In Progress
1) F-1 Student Path (Your Foundation)
Maintain F-1 status (your #1 job in America)
Your F-1 status is more fragile than you think. You must be enrolled full-time every semester—12 credits for undergrads, 8-9 for graduate students. Here's what most people don't know: you can only take ONE online class per semester toward your full-time requirement. Drop below full-time without DSO approval? Your status is violated immediately. Every time you move, you have exactly 10 days to update your address in the SEVP Portal. Set a calendar reminder the day you sign any new lease.
You must be a bona fide student making normal progress toward your degree.
- As an Undergraduate student you must take at least 12 credit hours per semester.
- If you are a graduate then you must take at least 8 or 9 credit hours, depending on your university’s specific definition of "full-time".
- If it’s your very last semester and you only need one class to graduate, you can take a Reduced Course Load (RCL)—but your DSO (Designated School Official) must approve this before the semester starts
Free Resource: Got my I20. WHAT'S NEXT??? | F1 Visa Steps Explained
Resources
Record your progress
Mark this subsection complete to track your progress.