J-1 international students must meet enrollment requirements to keep their immigration status valid. Always check with ISS if you are not able to enroll full-time.
Registration Requirements
Please keep in mind the Academic and Registration dates issued by the University to ensure that you are able to enroll by the deadline.
Thesis/Dissertation Credits: Graduate students registered for at least 1 credit of thesis (700-level) or dissertation (800-level) are considered full-time for immigration purposes. However, if you have a teaching or research assistantship, you may still be required to register for 10 credit
TA/RA in Summer: Graduate students enrolled in 2 credits during the summer quarter but who have an academic appointment are generally considered full-time for immigration purposes.
Other Registration Considerations
An online class is one that “does not require the student’s physical attendance for classes, examination or other purposes integral to completion of the class. Therefore, any course that has some sort of physical attendance requirement, such as for a lecture, exam, or faculty meeting is not considered fully online for visa status purposes. Hybrid classes should be primarily in-person with an online component.
Academic Progress
J-1 international students are expected to make academic progress to maintain their immigration status. While failing a class does not affect your immigration status, a lack of progress or dismissal from your program may.