All F-1 and J-1 students must make sure to be registered full-time, update their address, obtain a travel signature for re-entry after travel outside the USA, and have proper work authorization in order to maintain their immigration status. For more information on these important regulations and work authorizations, please see main topics below as well as our General FAQ.

Course Enrollment

• Full-time Enrollment
• Online & Hybrid Classes
• Reduced Course Load
• Exceptions to Full-time Enrollment
• Incomplete Courses

Address & Travel

• Change of Address
• Travel

Work Authorization

• F-1 Work Authorization
• J-1 Work Authorization

Minimum Credits

In compliance with the United States Citizenship, Immigration, and Naturalization Service, (USCIS), Undergraduate international students are required to meet the following course registration minimums:

• Undergraduate F-1 and J-1 students: no fewer than 12 credit hours each full-time semester (typically Fall & Winter). Undergraduates iStudents are allowed two semesters to achieve a 2.00 grade point average.
• Graduate F-1 and J-1 students: no fewer than 9 credit hours each full-time semester (typically Fall & Winter). Graduate iStudents are allowed one semester to achieve the appropriate grade point average. 

Failure to meet these guidelines may result in dismissal from Grand Valley State University and USCIS will be notified that the student is out of status.

Spring/Summer Start

If Spring/Summer is the F-1/J-1 student's first semester, it will be considered a full-time semester and the student must meet all the registration requirements as described above. 

Online Courses

International Students are permitted to take 1 class (up to 3 credits) maximum that is taught in an online format, if taking the minimum courseload. See examples below for both Graduates and Undergraduates. 

Hybrid Courses

For immigration purposes, GVSU considers a hybrid course in-person if the class meets in-seat for at least 25% of the time (approximately 4 weeks of in-person meeting in a standard semester). See examples below for both Graduates and Undergraduates. 

Multiple Delivery Courses

Some courses at GVSU are offered in a format called Multiple Delivery (MDFX, MDFL). Multiple Delivery courses are courses where a student may elect to attend in person or synchronously online. If a student is registered for one Multiple Delivery course and no other online courses that semester, they can choose to attend in-person or online and stay in compliance with the international student enrollment regulations. F-1 and J-1 International Students who are enrolled in one or more Multiple Delivery (MD) courses or one MD course along with an online course in a standard semester must submit the Multiple Delivery Attestation form to confirm that they will attend the necessary MD course at least 25% in-person for the duration of the semester. 25% attendance in-person is approximately 4 weeks of in-person meetings in a standard Fall/Winter semester. When attending this way, the course is considered in-person for immigration purposes. 

Fully online participation in MD courses does not meet immigration requirements when a student is taking the MD course in combination with other MD courses or an online courses.

Examples where the attestation form is required are:

• 2MD courses, 1 in-person course, no online courses
  • at least 1 MD course must be attended at least 25% in-person -- complete this form for 1 MD course
• 3 MD courses, no online courses
  • at least 2 MD courses must be attended at least 25% in-person -- complete this form for 2 MD courses
• 1-2 MD course, 1 online course, 1 in-person course
  • All MD courses must be attended at least 25% in-person -- complete this form for all MD courses

Graduate Students

G​​​​​​raduate students must take at least 9 credits each Fall & Winter semester

• At least 6 of those credits must be in-person
• 1 class (up to 3 credits) maximum can be taught in an online format, if taking the minimum courseload of 9 credits
• a hybrid course is considered in-person if it meets in person at least 25% of the time (approximately 4 weeks of in-person meeting in a standard semester)
• If taking more than the minimum courseload (more than 9 credits), the additional credits can be online

Examples:

• 9 credits: 6 credits in-person, 3 credits (1 class) online ✔ permitted
• 9 credits: 3 credits in-person, 6 credits (2 class) online ✘ not permitted
• 12 credits total: 6 credits in-person, 6 credits (4 classes) online ✔ permitted
• 12 credits total: 3 credits in-person, 9 credits online ✘ not permitted

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate student must take at least 12 credits each Fall & Winter semester

• At least 9 of those credits must be in-person
• 1 class (up to 3 credits) maximum can be taught in an online format, if taking the minimum courseload of 12 credits
• a hybrid course is considered in-person if it meets in person at least 25% of the time (approximately 4 weeks of in-person meeting in a standard semester)
• If taking more than the minimum courseload (more than 12 credits), the additional credits can be online

Examples:

• 12 credits total: 9 credits in-person, 3 credits (1 class) online ✔ permitted
• 12 credits total: 3 credits in-person, 9 credits (3 classes) online ✘ not permitted
• 15 credits total: 9 in-person, 6 online ✔ permitted
• 15 credits total: 6 in-person, 9 online ✘ not permitted

Reduced Courseload

F-1 iStudents can be authorized for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) for only two reasons:

1.  Students who are experiencing an illness or medical condition that inhibits their ability to attend classes. Students in this situation need medical documentation from a licensed Medical Doctor, Doctor of Osteopathy, or Clinical Psychologist.
2. Students who are in the final semester of their program and have less than a full-time course load remaining need to be authorized with Immigration for a RCL.
   • Students should be certain that they will indeed complete their program during the semester for which they have requested an RCL
   • "If the student is not required to take any additional courses to satisfy the requirements for completion, but continues to be enrolled for administrative purposes, the student is considered to have completed the course of study" and must seek OPT Authorization or change out of F-1 status to maintain legal standing in the USA. 8 CFR 214.2(f)(6)(iii)(C).
   • iStudents cannot be authorized for a final semester RCL if they are registered for only an internship with no other courses in their final semester unless they first demonstrate that they already have secured an internship.
   • An RCL is required in the summer semester if a student is registered for less than a full-time course load, even if the student completed an academic year (full-time Fall & Winter semesters), if the summer semester is the student's final semester before graduation. For example, a graduate student completed 9 credits in Fall and 9 credits in Winter. The graduate student is enrolled in 3 credits in Spring/Summer and will graduate in August. An RCL is required for Spring/Summer since the student is in their final semester.
   • A second, consecutive semester of RCL can be authorized if the student's Faculty deems it necessary, providing the Faculty can show that the student continues to make normal progress toward program completion.

If you'd like to put in a request for a reduced course load, please select the applicable reduced course load button below:

Reduced Course Load Request - Final Semester

Reduced Course Loan Request - Medical

Processing Time: An RCL form can be submitted at any time, but they will be processed as follows: 

• Medical Reduced Course Loads are expected to take about 1 week (5 business days) to process
• Final Semester Reduced Course Loads are only processed at the beginning of each semester
  • Fall processed late August through mid-September
  • Winter processed in January
  • Spring/Summer processed in May

Students who are in either of the following situations can be enrolled in less than the minimum credits required by Immigration but still be considered full-time:

• Full-time CPT is considered as Full-time enrollment. Therefore, if you are only taking one (1) class then that class CANNOT be an online class.
• Students enrolled in and one of these Thesis/Masters Project/Capstone courses are considered Full-time:
  • EGR 693, EGR 695, EGR 686

Incomplete courses impact international students in two key areas: full-time student status and CPT. As incomplete courses relate to full-time student status, ISS maintains that an incomplete course does not count towards a students full-time status. This means that ongoing work for a previously incomplete course does not count towards the student’s current enrollment. In relation to CPT, an incomplete course will only be used for CPT authorization the semester immediately following the semester in which the incomplete grade is given as follows:  

• Fall semester incomplete grades can be used for CPT authorization in the following Winter semester only;  
• Winter incomplete grades can be used for CPT authorization in the following Spring/Summer or Fall semester; Winter incomplete grades cannot be used for both Spring/Summer and Fall. 
• Spring/summer incomplete grades can be used for CPT authorization in the following Fall semester only.  

Federal Requirements: United States immigration law requires the reporting of a change of address within 10 days of the move, even if it is changing apartments within the same complex. 

Reporting Change of Address: Grand Valley students must report their change of address in three ways:

1. On Grand Valleys myBanner which we use to update SEVIS
2. To the US Postal Service (optional, most helpful for off-campus residents)

Travel Signatures
Any student wishing to leave the country for either travel or vacation must have a valid travel signature on their I-20 or DS 2019:

• Signatures for students currently enrolled in a degree program are valid for one year from the indicated date. Students traveling to Canada or Mexico are encouraged to have their documents signed within 6 months of travel. If you are interested in visiting Canada and/or Mexico, you should visit the Canadian and Mexican embassy websites before traveling to check visa requirements. 
• Signatures for students on approved post-completion OPT or the STEM OPT extension are valid for 6 months from the indicated date. 

Request Travel Signature
Travel advice from Immigration

Absences & Late Returns

• Returning F-1 and J-1 students should be present for the entirety of the semester to maintain their immigration status. Any late returns or short-term absences should be cleared with each of the Faculty teaching their courses in advance of the absence. It is up to the Faculty's discretion if they permit the absence and are willing to provide alternate methods of evaluation or other accommodations. Additionally, absences longer than a couple of days need to be discussed with the ISS Team to ensure the absence does not cause any immigration complications.
• New F-1 and J-1 students are not permitted to join GVSU in-person later than the first Friday of the semester (the add/drop deadline). See Important Dates for New Students

F-1 students are only at eligible to work at GVSU without any additional immigration authorization as follows:

• Maximum 20 hours per week during the regular semester (Fall & Winter semesters)
• Maximum 40 hours per week during breaks (Spring Break, Winter Break, Spring/Summer semesters)

For information on work authorization off campus BEFORE graduation, visit CPT Information

For information on work authorization off campus AFTER graduation, visit OPT Information

Transfer Students: F-1 students transferring to GVSU can begin work at GVSU once they have a GVSU I-20.

J-1 International Students are only eligible to work at GVSU and only during their studies.

Academic Training (AT) is work authorization for J-1 students after program completion. Some J-1 students may be eligible for AT after their program ends. Students should make an appointment in their last semester to discuss eligibility. To schedule an appointment please email [email protected]

Can F-1 Students Invest in US Markets? 

Yes, International Students can invest, but may not engage in activities like day trading. International students are permitted to have passive income but should avoid any employment or self-employment unless specifically authorized.

Can iStudents GVSU student positions remotely from overseas?

GVSU gives supervisors the discretion to allow remote work for their student employees. However, students must stay within the U.S. while working remotely for GVSU. Working from outside the country is not allowed at any time due to tax rules.