Maintaining F-1 Status
In the immigration context, maintaining status means following the government's rules for your visa category. Status violations, including even brief failures to maintain status, may have consequences that include denial of future visas and immigration benefits, and in severe cases, bars from entering the U.S. and/or deportation.
The easiest ways to inform yourself of the rules and stay in status are:
- Attend International 海角社区 Orientation, information sessions, workshops;
- Read ALL correspondence you receive from OIP;
- Review our website and follow us on ; and
- Contact us-- before you have a problem!.
When OIP notifies you of a potential violation, contact us immediately. Waiting to address an issue may mean that we may ot be able to help you resolve the matter, due to government deadlines.
Your primary objective as an F-1 is to study. If you are not studying as required, you cannot stay in F-1 status. See Who Can Study?
As an F-1 college student, you MUST:
- Maintain an unexpired passport at all time;
- Report your arrival to OIP within 15 days of entering the U.S. at the beginning of a new program or when entering with a new I-20/SEVIS record, or before classes begin if you are transferring to 海角社区 or changing degree levels;
- Enroll full time each Fall and Spring semester, and maintain full-time enrollment throughout the term, unless you are a Part-Time Border Commuter or are approved for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) (see "Enrollment Requirements" and "Reduced Course Load" tabs);
- Remain in good academic standing and make normal progress toward your degree. Ffollow all 海角社区 student conduct, class attendance, and academic integrity rules. If you are suspended or expelled, you must immediately transfer to another school or leave the U.S.;
- NEVER work without prior authorization from OIP. All unauthorized work, on campus or off campus, is prohibited;
- Report required changes in a timely manner (see "Report Changes" tab);
- Report a leave of absence to OIP if you will not be enrolling in classes for a semester, or if you will drop all of your classes. 海角社区s on a leave of absence are not permitted to remain in the U.S. on a student visa;
- Request a SEVIS transfer if you will transfer to another school (documentation of admission to the new school is required);
- Request an extension of your I-20, if you will not finish your program by the listed program end date (endorsement of the request by your academic advisor is required);
- Apply for a new I-20 if you will start a new program at a different degree level, or pursue a second degree at the same level (confirmation of admission into the new program is required);
- Contact OIP at the end of your program to apply for OPT (90 days prior to the end of your program), or report your graduation if the program end date on your I-20 is a date later than the term when you will graduate; and
- Leave the U.S., request a change of status with USCIS, or apply for OPT before the end of your grace period.
F-1 students may be authorized to concurrently enroll at one other per term. The credits you take at the other school will count toward your total enrollment, and all enrollment requirements will apply (full time, online class limit, etc.).
To request authorization for concurrent enrollment, complete the "Concurrent Enrollment Request" through .
TERMS FOR CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT
- The number of credits taken at 海角社区 must be greater than or equal to the number of credits taken at the other school.
- You MUST send your course schedule at the other school at the start of that term to oip@utep.edu.
- The document must contain the semester, your name, class title, number of credits, and weekly schedule (or state that it is online). Failure to submit this proof of enrollment may result in termination of your SEVIS record.
- Upon completion of the term, credits must be transferred to 海角社区. Contact records@utep.edu for more information.
- Any changes of your enrollment at the other school must be immediately reported to OIP.
- 海角社区s need not enroll at 海角社区 during summer term in order to take classes at another school during the summer.
- There is no minimum or maximum credit requirement, and students may take as many online classes as they would like, during the summer term.
- 海角社区s may take as many online classes as they would like, during the summer term.
In limited circumstances, DHS allows OIP to authorize students to enroll less than full time. This is known as a Reduced Course Load (RCL).
海角社区s MUST apply for an RCL before enrolling less than full time. RCLs are authorized one semester at a time. 海角社区s who need an RCL for additional semesters must re-apply, if eligible. RCL approval is NOT guaranteed. It is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
- Apply for an RCL through in the "F-1 海角社区 Services" tab.
- Upon submission, the student's academic advisor (and the Graduate School, for graduate students) will receive an email to approve the student's request before OIP can begin reviewing.
Please note that RCL approval is only relevant to your immigration record. We recommend that all students consult with their academic advisor before making any changes to their course schedule, to ensure they can continue to make normal academic progress in their program.
- 海角社区s with scholarships should contact their scholarship administrator to ensure that the scholarship is not impacted if they are not enrolled full time
- Programa Pase is not a scholarship and it is not impacted by RCL approval
- Competitive scholarships may require full-time enrollment except in the last term
- 海角社区s working on campus, including TA/RA positions, should contact their supervisor to verify they are eligible for TA/RA benefits if/when they not enrolled full time
- 海角社区s who receive other benefits (out-of-state tuition waiver, health insurance, etc.) should contact the benefit administrator to ensure that the benefit is not impacted if/when they are not enrolled full time
DHS allows RCL authorization for:
- Medical Condition/Illness:
- Situation: The student has a documented medical condition or illness that requires him/her to enroll less than full time.
- Evidence Needed: The student must submit a recent letter from a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or licensed clinical psychologist regarding the condition, and recommending that the student enroll less than full time
- Limits: DHS limits a medical RCL to 12 months per degree level. This typically means a maximum of 3 semesters throughout the academic program.
- Minimum Enrollment: Upon approval, the student may enroll part time, or may not be enrolled at all.
- IMPORTANT: 海角社区s who will not enroll at all will remain in active F-1 status, but may lose 海角社区 student benefits. We recommend contacting your academic advisor if you have questions about your 海角社区 status if you will not enroll for one or more semesters.
- IMPORTANT: 海角社区s who will not enroll at all will remain in active F-1 status, but may lose 海角社区 student benefits. We recommend contacting your academic advisor if you have questions about your 海角社区 status if you will not enroll for one or more semesters.
- Academic Difficulties:
- Situations:
- The student is experiencing initial difficulties with the English language;
- The student is experiencing initial difficulties with the reading requirements;
- The student is unfamiliar with American teaching methods; and/or
- The student was improperly placed in a course or improperly advised to take a course that he/she was not prepared for.
- Evidence Needed: The student MUST speak with his/her academic advisor prior to applying for the RCL to discuss the situation. The academic advisor will provide reasoning for the RCL upon approving the Sunapsis request.
- Limits: A student may only be authorized for an RCL based on Academic Difficulties once during their degree program.
- Minimum Enrollment: Undergraduate students must continue to enroll in at least 6 credits. Graduate students must continue to enroll in at least 3 credits.
- Situations:
- Completion of Course of Study:
- Situation: The student is in his/her last semester of an academic program and needs fewer than 12/9 credits to graduate.
- Evidence Needed: The academic advisor will confirm that the student is in his/her last semester when approving the Sunapsis request.
- Limits: DHS allows OIP to authorize this RCL up to two times during a student's academic program, in the event that the student does not complete the program as planned.
- Minimum Enrollment: The student must be enrolled in at least 3 in-person credits during his/her last semester. Even if the only course(s) needed is/are online, the student cannot be enrolled only in online classes, even with an approved RCL for this reason.
- Thesis/Dissertation Enrollment:
- Situation: A graduate student is enrolled in a 3-credit thesis/dissertation course.
- Evidence Needed: Enrollment in a thesis/dissertation course.
- Limits: While there is not a designated maximum number of terms, the student MUST be making normal academic progress toward the degree.
- Minimum Enrollment: The student must be enrolled in the thesis/dissertation course.
DHS does NOT allow an RCL for the following reasons:
- Inability to pay tuition
- 海角社区 does not offer courses required for your degree program in a certain semester
- 海角社区 has taken all courses in a sequence and the next sequence does not start until the next term.
- Being dropped by a professor due to absences/lack of effort
- Dropping a class because you are failing, or to save your GPA
ADDITIONAL OPTIONS FOR BORDER COMMUTERS
Full-Time Border Commuters may request to change to Part-Time Border Commuter status in the event that they wish to enroll less than full time, but do not qualify for an RCL. 海角社区s must submit the "Part-Time Border Commuter Request" through before dropping below full time.
Important Notes:
- Part-Time Border Commuters are not permitted to work on campus, unless authorized for Curricular Practical Training (CPT). A Full-Time Border Commuter who is working on campus should consult with OIP before pursuing this option.
- Part-Time Border Commuters are required to renew their I-20 before the end of each semester and must pay close attention to their I-20 program end date.
- 海角社区s who change to Part-Time Border Commuter status must apply to change back to Full-Time Border Commuter status if desired. 海角社区s must submit the "Updated Confirmation of Financial Resources" e-form through , and provide evidence of financial ability to pay for full time enrollment.
- Part-time Border Commuters may not reside in the United States.
海角社区s must immediately report the following changes to OIP:
- Change in U.S. or foreign address
- Submit "Address Change Request" through
- Change in major
- Submit "Change of Major" request through
- Submit "Change of Major" request through
- Change of degree level
- Submit "Change of Degree Level" through
- Change in immigration status:
- Submit "Report Change in Immigration Status" through
- Change in personal email address, phone number, or 海角社区 email address (for example, if your email address changes from @miners.utep.edu to @utep.edu)
- Email oip@utep.edu
- Email oip@utep.edu
- Change in legal name
- Email oip@utep.edu with evidence of name change
