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Enrollment Requirements

All international students attending Metro State University under F-1 student status are required to be enrolled in a full-time course load to maintain their F-1 student status.

Full-time enrollment at Metro State includes:

  • 12 credits for undergraduate students
  • 8 credits for master's students
  • 8 credits for doctoral students
  • Program specific for certificate programs

In certain circumstances, international students under F-1 student status may be eligible to enroll in less than a full-time course load. All enrollment adjustments require prior approval from International Student Services.

International students under F-1 student status have unique advising needs because they must maintain their non-immigration status and meet university academic requirements.

Enrollment period and online/distance education requirements

International students have specific requirements they must meet surrounding when they are enrolled and how much of their education may be pursued through online or distance programs.

International students are required to be enrolled full-time in both the fall and spring semesters. Full-time enrollment is not required during the summer unless it is the student's first semester at Metro State.

  • International students can only count (one course) 3 credits of online/distant education toward their full-time enrollment each semester. An online/distance education course is a course that is offered principally through the use of television, audio, or computer transmission including open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, or satellite, audio conferencing, or computer conferencing.
    • This means that for undergraduate students their first 9 credits of courses must be considered in person/hybrid/hyflex.
    • Since most of the graduate level courses at Metro State are 4 credits, graduate students must have at least their first 4 credits of courses in person/hybrid/hyflex.
  • International students cannot enroll in only an online/distance education course their final semester of study.
  • International students cannot pursue 100% online/distance education certificate or degree programs.

Reduced Course Load (RCL)

In certain cases, international students may request authorization to take less than a full-time course load by requesting Reduced Course Load (RCL) authorization.

In order to qualify for the RCL, the student must:

  1. Be currently maintaining F-1 status
  2. Meet all necessary requirements for requested RCL, including any minimum enrollment requirements
  3. Must not have exceeded the number of times they qualify for the RCL

Types of RCL include illness or medical condition, academic difficulties, and completion of course of study.

The student has an illness or medical condition that interferes with their studies and has consequently been recommended to drop/withdraw from one or more courses during a specific semester.

Students may be enrolled in either a reduced course load or no credits at all.

Students are eligible to be approved for a medical RCL no more than 3 semester per academic level.

Students must apply one semester at a time.

In order to apply students are required to submit the following:

  1. Reduced Course Load (RCL) Request form
  2. Medical documentation from a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or clinical psychologist in the U.S. recommending the RCL.
    1. The medical documentation must be on official letterhead and include the following:
      1. Full name of the student
      2. Description of the student’s illness or medical condition and how it interferes with the student’s studies
      3. Recommendation that the student takes a reduced course load or no courses at all
      4. The specific term for which the reduced course load is recommended
      5. Original signature and date
      6. Practice address and phone number

The student is experiencing one of the academic difficulties listed below and has consequently been recommended to drop/withdraw from one or more courses.

Students must remain enrolled at least part-time for the remainder of the semester.

This type of reduced course load may be approved only the 1st semester the student is in the United States.

The types of RCL for academic difficulties are:

  1. Initial difficulties with the English language
  2. Initial difficulties with reading requirements
  3. Unfamiliarity with U.S. teaching methods
  4. Improper course level placement made by instructor or academic advisor

In order to apply students are required to meet with their academic advisor and then submit the following:

  1. Reduced Course Load (RCL) Request form
  2. A written statement from the student’s professor/s or academic advisor describing the circumstances and the course/s to be dropped/withdrawn.

The student is in their final term of studies and fewer courses are needed to complete the student’s degree requirements. The student may complete only the remaining required courses to satisfy the requirements of graduation.

Students must be enrolled in at least one credit.

This type of reduced course load may be approved only once per academic level.

If only one course remains to finish degree requirements, the course must be taken in person. The course cannot be taken through online or distance education, unless there is a physical presence requirement for the course (hybrid/hyflex). The course must be taken through Metro State.

In order to apply students are required to meet with their academic advisor and then submit the following:

  1. Reduced Course Load (RCL) Request form
  2. Proof the student has applied for graduation

*Students must be enrolled in the course/s listed on the RCL, prior to submission to ISS.

Full-Time Equivalency (FTE)

In certain cases, international students may request authorization to enroll in less than a full-time course load by requesting Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) authorization.

In order to qualify for the FTE, the student must:

  1. Be currently maintaining F-1 status
  2. Meet all necessary requirements for requested FTE, including any minimum enrollment requirements.
  3. Must not have exceeded the number of times they qualify for the FTE.

Types of FTE include full-time curricular practical training, full-time culminating project, and concurrent enrollment.

The student will be participating in an alternate work/study, internship, co-operative education, or other type of internship/practicum, therefore simultaneously submitting a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request for full-time employment authorization.

The student must be enrolled in at least one credit related to their CPT.

CPT is considered to be full-time if the student is working 21+ hours per week.

In order to apply students are required to meet with their academic advisor and then submit the following:

  1. Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) Request form
  2. Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request form
  3. Academic Internship Agreement (AIA)

*Students must be enrolled in the course/s listed on the FTE, prior to submission to ISS.

The student is a Graduate/Masters student working full-time on their project/dissertation/starred paper/thesis/capstone in order to complete their degree requirements.

The student must remain enrolled in at least one credit related to the culminating project/dissertation/starred paper/thesis/capstone for every semester (including the summer if it is the student’s last semester – however, the student would then apply for the RCL).

In order to apply students are required to meet with their academic advisor and then submit the following:

  1. Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) Request form

*Students must be enrolled in the course/s listed on the FTE, prior to submission to ISS.

The student is enrolled at Metro State and an additional SEVIS-approved school during the same semester and requests that the combined enrollment amounts to a full-time course of study.

The majority of the credits must be taken at Metro State.

The course/s must transfer to Metro State for credit and count towards the student’s degree requirements.

The student is still required to meet the online credit restrictions.

In order to apply students are required to meet with their academic advisor and then submit the following:

  1. Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) Request form
  2. Proof of enrollment at additional institution

*Students must be enrolled in the course/s listed on the FTE, prior to submission to ISS.