Can’t take full course load? Apply for the Reduced Course Load!

International students who obtain the F-1 student visa have the responsibility to maintain their F-1 status validly and not go out of status. For example, F-1 visa students meet…

1. The requirement to update DSO (Designated School Officials): Students should update their DSOs within 10 days from when there are changes to their names, addresses, and contact information.
2. The requirement to pursue a full course of study: In general, undergraduate students should take a minimum of 12 credits and graduate students should take a minimum of 9 credits to meet this requirement.
3. The requirement to make normal progress: Students should try their best to graduate before the program end date written on Form I-20.

However, there are a few exceptions for the number 2, “the requirement to pursue a full course of study,” as there could be some instances that hold international students back from pursuing a full course of study. Therefore, this blog post will introduce 3 scenarios where students can apply for Reduced Course Load and not take a full course of study.

Contents

• Reduced Course Load 1: Academic difficulty
• Reduced Course Load 2: Illness or medical condition
• Reduced Course Load 3: Completing the course of study during the final term
• How to apply for the “Reduced Course Load?”

Reduced Course Load 1: Academic difficulty

If you are a new student, you might have a hard time at first adjusting to the new academic environment or understanding the lectures in English. In this case, students can reach out to their International Student Advisors to apply for “Reduced Course Load for Academic Difficulty”.

When the Reduced Course Load (RCL) is granted, the student will be issued an RCL-approved I-20 and students can drop the course below the full course load for that semester. However, the student must register for at least 6 credits for the current term and the full course load from the next semester.

Students who receive an RCL-approved I-20 for academic difficulty are encouraged to double-check the RCL start and end date as it should be the same as the semester start and end date. This means the RCL start date can be back-dated if the student applies for RCL in the middle of the semester.

Also, please note that the reduced course load due to the academic difficulty can be used only for the initial term and only once for each educational level (Bachelor’s, Mater’s, and Ph.D.).

For example, if an undergraduate student was authorized an RCL due to academic difficulty, the student cannot apply for the RCL-academic difficulty throughout his undergraduate program. However, the student can apply for other RCLs -like illness or medical condition or final term -which we are going to look at in the next paragraphs.

The DSO may authorize a reduced course load on account of a student’s initial difficulty with the English language or reading requirements, unfamiliarity with U.S. teaching methods, or improper course level placement.

8 CFR 214.2(F)(6)(III)(A)

Undergraduate students who are granted the Reduced Course Load due to academic difficulty should register for at least 6 credits. For graduate students, it is encouraged to take at least 5 credits as the regulations say the following (institutional policy may differ, so please consult with your DSO):

Except as otherwise noted, a reduced course load must consist of at least six semester or quarter hours, or half the clock hours required for a full course of study.

8 CFR 214.2(F)(6)(III)

Reduced Course Load 2: Illness or medical condition

The next RCL illness or medical condition is pretty straightforward. If you can’t attend the class due to illness or severe medical conditions, you can apply for the Reduced Course Load. Unlike the first RCL academic difficulty, the student who applies for the reduced course load due to a medical condition can entirely drop the course.

To apply for the Reduced Course Load due to illness or medical condition, students should prove their health conditions by submitting documents that were issued by one of the following:

• licensed medical doctor
• doctor of osteopathy
• licensed clinical psychologist

Like the first RCL-academic difficulty, this RCL is valid for one semester. But, if the health condition doesn’t improve to take the full course of study, the international student can re-apply for the RCL for the second semester.

It is worth noting, however, that the total period of RCL illness or medical condition should not exceed a total of 12 months. RCL start date will be the date DSO approves the RCL for the student.

When the student re-apply for the RCL due to illness or medical condition, he or she should submit the list of documents issued by the aforementioned health specialists just like they did for the first RCL.

The DSO may authorize a reduced course load (or, if necessary, no course load) due to a student’s temporary illness or medical condition for a period of time not to exceed an aggregate of 12 months while the student is pursuing a course of study at a particular program level.

8 CFR 214.2(F)(6)(III)(B)

Reduced Course Load 3: Completing the course of study during the final term

Last but not least, graduating students can apply for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) if they have only one or two classes left to meet the graduation requirement.

To reiterate, “RCL-Completing the course of study during the final term” allows students who are in their final terms to drop the course below the full time as they have taken all the necessary courses.

Some programs or curricula allow students to register below the full course load even without RCL. However, to play safe, it is highly encouraged to reach out to DSOs (Designated School Officials; commonly called International Student Advisors) and ask if they need to apply for RCL or not.

Students who receive an RCL-approved I-20 for completing a course of study in the current term are encouraged to double-check the RCL start and end date as it should be the same as the semester start and end date. This means the RCL start date can be back-dated if the student applies for RCL in the middle of the semester.

Can I take just one class online in my final term?

RCL-approved graduating students can take as little as one class but no international students should be enrolled for administrative reasons. What is more, the course must require a physical presence. Simply put, graduating students cannot be enrolled in one online class and stay in the United States.

Can I take one in-person and three online classes in my final term?

Generally, the immigration regulation can be interpreted that if the graduating student needs more than one class to meet the graduation requirement, they are required to meet the full-time requirement.

This can be challenging if not enough classes are offered for international students to meet the full-time requirement in their final term. It is advisable to consult with a DSO (International Student Advisor).

What if I am approved for RCL for graduating but fail to graduate?

What if the student, whose RCL-final term request is granted, fails the last class? Would he or she get a second chance to apply for the RCL final term? The answer is yes.

If the student fails to graduate on the same term as he or she applied for the RCL-final term, the student can re-apply for the RCL-final term and enroll in fewer courses than the full course of study.

The DSO may authorize a reduced course load in the student’s final term, semester, or session if fewer courses are needed to complete the course of study.

8 CFR 214.2(F)(6)(III)(C)

How to apply for the “Reduced Course Load”

When you are planning to apply for the RCL, it is critical to do so before you drop below the full course load. Just like employment authorization programs like CPT or OPT, students should get the authorization first to not violate immigration regulations.

Therefore, reach out to your International Student Advisor before the new semester begins and show your intention to apply for the Reduced Course Load. From there, you will be asked to submit the necessary documents to be granted the RCL.

When the RCL is granted, you will be issued a new I-20 with the RCL remark. That’s when you are ready to drop the courses below full-time.

In this blog post, a few exceptions for the full course of study were discussed. As a DSO, I explain the RCL to new students who are having a hard time following the classes so that they can lower their academic burden. Also, soon-to-be-graduate students can focus on looking for jobs when they have completed most classes. Like this, if you use it wisely, it will benefit your study in the United States as an international student.

All other F-1-related information that international students should be aware of can be found on the F-1 visa info page. For employment authorization program-related information, click OPT or STEM OPT pages.