Maintaining Status for F-1 and J-1 Students

In addition to the requirements of ALL non-U.S. Citizens discussed here all foreign national students who are sponsored by LSUHSC in F-1 or J-1 status must comply with the following.

Full Course of Study

All foreign national students in F-1 or J-1 status* are required to engage in a full course of study and make normal academic progress in order to be considered "maintaining immigration status."

For Undergraduate Students, Full Time is set at 12 credit hours per semester for Spring and Fall and 6 credit hours for Summer.

For Graduate Level Students, Full Time is set at 9 credit hours (including Dissertation Research hours) per semester for Spring and Fall and 6 credit hours for Summer.

Unless required by the specific curriculum or program, foreign national students who have completed one academic year (usually Fall and Spring semester) are not required to enroll for Summer semester (unless required by their program's curriculum structure), provided they are enrolled full time for the next regular semester (Fall).

Students who are registered "Exam Only" are considered to be enrolled full time and will be considered to be engaged in a full course of study. "Diploma Only" students are NOT considered full time.

Any Initial Entry student whose course of study begins in the Summer term is required to enroll in full time credit hours for that semester. Any Initial Entry Student whose course of study at begins in the Spring is required to enroll full time in the following Fall Term in order to maintain their immigration status.

*J-1 Non-degree Students are required to engage full time in a "prescribed course of study" rather than a "full course of study." The prescribed course of study is set by the school who administers the educational program. Regular enrollment requirements and procedures must be met.

Exceptions

Reduced Course Load-Academic:

• Half time enrollment is required when RCL is for Academic reasons.

• RCL for Academic reasons may be approved for ONE semester per education level.(Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate, Professional Certificates) No additional approvals for Academic RCL are permitted, even if previously granted at another institution.

• The student MUST resume their full course of study in the next semester unless it is a non-required Summer semester OR an additional RCL (Medical) is obtained.

• Academic reasons for RCL are:

  • *Initial difficulty with English (*Only available during a student's first year at LSUHSC New Orleans.)

  • *Initial difficulty with Reading requirements (*Only available during a student's first year at LSUHSC New Orleans.)

  • Unfamiliarity with U.S. teaching methods

  • Improper Course Level Placement

• Students must submit a written request for an Academic RCL directly to OIS. The request must include:

  • The class(es) including course number and credit hours the student wishes to drop

  • The reason the student wishes to drop the class(es) (One of the above academic reasons)

  • A copy of the student's current enrollment/schedule

  • How the student plans to return to full time status in the next required semester.

    • What classes will be taken, and how many credit hours will be received for each class in order to return the student to full time status

    • If classes will be taken at LSUHSC and another institution to fulfill full time requirements, written confirmation from the non-LSUHSC institution that the student is eligible for the planned classes during the correct semester.

  • Confirmation of the student's understanding that Academic RCL is available only ONCE per education level.

 

Reduced Course Load-Illness or Medical Condition:

• No enrollment requirement when RCL is for Medical Reasons.

• The student must submit medical documentation from a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or licensed clinical psychologist stating that a medical condition or illness makes a reduced course load (or no course load) necessary.

• Medical RCL must be re-authorized EACH semester with new documentation submitted by the student.

• Medical RCL duration cannot exceed 12 months (in aggregate). Once an aggregate 12 months of Medical RCL has been used, no further RCL periods are permitted at the same educational level.

• The medical condition or illness must be the student's. A child or spouse's medical condition or illness does NOT entitle the student to a Medical RCL.

• Students must submit a written request for a Medical RCL directly to OIS. The request must include:

  • The class(es) including course number and credit hours the student wishes to drop

  • The reason the student wishes to drop the class(es) (Medical Condition with required documentation)

  • A copy of the student's current enrollment/schedule

  • How the student plans to return to full time status in the next required semester.

    • What classes will be taken, and how many credit hours will be received for each class in order to return the student to full time status

    • If classes will be taken at LSUHSC and another institution to fulfill full time requirements, written confirmation from the non-LSUHSC institution that the student is eligible for the planned classes during the correct semester.

An RCL must be requested and approved before the student drops, withdraws or stops attending any class(es) which would result in less than full time enrollment.

To request an RCL, the student must submit a written request and any required documentation to OIS.

Final Semester:

Full time enrollment is not required if student is completing their Degree/Program of study in that semester and less than full time hours/enrollment are required for completion.

• No RCL request form is required for the initial "final" semester, but the student's school must verify that they are in their last semester and are expected to graduate.

• A student may not have more than two consecutive "final" semesters with less than full time enrollment.

• If a student does not fulfill graduation requirements following the initial "final" semester at less than full time enrollment, an RCL request form is required for the second "final" semester.

• If the student does not complete their course of study following a second "final" semester, full time enrollment is required in the third semester to maintain immigration status.

Academic Training (J-1 Students ONLY):

J-1 Students authorized for Academic Training have no enrollment requirement.

Post Completion OPT (F-1 Students ONLY):

F-1 Students authorized for Post-completion OPT have no enrollment requirement.  This does NOT apply to Pre-Completion OPT, where full time enrollment is still required.

 

 

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Normal Academic Progress

Normal Academic Progress is generally defined as continued full time enrollment/registration and class attendance toward an educational goal.

A graduate student who has completed all coursework, and is conducting thesis or dissertation research on a full time basis is considered to be making normal academic progress.

A student who has been suspended and is not permitted to enroll or register at LSUHSC is not considered to be making normal academic progress.

A student who is permitted only less than full time enrollment by their school must receive an RCL to be considered continuing normal academic progress.

A student who has requested a timely transfer or change in education level is considered to be maintaining normal academic progress.

Students who will not complete their course of study by the program end date on their DS-2019/I-20 due to suspension are not eligible for an extension of their F-1/J-1 program.

 

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***Address Reminder***

If a student will remain in the U.S. during the Summer semester but will not attend classes, the student must ensure that an accurate and updated PHYSICAL address remains on file with OIS. (If you will stay with friends or family in California for the summer, you must report a physical address to OIS so that an accurate address is on file at all times!.)