As an F-1 student, you must register full-time every fall and spring term. Failure to study full-time is considered a serious violation of F-1 regulations. However, you can request a reduced course load in certain situations as described below. Unless otherwise indicated, you must get authorization from the International Center BEFORE you drop below full-time enrollment.
Note: If you are approved by the International Center for a reduced course load, you are considered to be maintaining valid F-1 student status and are eligible to continue on-campus employment up to 20 hours per week (full-time on-campus employment over 20 hours per week is permitted during school breaks, including the summer vacation). Please meet with an International Center advisor to discuss how a reduced course load may affect your off-campus employment eligibility.
The following are situations in which you may be eligible for a reduced course load (part-time enrollment or no enrollment):
1. Annual Summer Vacation
2. Initial Academic Difficulties
4. Medical Reduced Course Load
3. Final Term of Study
Note on Special Student Relief: Certain F-1 students who are citizens or residents of countries that have been designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security for Special Student Relief and who are experiencing severe economic hardship may be eligible for reduced course load authorization. For more information, go to our Special Student Relief page.
If you are having initial academic difficulties in your first year of US degree study, you may request authorization to drop to part-time study (minimum 6 SHUs required) upon the recommendation of an academic advisor. You may drop only after receiving the authorization of the International Center. Examples of initial difficulties include:
The Academic Difficulties RCL is granted only once per degree level and typically only during the first year of study. An exception may be made for the Improper Course Placement reason, which allows for a reduced course load whenever a student is incorrectly advised to take or placed in a class that was too advanced, and should have been placed in a more fundamental class level instead. In any case, the academic difficulties RCL may be granted only once per degree level.
Process:
If you are requesting a reduced course load for medical reasons, follow these procedures.
If you only need to enroll part-time to finish the requirements for your degree, you may request a Final Term of Study RCL. You are not required to study full-time for F-1 visa purposes if you do not need a full course load to complete your degree requirements. (However, please note that undergraduate students may also be required to fulfill Tufts residency requirements, which are separate from F-1 visa requirements, in order to qualify for graduation.)
In rare and extraordinary situations, a student may request a second Final Semester RCL if the remaining degree requirements were not completed in the final semester (this allowance is usually limited to students who did not pass a required course in the final term). No more than two consecutive Final Semester RCL approvals may be granted. Do not upload any documents into the International Center Portal in this situation, but make an appointment to talk with an international student advisor directly.