If an international doctoral student will not be enrolled full-time during an academic term yet the academic department considers him/her to be full-time, while the student prepares for or take preliminary or qualifying exams, the International Center may authorize a Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) for this student. This FTE allows the International Center to report full-time enrollment to SEVIS to maintain the student's immigration status.
- Full Time Equivalency is for the purpose of maintaining immigration status only. You may not be considered an active student for other purposes, such as loans, for example.
- Rackham requires that all students register for at least one credit.
Who Can Qualify
An FTE may be granted in the following circumstances:
- A graduate student completing all formal course work during the current term. Upon completion of formal course work, the student will prepare for or take the preliminary exam or qualifying exam.
- A graduate student has already completed all formal course work but is currently preparing for preliminary exam or qualifying exam.
Requirements
A signed letter from the academic advisor or department is required. The letter must be on letterhead and must state the following information:
- The student is considered to be full-time by the department.
- What the student will be doing during the term of FTE authorization.
- The number of credits for which the student will register during the term of FTE authorization.
The FTE must be received by the International Center by the end of the drop/add period of EACH TERM. A student who drops below a full course of study without prior approval of a Designated School Official (DSO) is considered out of status.
How to Apply
Please log in to the M-Passport portal, click on Requests > Full-time Equivalency, and follow the instructions from there.