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Fall semester will soon begin, and ISSS would like to remind all international students that you must study on a full-time basis every semester.

 Full-time generally means you are taking a minimum of:

 

·         Bachelor’s - 12 credits/semester

·         Master’s/PhD, with graduate assistantship - 6 credits/semester

·         Master’s/PhD, no graduate assistantship - 9 credits/per semester

·         JD students - 12 credits/semester

·         UCAELI – Participate full time in your IEP, 22 hours/week.

Check Your I-20/DS-2019 Program End Date

In addition to taking the full-time amount of credits, remember you must also complete all program requirements by the program end date listed on your I-20 or DS-2019 form, and plan your courses accordingly. If your I-20/DS-2019 program end date falls within fall semester and you will not be able to complete this semester, you must request an extension of your form. ISSS cannot extend your program end date after it has passed. 

Reduced Course Load for Last Semester

If you will graduate in December, and you need fewer than full-time credits to complete your program, you may request permission from ISSS to take a Reduced Course Load for Last Semester. Please submit this request by August 31. Do not complete this request until your course load for Fall semester is confirmed.  Link to application information: https://isss.uconn.edu/part-time-study/#reducedcourseloadforlastsemester

Special Fall 2020 Semester Reminders:

• New students who were not in the U.S. as F-1 students in March 2020 must enroll in at least one in-person or hybrid course if you will come to the United States. If you will not come to the United States, then you can enroll fully online, but you must request an updated I-20 form from ISSS with new program start date.  New J-1 students must be coming to participate in at least partial in-person learning as well. 

• Continuing F and J visa students may be enrolled 100% online. Students who are beginning new programs this fall, but who were in the U.S. as F-1 students last March and have not departed, may enroll fully online as well. 

• Continuing students who will enroll full-time while outside the U.S., or enroll part-time but with approved Reduced Course Load, can maintain an active SEVIS record/I-20 while abroad. If for some reason you do not wish to maintain an active SEVIS record during your time outside the United States, please contact [log in to unmask].