Registration Requirements and Restrictions

FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS

International students in the United States are NOT PERMITTED to take online only coursework, which includes 50% or higher hybrid courses, during their final semester of study if it is a required enrollment term. If you wish to remain in the U.S. and maintain your legal status, you will need to adjust enrollment plans to include primarily face-to-face coursework during your studies.

Alternatively, if you plan to do your studies primarily online, you may elect to depart the U.S. and end your F-1 status in order to complete your studies in your home country remotely. If this is something you are interested in, please contact OISS immediately to discuss your options.

 

FOR MA STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION STUDENTS: PLEASE CONTACT OISS PRIOR TO ENROLLMENT IN COM 7299. PARTICIPATION IN THIS COURSE WITHOUT OISS APPROVAL CAN IMPACT YOUR IMMIGRATION RECORD.

 

Term

Degree Level

Full-Time Enrollment

Part-Time Enrollment

Online / Hybrid / 8-week Course Allowance

Fall / Spring

Undergraduate
12 Credits

 

11 or less credits

 
  • Must be enrolled in 3 face-to-face / in person classes each semester
  • Remaining or additional courses may be online or hybrid per OISS approval
  • No 8A/B courses without OISS approval

Graduate

 

9 credits

 

8 or less credits
  • Must be enrolled in 2 face-to-face / in person classes each semester
  • Remaining or additional courses may be online or hybrid per OISS approval
  • No 8A/B courses without OISS approval

Immigration regulations require international students with F-1 and J-1 status to register as full-time students during the fall and spring semesters or formal academic year. Students are required to maintain a full-time course load during their enrollment each academic year with 16-week courses in each semester.

 

Based on this, the Office of International Students and Scholars recognize the following cases to be full-time enrollment at HPU.

  • Undergraduate students enrolled primarily face-to-face with 12+ credit hours
  • Graduate students enrolled primarily face-to-face with 9+ credit hours

Undergraduate students = 12 credits

Graduate students = 9 credits

 

Courses that are audited do not count towards meeting the minimum full-time enrollment requirement.

 

Full-Time Enrollment Exceptions:

Exceptions for registration regulations will be made for extraordinary circumstances with a clearly stated rationale. Please discuss your specific situation with your Academic or Faculty Advisor, who will reach out to our office for further discussion. OISS IS THE ONLY DEPARTMENT WHO CAN GIVE FINAL APPROVAL FOR THESE EXCEPTIONS.

In addition, the summer and winter terms are optional for continuing international students, which means that students are able to take courses during these terms so long as they are maintaining their F-1 or J-1 status. For more information regarding courses, please refer to the HPU Course Catalog.

Immigration regulations limit the number of online courses a student can count towards full-time status. Students are able to register for online classes if they follow the online vs. in-class combo chart below:

Undergraduate

GRaduate

1 online + 3 in-person = 4 courses total 

1 online + 2 in-person = 3 courses total

2 online + 3 in-person = 5 courses total

2 online + 2 in-person = 4 courses total

3 online + 3 in-person = 6 courses total

3 online + 2 in-person = 5 courses total

International Students are not permitted to enroll in 8A/8B courses.

Exceptions for ONLINE courses will be made for extraordinary circumstances with a clearly stated rationale. Please discuss your specific situation with your Academic or Faculty Advisor, who will reach out to our office for further discussion. OISS is the only department who can give final approval for these exceptions.

International Students are NOT PERMITTED TO ENROLL IN ANY CLASS (in-person or online) DURING THE 8A/8B SESSION. 

Exceptions for 8A/8B courses will be made for extraordinary circumstances with a clearly stated rationale. Please discuss your specific situation with your Academic or Faculty Advisor, who will reach out to our office for further discussion. OISS is the only department who can give final approval for these exceptions.

Reduced Course Load (RCL) [Part Time Enrollment]

Students who qualify and are approved for an exception from full-time enrollment may register part-time and complete a reduced course load (RCL) form. In order for an RCL form to be approved, international students must work with their academic or faculty advisor and the Office of International Students and Scholars, and submit the reduced course load request PRIOR to the beginning of the qualifying semester.

Please be advised that the following are not recognized as a valid RCL reason by U.S. Federal Regulations:

  1. Pregnancy
  2. Lack of financial support

There are few valid and recognized reasons for an RCL. Recognized RCL reasons are listed below and on the RCL form. OISS may authorize the RCL based on the approved U.S. Federal Regulations only.

If a student has an approved RCL Form, the students are unable to request an additional RCL in the future, and the student does not qualify for program extensions.

 

NOTE: ANY STUDENT WHO FAILS TO ENROLL IN A FULL COURSE OF STUDY BY THE ADD/DROP DEADLINE OR DROPS BELOW FULL-TIME STATUS WITHOUT AUTHROIZATION OR APPROVAL BY OISS IS CONSIDERED TO BE OUT OF STATUS AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO TERMINATION.

Acceptable RCL Circumstances

Academic Reasons

Minimum enrollment of six credit hours required

[8 CFR 214.2 (f)(6)(v)]

  • Having initial difficulties with the English language or reading requirements
  • Experiencing unfamiliarity with American teaching methods
  • Student was placed in an inappropriate course level

Illness or Medical Condition

[8 CFR 214.2 (f)(5)(i)]

International students may be authorized to drop or withdraw from classes in the case that the student experiences unforeseen illness or a medical condition. A reduction in courses due to medical reasons must be authorized for each semester in question, not to exceed 12 months. The student must provide a statement by a licensed U.S. medical professional, on letterhead (not prescription pad) documenting the following:

  1. The medical necessity to reduce courses
  2. The semester for which the reduction is requested for
  3. The advised action (reduction in course or withdrawal)

Final Semester

To Complete Course of Study in Current Term

[8 CFR 214.2 (f)(6)(ii)]

A student can request an RCL for Fall or Spring if their last semester course requirements fall below the full-time credit requirement. An RCL is not required if the student's last semester occurs during a summer or winter term.