USCIS regulations mandate international students to be enrolled in a full course of study while pursuing a degree in the US as an F-1 student.
Full-time enrollment is usually defined as 12 credits for an Undergraduate program and 9 credits for a Graduate program per se; however, your program office dictates the actual number of credits necessary to maintain proper enrollment.
The student should not drop any coursework until after obtaining approval. The Reduced Course Load (RCL) authorization indicates maintenance of an F-1 status only, it does NOT change a student’s records held in the Registrar’s Office.
IMPORTANT: The student must resume a full course of study at the next available semester (excluding the Summer) in order to maintain student status. Also, imminent danger of failing a class is not a permissible reason for authorizing a reduced course load.
You can download the Reduce course load form downloadable form page and submit it to admissions office.
