U.S. FEDER AL REGULATIONS MAINTAINING STATUS FOR F-1 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS As a nonimmigrant guest in the U.S., please familiarize yourself with the regulations set by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for your student (F-1) status. Failure to follow these rules could result in dismissal and loss of student status. A designated school official (DSO) in the ISC is required by the U.S. government to enforce these regulations. Your international student advisor (ISA) and your international student advocate are DSOs. If you have any questions or concerns about the regulations, talk with your ISA.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT Records of international students at Liberty University are maintained on the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and reported to the USCIS. To maintain your student status with the USCIS and comply with Liberty University policies, you must have a valid, nonexpired Form I-20 at all times. Students are admitted for “Duration of Status.” (“D/S” is often written on the stamp inside your passport.) This status is valid for as long as you are a full-time student or until the “Program End Date” on your I-20. If you need additional time to complete your program, you must contact your ISA to apply for an extension of your I-20.
Full-time Enrollment You must be enrolled full time each fall and spring semester. This means: • Twelve (12) credit hours per semester for undergraduates. • Nine (9) credit hours per semester for graduate or divinity students. • Six (6) credit hours per semester for Ph.D. program students. You must have permission in advance from your ISA to drop below full-time enrollment for any reason. Failure to obtain permission will cause you to fall out of F-1 status. You must also be enrolled full time through the entirety of both fall and spring semesters, and you will be unable to withdraw from a class if it drops you below full-time status. Please note: If you do not attend class, your professor can give you a grade of "FN" (Failure for Non-Attendance). Receiving an FN impacts your enrollment and can affect your status. You are not required to
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be enrolled during the summer term. Less than full-time enrollment is permissible during your final semester only after completing the Reduced Course Load (RCL) request form and receiving approval from the ISA prior to beginning your final semester. Full-time enrollment is still required for scholarships to post regardless of RCL approval for the final semester. Only one online class (3 credit hours) may be counted toward your full-time requirement each fall and spring semester. However, once your full-time residential course requirement is met for a given semester, you may take as many online courses as you wish. Keep in mind that there is no summer enrollment requirement, so you can take as many online classes as you wish during the summer semester. (Check credit hour requirements listed to the left.)
