F1 visa 조건이 full-time이므로 undergrad의 경우 12 credit 미만으로 등록하면 애초에 visa 유지가 안 될텐데요. 물론 마지막 학기에 full-time 조건을 완화해줄 수는 있지만, 보통 말씀하신 건 part-time student로 변경해서 감면받는 것이라 하면 안 될 것 같아요.

언더유닛은 허락받으면 되는데 학비 정책은 학교마다 워낙 달라요. UC는 유학생 등골 빼먹는데 재미가 들려서 그런 걸지도...

“언더유닛이어서 Reduced fee 신청하러 갔더니”

이게 무슨말인지 모르겠지만, 졸업하는데 full time student로 등록해야 할만큼 credit이 필요 없다는 얘기죠? 마지막 학기에 한해서, full-time 이하로 수업 신청을 할수 있습니다. 등록금이야 당연히 듣는 크레딧 만큼 내는거니 덜 내겠죠. 그런데 만약 한 과목이라도 fail 해서 졸업을 못하게 되면, 다음 학기에는 무조건 full-time으로등록해야 합니다.

학교마다 다를거예요.

전 대학원이라 9학점 이상 조건인데 academic requirement 다 채워서 지금 3학점만 하고 있습니다. 이것도 다음 학기부터는 1학점만 하면 됩니다.(이번 학기에 연구 학점도 다 채우는지라)

물론 사전에 미리 Full-time 으로 인정해달라는 서류를 미리 제출해서 어프루브 받아야합니다.

UC는 아니지만 주립대 마지막학기에 저도 F1 으로 3학점만 들었어요. 졸업전 학기에 한해서는 Full time 보다 학점 들을수 있어요. Part-time 으로 전환되는것은 아니었어요. (들을과목이 1개밖에 안 남았으니까..) 보수동살아요님 말씀처럼 학점을 적게 들으니 듣는만큼만 낼거에요. 저희는 학점마다 붙는 out of state 비용+유학생이라 붙는 비용이 있었던걸로 기억하는데, Reduced fee 라는 말은 잘 모르겠네요. 학교마다 학비 책정 방식이 다를순 있으니 가족분이 다니시는 학교는 뭘 더 내야 할수도 있을것 같습니다. 

전 한학기에 27학점인가 28학점 꽉꽉 채워들은 적도 있는데 그렇다고 더 안 받던데...역시 학교마다 다르지 않을까 싶습니다.

저희학교는 마지막학기에 10학점들었는데 물론 f1유지는 문제없고

10학점 만큼의 학비만 내면됐었습니다.

물론 그학기시작하고 졸업신청안하면 full-time유지안되기때문에 f1 terminate될거고요

저희학교도 유학생 졸업전 마지막학기만 파트타임 됐었어요

그렇게 한애들 수두룩했어요 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

유학생은 마지막학기만 됩니다. 신청하는 form 이 있어요. 1학점만 들어도 되요. 

유학생 시절 어떻게든 학비 줄이고 싶어서 발악했던 기억이 나네요. 마지막 학기를 줄일수 있다는건 처음 알았습니다... 이럴줄 알았다면 졸업도 가능했을지두요? ㅎㅎ

Topic 1: Full-time Enrollment

Typically, nonimmigrant students must enroll in a full course of study each session in order to maintain status. However, there are certain exceptions that allow students to drop below a full course of study: academic difficulties, medical conditions and completion of a course of study. This topic provides information on full course of study requirements and the exceptions to those requirements.

After completing this Topic, you will be able to:

•  Advise F-1 and M-1 students on full course of study requirements

•  Advise students on authorizations for a reduced course load

•  Authorize a reduced course load

Definition of Full Course of Study

The regulations define a full course of study as follows:

F-1 Students:

•  Undergraduate studies — 12 credit hours per session

•  English language programs — 18 clock hours per week if the dominant part of the course of study consists of classroom instruction, or at least 22 clock hours a week if the dominant part of the course of study consists of laboratory work

•  Post graduate studies and seminaries — as certified by the DSO as a full course of study

•  Elementary and secondary schools — as certified by the DSO to consist of class attendance for not less than the minimum number of hours a week prescribed for normal progress toward graduation

•  Courses can be taken at other SEVP-certified schools and count toward the full course of study requirements if the SEVP-certified school that enrolled the student accepts the transfer credits as contributing to the student’s program of study

M-1 Students:

•  18 to 22 clock hours per week

The regulations limit the number of online and distance-learning courses that nonimmigrant students can count toward their full course of study requirements. The rules are as follows:

F-1 Students:

•  Students may count no more than the equivalent of one class, or three credits, of online or distance-learning courses per session toward the full course of study.

•  Students enrolled in English language programs may not count any online or distance-learning courses toward their full course of study requirement.

•  If students only need one course to complete their program of study, the course cannot be completed through online or distance education.

M-1 Students:

•  Students may not count any online or distance-learning courses toward their full course of study requirement.

These restrictions apply only to the number of credit hours required to meet a student’s full course of study requirements. As long as students meet these requirements, they may enroll in additional online or distance-learning courses, as desired.

Authorizations for a Reduced Course Load

There are three circumstances where you can authorize an F-1 student to take less than a full course of study:

•  Academic difficulties

•  Medical conditions

•  Completion of a course of study

M-1 students can only drop below a full course of study due to a medical condition.

In order for a student to obtain authorization to drop below a full course of study, he or she must first receive permission. You must follow regulatory requirements to grant the authorization and record the authorization in SEVIS.

Guidelines to Drop Below a Full Course of Study for Academic Reasons

You may authorize a RCL for F-1 students for academic reasons in the following situations:

•  Initial difficulty with the English language or reading requirements

•  Unfamiliarity with U.S. teaching methods

•  Improper course level placement

Authorization for a reduced course load due to academic difficulties is limited to one term at each program level.

A RCL must consist of at least six credit hours or half of the minimum requirement for a full course of study for the program for which the student is enrolled. To maintain status, students must resume a full course of study in the next regular session.

An authorization to drop below a full course load for academic reasons does not impact a student’s eligibility to take a reduced course load for medical reasons.

Guidelines to Drop Below a Full Course of Study for Medical Conditions

F-1 students with documented medical conditions can take a reduced course load or no course load at all. A student must provide you with medical documentation, which you should maintain in the student’s file. The documentation must be from a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy or licensed clinical psychologist in order for you to authorize a reduced course load.

As the DSO, you do not have to concur with the medical reason. You must document the reason and then ensure that the student does not exceed the authorized amount of time at less than a full course load. The authorization period cannot exceed an aggregate of 12 months per program level. This means a student who dropped to half time for one semester in freshman year can drop to half time again for one semester in junior year, if needed.

However, if the student has already had 12 months at less than full-course load, the student is not allowed any additional part-time study based on a medical condition until advancing to the next program level.

Authorization for one term or reduced course load session does not automatically carry over to the next. You must re-authorize the exception in SEVIS every term or session, if warranted.

M-1 students with a documented medical condition can drop below a full course load or interrupt their studies with the same type of documentation as required for F-1 students. However, M-1 students are limited to an aggregate of five months of reduced course load. 

Guidelines to Drop Below a Full Course of Study for Completion of a Course of Study

In some cases, F-1 students in their final term do not need a full course load in order to have enough credits to graduate. In these cases, students can take just the courses needed to complete their program.

Students authorized by the school for a partial course load in their final session are automatically considered full-time students. SEVIS authorization is optional (there is functionality in SEVIS but recording a partial course load in the final semester is not required).

If a student fails a course during the last term consisting of a reduced course load, the student may again have a final session with less than a full course load. A second consecutive authorization for a reduced course load in a student’s final semester should be reported in SEVIS in order to ensure that the student is continuing to make progress toward program completion. Carefully document the circumstances so you can show that the student continued to make normal progress toward program completion.

If a student does not finish the program of study after a second final term or session with a reduced course load, the student is not eligible for a third reduced course load.

Updating SEVIS with Reduced Course Load Information

Use the Authorize to Drop Below Full Course Load function on the Student Information page to report authorized reductions in course load.

•  Select the reason for authorizing the reduced course load from the drop down list

•  Enter the start date and end date of the authorization

•  Review your entries to be certain they are correct and press the authorize button

If a student reduces or drops below a full course of study without authorization, you must report the violation within 21 days after the violation occurs. Violations include:

•  Failure to enroll in a full course load at the beginning of a session

•  Dropping below a full course load during a session without your permission

In either of these cases, terminate the student’s SEVIS record; indicate the reason as Unauthorized Drop Below Full Course of Study. Let the student know that he or she is potentially out of status (the student may choose to reinstate status). Students who decide not to reinstate status must depart the United States immediately. There is no grace period.

To update SEVIS in the next session in which the student returns to a full course of study, you should register the student’s record in SEVIS within 30 days of the next session start date, and verify full-time enrollment within 30 days of the close of the class registration period. This will meet the regulatory requirements for showing that a student has resumed a full course of study.

저도 완전 한참전이긴 하지만 타주에서 마지막학기는 6크레딧만 들었습니다. (그때 유학생 신분) 아카데미 어드바이져보다 인터네셔널 오피스 어드바이져 만나는게 더 빠를겁니다. 아카데미 어드바이져는 비자가 어떻게되는지 잘 모르거든요. (상관도 안하구요) 인터네셔널 오피스에서 가능하다고 하면 할수있습니다. 처제분께 한번 가보시라고 권해드립니다.

왜 전공 디파트먼트에 갔죠? 잘 모를텐데..... 레지스터 오피스, 인터네셔널 센터 두곳에 물어보면 100% 정확하고 빠를텐데요. 학교 내 홈피에 공지가 되있으면 링크 안내를 받으심이... 저도 유학생시절에 마지막 학기는 1유닛 들었는데 조금 의아하네요. 쿼터제도 유닛제 아닌가요? 10주 16주 차이일뿐일텐데 쿼터금액을 한꺼번에 내나요? 얼마인지알고....한쿼터에 20유닛 듣는 애들도 있고 14유닛 듣는 애들도 있을텐데요. application of under units for graduation 이런거 신청하시고 승인나면 그냥 5유닛(예를들어) 신청하고 거기에 해당되는 금액만 내시면.....