F-1 Student Enrollment and Tuition Comparison
Enrollment Requirements for F-1 Students
The United States Department of Homeland Security regulates enrollment for students who hold an F-1 visa. The International Student Services staff report student enrollment by uploading information to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) each semester. Enrollment requirements for F-1 students is different from that of students who hold another visa status. See the comparison to other visa holders enrollment options below. Once a change of status to F-1 visa is approved, the student must comply with the enrollment regulations.
Students who hold visa categories other than F-1 may enroll part-time or full-time, without limit to online classes. However, Undergraduate students who hold an F-1 student visa must follow these enrollment requirements in order to maintain their visa status:
-
F-1 international students must enroll in a full-time course of study for Fall and Spring terms. Enrollment in summer term is optional for F-1 students, unless the first term of entry is summer. If a student's program of study includes summer classes in a mandatory course rotation, online class restrictions are not counted toward their enrollment for the summer term only. However, students who fail to enroll in summer course rotation courses will likely become in violation of F-1 status due to lack of the required courses for graduation at the end of their program.
-
Full-time course load for undergraduate students is 12 semester hours (generally 4 courses).
-
Full-time course load for graduate students is 9 semester hours (generally 3 courses).
-
Dropping below the full-time course load will result in terminating the F-1 visa status.
-
-
One online course is allowed within the full-time course load. The student may enroll in additional online courses, but must maintain full-time enrollment in the minimum number of required face-to-face courses as well throughout the semester.
-
A hold will be placed on F-1 students accounts that will keep them from dropping a course or withdrawing from courses during the semester without approval from the International Student Services Staff.
-
A reduced course load may be granted by the Designated School Official (DSO) in limited circumstances. Students who drop below the full-course load enrollment or enroll in less than the required face-to-face course requirement will be in violation of their F-1 status and may have their F-1 visa status terminated.
Tuition Rate for F-1 International Students
Students who hold a visa other than the F-1 category may be allowed to pay in-state tuition rates if their visa is eligible to domicile in Texas as determined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. However, F-1 visa category is not eligible to domicile in Texas. Students eligible to domicile in Texas who are already enrolled in classes at UHV, and currently pay in-state tuition rate, will be required to pay the international tuition rate after their change of status to F-1 has been approved.
Students are urged to compare the Texas Tuition rate and the International Student tuition rate by using the Tuition and Fees Calculator located on the UHV Tuition and Fees web page prior to requesting a change of status.
Support documentation must be submitted prior to issuing an I-20 to any student who will change to F-1 status.