- During the academic year, international students in F-1 or J-1 non-immigrant status must either be enrolled full-time or receive permission from the U-M International Center for a reduced course load or a full-time exception.
- The deadline for meeting the full-time registration requirement is the end of the U-M Drop/Add period.
- If you are not registered full-time by the deadline, your SEVIS record will be terminated and you will lose your F-1/J-1 status. There is no grace period to remain in the U.S. following status termination.
- For most students, the academic year is fall and winter terms, while the spring/summer is considered the vacation term. During the academic year, in general, the minimum full-time enrollment for international students is as follows:
Undergraduate students 12 credit hours Graduate students 8 credit hours Graduate student assistants (GSIs or GSRAs) 6 credit hours Note: You must be registered full-time during your first term of admission. If admitted to begin spring/summer, you must be full-time during that first spring/summer term. - Pass/Fail classes count towards full time enrollment.
- Courses that you visit or audit do not count towards full-time enrollment
| These are the minimum enrollment requirements that international students in F-1 or J-1 status must meet in order to maintain their SEVIS record in active status. If you need verification of your U-M enrollment for other purposes – one example is certain Canadian tax forms - the Office of the Registrar will verify full-time or part-time enrollment based on these requirements. |
Exceptions to Full-Time Enrollment Requirements
In some cases, international students may receive permission from the U-M International Center to drop below full-time enrollment.
- Reduced course load (F-1/J-1)
- Full-time equivalency for graduate students (F-1/J-1)
- Concurrent enrollment (F-1)
- Guest Student Information (F-1/J-1)
- Rackham Grace Period (F-1/J-1)
- Rackham Grace Period - Special COVID-19 procedures (F-1/J-1)