Semester Enrollment
F-1 students are required to maintain full-time enrollment in order to stay in status.
At High Point University, this means that you must be enrolled in a minimum of:
- 12 credit hours during each fall or spring term of enrollment, according to the Undergraduate Bulletin. You are allowed, however, to enroll in up to 18 credit hours without being billed for additional tuition funds.
- 9 credits hours during each fall or spring term of enrollment (for students enrolled in health science degrees), according to the Graduate Bulletin. Graduate tuition is billed per credit, so any additional enrollment will incur additional tuition fees.
- 6 credits hours during each fall or spring term of enrollment (for students enrolled in health science degrees), according to the Graduate Bulletin. Graduate tuition is billed per credit, so any additional enrollment will incur additional tuition fees.
Summer Enrollment
Generally, HPU offers 2 summer academic terms, Summer I and Summer II, each 4 weeks in length, plus HPU Online running consecutively for 8 weeks alongside Summer I and Summer II, although some graduate programs have different summer term options. Undergraduate and graduate students can enroll in a maximum of 16 credits between Summer I, Summer II, and HPU Online, but may enroll only in a maximum of 12 credits each session. Typical enrollment is up to 8 credits (2 classes) in Summer I and/or up to 8 credits (2 classes) in Summer II.
If you are an F-1 student enrolled full time during the spring term and enrolled full time for the following fall term, you are not required to enroll in classes over the summer, as the summer is considered an academic break and you are considered engaging in your F-1 Annual Vacation benefit. In this situation, if you choose to enroll in summer credits, you can do so up to the maximum number of credits approved by the HPU Registrar’s Office with no minimum enrollment requirement and no online enrollment restriction. These classes are incident to status.
If you are an F-1 student planning to study only for a summer term, or where the summer term is your first semester of study at HPU, you must maintain full-time enrollment during the summer and must adhere to the Online/Distance Education policy.
Online & Distance Education Courses
The majority of courses offered at HPU are offered in-person, where physical attendance is required for lectures, exams, etc. Some courses at HPU, primarily available at the graduate level or during the summer terms, are offered online. While you are permitted to enroll in online courses, F-1 regulations require the courses making up your full-time enrollment be taught in-person and that no more than one of those courses or no more than three total credits be taken online or through distance education.
Part-Time Enrollment
Part-time enrollment could jeopardize your stay in the U.S. and your F-1/J-1 status. Do not register for fewer than the required number of credits or withdraw from a course without first receiving permission from your Designated School Official or Responsible Officer.
Part-time enrollment is defined as less than 12 credits for undergraduate students, less than 9 credits for graduate students in health science degree programs, or less than 6 credits for graduate students in other degree programs.
Exceptions to the Full-Time Requirement
Reduced Course Load (RCL) for Specific Academic Reasons
Your DSO can authorize you to drop a course and have part-time enrollment for an academic reason. The Specific Academic Reasons permitted by F-1 regulations are:
- Initial difficulty with the English language
- Initial difficulty with reading requirements
- Unfamiliarity with American teaching methods
- Improper course level placement
Reduced Course Load (RCL) for a Documented Medical Condition
You can request permission to register part-time for an illness or other medical condition that may justify an interruption or reduction in a full course of study. This must be per the instruction of a U.S. licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or licensed clinical psychologist. Contact your DSO or the PDSO if you plan to request a RCL for a documented medical condition. Do not drop below full-time status before being approved by your DSO and receiving your updated Form I-20.
Note: Observation of a religious holiday is not a reason for a reduced course load, according to SEVIS regulations.
Study Policies for Dependents
F-2 dependents can study part-time in an academic or vocational curriculum at an SEVP-certified school, can study in a vocational or recreational program (e.g., hobby), or may enroll full-time in kindergarten through 12th grade.
An F-2 dependent who wants to pursue full-time study must obtain F-1 status to begin the full-time program.