum of three (3) credits must be in-person (NOT online) classes
    • Maximum of three (3) online credits may be counted toward the 6-credit total
    • You must be enrolled for in-person classes that run the entire semester May - July (for example session C classes or combination of session A and B). Students may not enroll in session A only.

    NOTE:

    To maintain your F-1 student status, you must be enrolled full-time from the beginning of each semester. During session A and B or session C, you must be enrolled in at least one in-person course.

    Hybrid courses count as in-person courses, as long as the course has a designated meeting day, time, and classroom location. Courses with any of these details listed as TBA will not count toward the in-person enrollment requirement.

    Summer enrollment: You are not required to enroll in classes during the summer unless it is your first or final term.

  • FINAL TERM ENROLLMENT (Including Summer Sessions)

    The requirements below apply to both undergraduate and graduate students and must be met whether your final term is in the Spring, Fall, or Summer. During your final term, you need to:

    • Register in the credits needed to graduate. If you need less than full-time credits to graduate, you must obtain Reduced Course Load Authorization due to Completion of Study.  Please submit your authorization request through the ISSS Portal. 
      • If you are approved for a reduced course load during your final term, no more than 3 credits of the credits you need to graduate may be completed online. If you need only one course to complete your degree, that course must be in-person.
    • Only 3 credits of the total number of credits needed can be online.
    • Must attend class in-person throughout the entire semester (Session C or combination of session A and B).
    • F-1 students cannot enroll in only session A classes UNLESS a student will complete his/her last class in session A. This would make session A the new program completion date and mark the student’s 90-day OPT I-20 request period.
    • F-1 students cannot enroll in only session B classes.
    • If you plan to graduate in the summer, you must still be registered for credits that require on campus/physical presence in the summer for the entire semester; enrolling in only online credits is not permitted.
    • Meeting times, dates, and room locations must be listed (not as TBA) to count as in-person.
  • ACADEMIC STANDING
    • Maintain good academic standing as per university policy (includes maintaining a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of at least a 2.0 for undergraduate students and at least a 3.0 for graduate students) and make normal progress towards completing your degree (which includes completion of at least 12 credits each fall or spring semester for undergraduate students and at least 9 credits for graduate students).
    • If you get dismissed from your program of studies, you should contact our office immediately. We will assist in the appeal process. If the request is denied you will not be allowed to enroll at FIU for the upcoming semester.
    • To keep your F-1 or J-1 status, you will have to make plans to transfer to another institution to continue your studies. If your dismissal is official and you have not transferred to another institution, your I-20 will be terminated, and you will have to leave the U.S. as soon as possible. You can find more information on dismissal and appeal policies.