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If you have a reason supported by the regulations to be approved for a reduced course load, you must first get written authorization from ISS before the end of the add/drop period.
See Application for Exemption to the Full Course of Study Requirement for F-1 International Students (PDF)
Regulatory reasons that you may be authorized for reduced course load:
- If your department has determined that you are unfamiliar with US teaching methods or requirements, or that you were improperly placed in a course level, you may seek a course load reduction for your first semester only. (This does not apply to ESL students.)
- Your department has determined that you need ESL training so you are enrolling in non-credit-bearing ESL courses. (Exchange: 6 hours of ESL = one 3-credit program course.) (This does not apply to ESL students.)
- You have a medical reason to be enrolled less than full-time, are able to document it clearly with medical documents. F-1 Student are limited to authorization of enrolling in a reduced course load of no more than two semesters per program of study.
- You are employed on campus pursuant to the terms of a scholarship, fellowship, or assistantship that is deemed to be part of your academic program. You will need to provide a letter from Financial Aid offering the award, and a letter from your Department Chair detailing your responsibilities.
- As part of your program of study requirements, you are concurrently enrolled in courses at another university, bringing your total enrollment to full-time.
- This is your last semester and you need fewer courses than a full-time load to satisfy all the requirements of your program of study.
- You were not in the USA, and therefore not in F-1 Student status and not required to be enrolled full-time during a semester.
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