Enrollment Requirements for International Students

The Department of Homeland Security and Department of State require international students to pursue a full course of study every semester until their degree program is completed, and make normal progress toward the completion of your course of study.

  • Full course of study for undergraduates is 12 credit hours per Fall and Spring semesters. Enrollment during the summer session is not required unless it is the student's initial semester. 
  • Full course of study for graduate students is 9 hours per Fall and Spring semesters. Enrollment during the summer session for three hours is required for all students who have a GTA/GRA. Other conditions may apply, please contact the Office of Graduate Education to confirm your summer semester enrollment requirement.
  • Initial students during Summer enrollment have the following requirements: for undergraduates it is 6 credit hours and for graduate students it is 3 credit hours. 3 credit hours must be in-person all other courses may be online instruction during the Summer session. 

8 CFR 214.2(f)(6)(i)(G) For F-1 students enrolled in classes for credit or classroom hours, no more than the equivalent of one class or three credits per session, term, semester, trimester, or quarter may be counted toward the full course of study requirement if the class is taken on-line or through distance education and does not require the student's physical attendance for classes, examination or other purposes integral to completion of the class. An on-line or distance education course is a course that is offered principally through the use of television, audio, or computer transmission including open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, or satellite, audio conferencing, or computer conferencing. If the F-1 student's course of study is in a language study program, no on-line or distance education classes may be considered to count toward a student's full course of study requirement.

An additional DHS policy is that if the F-1 student needs only one course to finish the program of study, it cannot be taken through online or distance education. USCIS Policy Manual 2 USCIS-PM F.3.B.1 - Online and Distance Education Courses, F-1 Students .

Exceptions to Full-time Enrollment for International Students

Chancellor's Policy Memo II-20

This Policy Memorandum establishes enrollment requirements for masters and doctoral students. It allows the student to remain compliant while minimizing the educational cost. The enrollment requirements described below do not supersede the minimum enrollment requirements of other offices or agencies. You can read the full policy here.

Reduced Course Load (RCL)

  • The primary reasons a student will request a reduced course load include: (1) diagnosis of an illness or medical condition, (2) improper course level placement, (3) initial difficult with reading requirements, (4) initial difficulty with the English language, (5) being a part-time commuter student, (6) the student will complete their course of study in their current term, or (7) the student is unfamiliar with the American teaching methods.
  • Approval for a reduced course load requires the affirmation from a student's academic advisor. 
  • Students may also receive full-time enrollment exceptions in the cases of participating in full-time CPT, concurrent enrollment, or because they have been approved by Policy Memo II-20 by the Graduate Education Office. 

Concurrent Enrollment 

  • Approval for concurrent enrollment requires that the credit hours/course being taken at another school must be transferrable to Missouri S&T upon completion and will apply to the student’s degree program as listed on their Form I-20.  
  • Full-time enrollment requirements can be met by combining the number of credit hours being taken at Missouri S&T with those taken concurrently at another school. 
  • Method of instruction requirements apply to the combined number of courses being taken at Missouri S&T with those taken concurrently at another school. 
  • Proof of enrollment at another school is required before the credit hours being taken concurrently can be counted toward full-time enrollment. The method of course instruction will also be evaluated before the student can be considered full-time enrolled. If the requirements listed above are not met, the student’s SEVIS record will not be registered for the semester. 
  • If you are approved for concurrent enrollment, you will be issued a Concurrent Enrollment Approval Letter. This letter may be requested by the school at which you are, or have, concurrently enrolled. Please allow a minimum of 10 business days for request processing.
  • The Missouri S&T Course Equivalency Database can be accessed through the following path: Joe’SS > Self Service > Transfer Credit > Evaluate Transfer Credit.

Full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

  • Approval for CPT is subjected to the discretion of your international advisor. However, the Approver on the Approver Section of the Request Form is meant for your Academic Advisor, be sure to enter their name and contact information in that section.

  • All requirements must be met based on the details found on the request form. 

  • If you do not provide the required details, you will receive notice of missing information for your request from your advisor. 

  • All requests should be made well in advance of your start date with your CPT employer. 

  • Meeting the requirements listed for your offer letter is not optional, these requirements must be directly listed on the offer letter in order for the CPT opportunity to be approved. 

  • See more information here: Curricular Practical Training (CPT)