SEVP Updates & F-1 Enrollment Requirements

Full-time Enrollment Requirements

U.S. immigration regulations require F-1 international students to be enrolled for a full-time course load each term. At NLU, full-time enrollment is 12 credit hours per term for undergraduate programs or 6 credit hours per term for graduate students. Immigration regulations only allow very limited academic or medical reasons for reduced enrollment. Any reduction in course load below full-time units must be authorized in advance by the DSO. Students who drop below full-time without authorization from the DSO would face serious consequences to their F-1 status including termination of the SEVIS record and I-20.

Online classes: Immigration regulations limit the number of online courses a student can count towards the full-time requirement. International students can count only one course or three credits of fully online coursework towards the full-time enrollment requirement. 

For the most updated F-1 regulations from the Department of Homeland Security's Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), please visit the Study in the States website. 

New Students & COVID-19

New international students who will be outside of the U.S. for the Fall term are permitted to take a fully online/remote course load only if they remain in their home country. New international students are not permitted to enter the U.S. on an initial I-20 if their program is 100% online. New international students on an F-1 visa must follow the F-1 requirements for on-campus class enrollment. Please take a look at the academic calendar to find out when future terms will start.

Please review the Frequently Asked Questions for more information on travel, immigration, etc.