Enrollment Exceptions

Who Is eligible 

• Undergraduate: final semester, remaining required courses only.
• Graduate: after using all FTE exceptions, needs extra time for culminating experience. 

What you need to know

• One-time exception: A Reduced Course Load (RCL) based on completion of study may only be approved once. If approved, the program end date on your I-20 will be shortened to reflect your expected graduation date.
• Remaining courses must be degree requirements: At least one of your remaining courses must be required for graduation at SFSU. This RCL cannot be approved if you wish to extend your studies for non-required courses, such as raising your GPA, participating in CPT, or taking classes for personal interest.
• Summer graduation: An RCL for completion of study may only be approved during the Fall or Spring semester. If you plan to graduate in the Summer term, you must maintain full-time enrollment during the preceding Spring semester. In addition, if you are approved for an RCL in the Spring semester, you must graduate in Spring and may not postpone graduation until Summer.
• No concurrent enrollment: All remaining degree requirements must be completed at SFSU. Concurrent enrollment at another institution is not permitted while using this RCL exception.
• Online course limitations: The standard online course enrollment rules still apply. Only one online course, or up to three online units, may count toward your enrollment requirement while on an approved RCL.
  
  For example, if you have only one course left to complete the program in the Spring or Fall semester, it cannot be an online course. However, if you have three courses remaining, you are allowed to take one fully online course out of the three.

When to submit an RCL request

• Before the semester add/drop deadline (after prior semester grades are posted). 

How to make a RCL request

Undergraduate Students 

• Review the information above. Download the RCL Completion of Study form (PDF, 142KB).
• Obtain signature:  Contact the Undergraduate Advising Center for signature. 
• Submit RCL: Email signed RCL to f1@sfsu.edu. 
• Wait for approval: Students will receive a confirmation email within 5 business days. 

Graduate Students 

Graduate students will apply for this RCL only after they have used all their Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) exceptions and if they need more time to complete their culminating experience course after their grace semester.

• Review the information above. Download the RCL Completion of Study form (PDF, 142KB).
• Clear the Health Insurance Hold
• Pay all outstanding tuition in full
• Register for a 499 course: Register for one of CPaGE 499 courses under the student's college name.
• Obtain signature: Reach out to their committee member to obtain a signature on the RCL form, confirming progress for graduation
• Apply for graduation: Apply for graduation at their Student Center. Graduate students can apply for graduation after the semester starts).
• Submit RCL: Email signed RCL to f1@sfsu.edu. 
• Wait for approval: Students will receive a confirmation email within 5 business days. 

Who Is eligible?

You may be eligible for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) due to a medical condition if you have a temporary illness or medical condition that prevents you from maintaining full-time enrollment during the Fall or Spring semester.

• Newly Admitted Students
  • If you are a new student and have entered the U.S. with an SFSU I-20, or received a transfer-pending I-20 from SFSU, but are unable to begin your program because of a medical condition, contact f1@sfsu.edu immediately. 
  • In most cases, if you are unable to enroll in at least one course due to a medical condition, your admission will be canceled and you will be advised to return home and apply for a future semester. If you are able to enroll in at least one course, you may be eligible for an RCL due to a medical condition and may remain in the U.S. while continuing your studies.

What you need to know

• Authorized medical providers: Only licensed medical doctors (MD), doctors of osteopathy (DO), licensed psychologists (LP), clinical psychologists (PsyD), and psychiatrists (MD or DO) may recommend an RCL due to a medical condition.
• Documentation requirements: Your medical provider must describe your medical condition and recommend the number of units you should take during the semester. This information must be provided on the RCL form or in a letter on official hospital or clinic letterhead.
• Duration limits: An RCL due to a medical condition may be approved for a maximum of 12 months (three academic semesters) at each degree level. If you have previously received a medical RCL, consult an F-1 advisor to determine your remaining eligibility.
• Semester-by-semester approval: A new RCL request and supporting medical documentation are required for each semester. You must resume a full course of study in the next available Fall/Spring semester unless another RCL is approved.
• No retroactive approvals: You must submit your RCL request before the semester deadline. Requests cannot be approved retroactively.
• Employment restrictions: If you are approved for an RCL due to a medical condition, you are not eligible for on-campus or off-campus employment during the approved period.
• Health insurance requirement: Before submitting your RCL request, you must purchase and maintain SFSU sponsored health insurance for the entire semester and clear any health insurance holds.

When to submit an RCL request

• If you are unable to maintain full-time enrollment due to a medical condition before the semester begins:
  • You must submit your RCL request and receive approval by the semester's add/drop deadline.
• If you need to withdraw from courses during the semester due to a medical condition:
  • You must submit your RCL request and receive approval before withdrawing from your courses.
  • The latest you may submit the request is one day before the last day of instruction.

Important: RCL requests due to a medical condition cannot be approved retroactively. Be sure to obtain approval from an F-1 International Student Advisor before reducing your course load or withdrawing from classes.

How to make a RCL request

• Review the information above. Download the RCL due to medical condition (PDF, 148 KB).
• Clear the Health Insurance Hold: Purchase SF State-sponsored health insurance for the entire semester before submitting the RCL request.
• Email f1@sfsu.edu to schedule a virtual appointment with an F-1 international student advisor.

Who Is eligible?

You may be eligible for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) due to academic difficulty if:

• You are in your first semester in the U.S. and are experiencing academic difficulties.
• This is your first and only request for an RCL based on academic difficulty.

Not eligible: Continuing SFSU students and students who transferred to SFSU from another U.S. college or university.

What you need to know

• What counts as an academic difficulty? Federal immigration regulations limit this type of RCL to:
  • Initial difficulties with the English language or reading requirements (first semester in the U.S. only)
  • Unfamiliarity with U.S. teaching methods (first semester in the U.S. only)
  • Improper course placement
• Improper course placement: If you were placed in the wrong course, you may be required to provide a letter from your academic advisor explaining the situation. The letter must be printed on department letterhead and signed by the academic advisor.
• Minimum enrollment requirement: You must remain enrolled in at least:
  • 6 units if you are an undergraduate student
  • 4 units if you are a graduate student
• Required signatures: The RCL form must be signed by both you and your academic advisor.
• One-time exception: An RCL due to academic difficulty may only be approved once.

When to submit an RCL request

• You must obtain approval from an F-1 international student advisor before dropping below full-time enrollment and no later than the semester withdrawal deadline published on the Registrar's website.

How to make an RCL request

• Review the information above and download the RCL Due to Academic Difficulty Form (PDF 149KB)
• Obtain a signature 
  • Undergraduate students: contact Undergraduate Advising Center.
  • Graduate students: contact Graduate Coordinator
• Email the signed form to f1@sfsu.edu
• You will receive a decision by email within five business days.

Deadline

• Requests must be submitted and approved before you withdraw from any courses.
• The final deadline is one day before the last day of instruction.

After approval

• You must return to full-time enrollment in the next Fall or Spring semester.
• Approval of this RCL does not prevent you from qualifying for other types of RCL in the future, if eligible

Full Time Equivalency (FTE) is a full-time exception used for graduate students who meet one of the two following scenarios:

Scenario 1 

Students are in their final semester of coursework and are enrolled in one of the following Culminating Experience course(s): 

• 890 - Culminating Experience Seminar
• 895 – Field Study/Applied Research Project
• 892 – Supervised Field Internship
• 896EX – Comprehensive Examination
• 893 – Written Creative Work
• 898 – Thesis
• 894 – Creative Work Project
• 998 – Dissertation 

Scenario 2 

Students have completed all coursework(s), received an RP grade for their Culminating Experience course and are continuing to work on Culminating Experience during the grace semester. 

• Students should check with their academic departments to ensure they are eligible for a grace semester.
• During the grace semester, students are considered matriculated students and are eligible for most of the campus support services.

Doctoral students might not be eligible for FTE because they must adhere to program-specific continuous enrollment requirements. They should consult with their department chair before submitting an FTE request.

• Make normal academic progress: Stay in regular contact with your faculty advisor and make reasonable progress toward completing your degree requirements.
• FTE approval is not guaranteed: If delays in completing your project, thesis, or other culminating experience are caused by non-academic reasons, you may not be eligible for FTE.
• Medical delays: If a medical condition prevents you from making normal academic progress or meeting established deadlines, notify your faculty advisor as soon as possible. You may also be eligible for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) due to a medical condition.
• Remain in the U.S. while on FTE: You may take short trips outside the U.S.; however, you are expected to remain in the U.S. while completing your culminating experience course.
• Completing your culminating experience outside the U.S.: If you plan to complete your culminating experience while outside the U.S., you will not be able to maintain F-1 status. You will still be able to earn your degree even if you are not in F-1 status.
• If you are a graduate student completing your culminating experience requirements, review the chart below to understand your academic requirements, FTE eligibility, and employment benefits during your final semester: [SFSU] F1 international graduate students FTE requirements and employment eligibility 

• FTE request (with all signatures) is due before the Add/Drop Deadline
• The earliest an FTE Request may be submitted is after the prior semester grade posting date (unless paired with other requests, such as an I-20 extension). For example, if a student is submitting an FTE for Spring 2027:
  • The earliest date to submit the request will be after the Fall 2026 grade posting date.
  • The deadline to submit is the Spring 2027 add/drop deadline. 

• Review the Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) qualifications above and download the Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) Form (PDF, 120KB).
• Obtain a signature from your Graduate Coordinator or one of your committee members.
• Be enrolled in your culminating experience course, or have received an RP (Report in Progress) grade for the course in a previous semester.
• Clear your health insurance registration hold, including during any grace semester. You must purchase and maintain SFSU-approved health insurance for the entire semester.
• Email the completed FTE form, signed by both you and your Graduate Coordinator or committee member, to f1@sfsu.edu using your SFSU email account. We accept digital signatures, scanned copies, and clear photos of completed forms.
• Allow up to five business days for processing. You will receive a confirmation email once your request has been reviewed.

If you plan to take more than three semesters off from your studies or do not intend to continue your studies in the U.S., you should:

• Pay all outstanding tuition balance. 
• If you are enrolled in future classes, please drop them as soon as possible so that other students may register.
• Complete the F-1 Status Time Off Request Form (TORF).and leave the U.S. within 15 days of submission
• Your SEVIS record will be terminated within 15 days of submitting the TORF.

Important: If you are away from SFSU for three consecutive semesters, you will be required to reapply for admission before returning to your studies.

Please complete the following steps:

• Pay all outstanding tuition balance. 
• If you are enrolled in future classes, please drop them as soon as possible so that other students may register.
• Complete the F-1 Status Time Off Request Form (TORF).and leave the U.S. within 15 days of submission
• Your SEVIS record will be terminated within 15 days of submitting the TORF.
• You will not be eligible for CPT or OPT for one academic year after returning. 

If you withdraw from your courses during the semester, depart the U.S., and plan to return for the next available semester, you may not be outside the U.S. for the five months. In this situation, you may be eligible to request SEVIS reactivation, but you must contact f1@sfsu.edu so you can discuss your eligibility and available options before making travel plana.

You will need an initial attendance I-20 to return to the U.S. See "Requesting an Initial I-20 (New I-20)" instructions on I-20 Information.

Classes taken at another school can count toward your full-time requirement, but you must still take at least: 

• 9 units at SFSU if you are an undergraduate student, or
• 6 units at SFSU if you are a graduate student. 

4.5 quarter units are equivalent to 3 semester units.

Undergraduate students 

• You must take at least 12 units each semester, with a minimum of 9 units in person or hybrid.
• For example, if an undergraduate student is enrolled in 9 units at SFSU, including a 3-unit online class, the 3 units taken at another school must be an in-person or hybrid class.

Graduate students 

• You must take at least 8 units each semester, with a minimum of 5 units in person or hybrid. 

Final semester rule

• If you are in your final semester (Spring or Fall) and have only one course left to graduate, you must complete that course at SFSU. 
• However, if you plan to complete your study in Summer, you may take the final classes at another institution in Summer.

You must provide proof of enrollment at the beginning of the semester and proof of course completion at the end of the semester if you are using the units from other schools to meet the full-time requirement. 

Your documentation must include

• Your full name and the semester information
• The course title, course format (online, in-person, or hybrid), and number of units

Acceptable documentation includes

• An unofficial transcript
• An enrollment verification from the other school
• A screenshot of the school's online enrollment portal

The F-1 international student advisor do not handle any credit transfer matters. If you have questions about transferring credit:

Undergraduate students

• Contact the Transfer Credit Team, International Undergraduate Admissions at tcredit@sfsu.edu.

Graduate students

• Contact the Division of Graduate Studies at gradstudies@sfsu.edu.