F-1 Immigration Status

SEVIS Registration and Reporting Requirements

All F-1 and J-1 visa holders must maintain full-time international student status each semester as specified by U.S. Federal regulations. Please carefully review the following information to help you understand and maintain your visa status as a current F-1 student.

Registration Steps

In order for you to maintain lawful F-1 student status, the ISO must tell the federal government that you are registered for and enrolled in classes each semester. For this to happen, you'll need to take the following steps:

	Perform your online check-in through ISOGateway if you are a new student or a student on a new F-1 visa.
	Register for at least the required amount of credits for your level of study before the applicable deadline. See the enrollment requirements and deadline information below for more detail.
	Maintain a valid "Current" local/living address (no PO Boxes) in your GWeb Information System record. See the address updates section below for more information.
	Maintain a valid "Permanent" address (address in a country other than the U.S.) in your GWeb Information System record. See the address updates section below for more information.
	Maintain lawful immigration status by complying with all F-1 student requirements. See below for an explanation of these requirements.

Full-Time Enrollment Requirement

Federal regulations require F-1 and J-1 international students to be enrolled for a full course of study each semester. Each semester, the International Services Office is required to confirm your course of study by registering your record in SEVIS, and confirming that you are maintaining full-time enrollment. See below for more information on this requirement as it applies to summer terms.

Dropping below full-time enrollment is a serious violation of your visa terms and requires prior authorization from the ISO to maintain your legal status.

If you need to drop below full-time, you should immediately contact your ISO Advisor either by emailing ISO at isogwu [dot] edu (iso[at]gwu[dot]edu) or scheduling an advising appointment to discuss available options, such as reduced course load (RCL) authorization or leave of absence.

Credit Requirements

If you are an F-1 or J-1 immigration visa holder, you must register for and maintain enrollment in a “full course of study” as defined by US Federal regulations. Students must register and maintain enrollment every semester for the number of credits specified below:

Level	Minimum Credits Required
Undergraduate	At least 12 credits
Graduate	At least 9 credits
J.D.	At least 12 credits

Summer semester: No credit requirement except for students beginning their study in the summer, if your final semester as specified by your academic program will happen during the summer, or if your program requires mandatory summer enrollment.

If full-time enrollment during the Summer term is required for your academic program, minimum credit hours required are:

Bachelor's: 12
Graduate: 6

Online credits

Only 3 online course credits per semester may be applied to an F-1 student's full course of study requirement.
During your final semester of study (including those graduating in the summer), your enrollment cannot solely be in an online course.
Questions? Talk to an ISO Advisor!

Program Completion

Please note that the Full Time Enrollment credit hours above are the minimum amount of credit hours you need each semester. They satisfy immigration requirements for maintaining your status but may not satisfy requirements for completing your program on time. You must take at least 9 credits as a graduate student and at least 12 credits as an undergraduate student and you may need to take more credits than that, depending on your program/situation.

Grades

The following grades do not count toward the full-time enrollment requirement: W (Withdrew), Z (Dropped, and NE (Never Engaged). Other grades such as F, I and NP can be counted towards full-time enrollment.

However, if a you are not able to complete your program on time (by the program end date listed on your I-20/DS-2019) due to an 'F', 'I', or 'N/P', the ISO is not able to extend your I-20/DS-2019. Any 'F', 'I' and 'NP' may therefore have negative consequences on a your status in the long run.

What you should do to fulfill your full time enrollment requirement

Register for a "full course of study" as defined above for Fall and Spring (and summer if necessary).
Ensure that you are not over-enrolled in online courses.
Ensure that your grades are able to coutn towards your full-time enrollent requirement.

Exceptions to Full-Time Enrollment

A Reduced Course Load (RCL) is an authorized exception to the full course of study requirement, approved by the ISO Advisor (Designated School Official;DSO) and ONLY in very limited circumstances explained below:

Academic Reduced Course Load

As per F-1 regulations, there are few exceptions to enrolling in less than full-time courses. A student may be authorized for an Academic RCL basis only for a single term during any one course of study at a particular degree level, and must resume a full course of study at the next available term (excluding summer). Those difficulties must fall within one of the following areas and are ONLY limited to the first semester:

Unfamiliarity with US teaching methods
Initial difficulties with the English language
Initial difficulties with reading requirements
Improper course level placement

Important notes regarding Academic Reduced Course Loads:

A reduced course load for academic difficulties must still consist of a minimum six-credit course load, or half the clock hours required for a full course of study.
Please log into ISOGateway, click on F-1 Student Services and select Reduced Course Load e-form.

Medical Reduced Course Load

If a student develops a temporary medical illness or medical condition that requires reduced enrollment (or zero enrollment), the F-1 regulations permits a student to enroll in less than full-time enrollment. The student must upload the completed F-1 Student Medical RCL Request Form along with a business card signed by either one of the following medical professionals:

A licensed medical doctor
A psychiatrist
A doctor of osteopathy
A licensed psychologist
A clinical psychologist

Important notes about medical reduced course loads

The medical recommendation can only cover one semester at a time and the maximum duration is 12 months per degree level. If approved, you must be enrolled full-time for the next term. *Though you are not required to depart the U.S. but if you want, you can depart the U.S.
Please log into ISOGateway, click on F-1 Student Services and select Reduced Course Load e-form and the form itself must be completed by one of the above authorized medical professionals.

Final Term Reduced Course Load

During a student's final semester of an academic program, the student is only required to register for the credits necessary to finish the degree.

Important notes about final term reduced course loads:

The request should be submitted before the start of the semester and prior to the add/drop period. Please log into ISOGateway, click on F-1 Student Services and select Reduced Course Load e-form.
No more than one online course, up to 3 credits, may count towards full-time enrollment even if it's the student's final semester. A student who drops below a full course of study without the prior approval from ISO will be considered out of status.

Full-Time Certification (FTC)

Full-Time Certification (FTC) serves as an official confirmation that a graduate international student in the United States, holding an F-1 or J-1 visa, is engaged in a full course of study. Under specific circumstances, graduate F-1 and J-1 students may qualify for FTC. This certification permits a student to enroll in fewer than the required full-time credit hours while maintaining their immigration status as a full-time student. If eligible and authorized for an FTC, you will receive an approval email from the Registrar which you will be able to submit via the ISOGateWay.

Who is Eligible for FTC?

The Registrar and academic department will determine your eligibility for FTC. Typically, graduate F-1/J-1 students are eligible for FTC if:

Engaged in dissertation or thesis research:

Graduate students actively working on their dissertation or thesis

In their post-coursework phase:

Graduate-doctoral students preparing for comprehensive/General examination

Participating in required internships or practicums:

Graduate-doctoral students enrolled in a full-time internship/externship/practicum required by their academic program
Reminder: FTC is not work authorization, you must obtain Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization for any paid off-campus employment (internships, externships).

How to Apply:

Starting in fall 2024, F-1 and J-1 students must submit all FTC requests to the Office of the Registrar for processing, irrespective of the student's international or domestic status. After obtaining approval from the Office of the Registrar, the ISO will utilize the documentation to confirm the student's full-time enrollment status with the Department of Homeland Security.

Before submitting the ISOGateWay eform, you must first complete the GW Registrar's Full-Time Certification approval process. If you have not already, you will need to submit the form and be approved for Full-Time Certification by the Registrar.

To complete the eform, you will need to upload a PDF of the Full-Time Certification approval email sent to you by the Registrar with the subject line "Your request for Half-time/Full-time Certification has been approved." After your eform is submitted in ISOGateWay, you will receive a confirmation email from the ISO.

Important Notes:

Only Full-Time Certification will enable a student to maintain their F-1 or J-1 visa status. Half-Time Certification does not fulfill this requirement.
Please note that if you submit a fall semester FTC request during the summer, the registrar will not begin processing your request until the first day of the fall semester.
If you’re enrolled in a Capstone course, please reach out to your academic advisor as well as the Office of the Registrar to confirm if it meets the FTC eligibility requirements listed above.

Address Requirements

Current/Local Address

Your current, local, living address, as defined by SEVIS, is the physical address of the place where you live. A postal box (e.g., PO Box 1234) is not a living address and will not be accepted by SEVIS. We will download your "Current" address from the GWeb Information System when we download your registration information. If an acceptable current address is downloaded, we will send it to SEVIS as part of your registration and enrollment report. If you do not have a current address in GWeb or if you have one but it is a postal box, we cannot send your registration report to SEVIS.

The federal government requires that you inform them of your U.S. address and any changes in it. One of the benefits of being a GW international student is that if you maintain your "Current" address properly in GWeb, we will fulfill this responsibility for you! As a part of the data download from the GWeb system each workday, we can see if you address changes and report it to SEVIS.

What you need to do to fulfill the current/local address requirement:

Ensure that your current local living address appears as the "Current" address in your student record in the GWeb Information System.
Be sure this address is your physical living address (not a postal box).
If you move, update that address within 10 days of your move.

Permanent Address

Your permanent address must be outside the U.S. A U.S. address will not be accepted by SEVIS. We will download your "Permanent" address from the GWeb Information System at the same time we download your registration information. If you do not have a "Permanent" address in GWeb or if you have one but it is not acceptable to SEVIS (e.g., it is a U.S. address), we cannot send a registration report on you to SEVIS.

What you need to do to fulfill the permanent address requirement:

Ensure that your permanent foreign address appears as the "Permanent" address in your student record in the GWeb Information System.
Be sure this address is in another country (not a U.S. address).
Update that address in GWeb, as necessary, to maintain its accuracy.

Registration Deadline

New Students: SEVIS must receive your registration and enrollment report from the ISO no later than 30 days from the "reporting date" in Item 5 on your Form I-20.

Continuing Students: SEVIS must receive your registration and enrollment report from the ISO no later than 30 days from the first day of classes each fall and each spring semester.

We encourage you to consult with your GW academic advisor and register for classes during the pre-registration period before each semester starts. This will have no effect upon your SEVIS registration/enrollment report.

When a new semester begins, we download your registration information from the GW student records system to our internal database on a daily basis. As soon as the download indicates that you are officially registered for classes, we send your registration/enrollment report to SEVIS. This report must be completed within 30 days of the beginning of classes.

What you need to do to fulfill this requirement:

Consult with your GW academic advisor and register for classes each semester before the GW deadline to add/drop courses.
If you believe you may not be able to register within the first 30 days of classes for any fall or spring semester, please contact the ISO immediately.

Being outside the U.S. to complete a thesis, dissertation coursework, or engage in study abroad

If you are interested in spending a semester or longer outside the U.S. for study abroad, thesis, or dissertation work, speak with an ISO advisor before making your plans.

Failure to Comply with Registration and Reporting Requirements

The ISO’s goal is to provide information and guidance to help you avoid any violations of your visa status.

If SEVIS does not receive a timely report each semester confirming that you are enrolled (and meet all the requirements above), your SEVIS record will be terminated. This termination invalidates your I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1), places you out of status, and results in an immediate loss of all visa benefits, including class attendance, on-campus employment, and Curricular Practical Training (CPT). There is no grace period to remain in the U.S. following a status termination. We strive to work with you to avoid this situation.

If you would like more information on SEVIS registration and enrollment confirmation reports, or on any other topic that relates to your immigration status, please contact the ISO. The staff of this office is always pleased to provide you with information, counseling, and assistance to help you achieve your educational goals at GW while maintaining a lawful immigration status.

Employment

As an F-1 / J-1 student, the primary purpose of your program is to be a full-time student. In some cases, you may be authorized for employment that is incidental to your status.

In order to maintain your status, you are responsible for the following:

For J-1 Students: Obtain authorization from the ISO before working on campus (see the J-1 on campus employment page for more details)
All F-1 and J-1 Students: Do not exceed 20 hours of work total during required terms
All F-1 and J-1 Students: Do not begin any off-campus work, paid or unpaid, without authorization from the ISO

To learn more about work authorization for F-1 and J-1 degree-seeking students, visit our employment page. Working without authorization is a serious violation of your student status, so be sure to contact the ISO with questions before starting work.

End of Semester Guidelines

At the end of each semester, there are several things to think about. It is never too early to be prepared! Please read all of the situations below as they apply to you. If you don’t find the answer you need, please make an appointment with an ISO Advisor or send us an email at isogwu [dot] edu (iso[at]gwu[dot]edu).

Will you enroll in courses next semester?

If you have travel plans, please make sure you have a valid travel signature on your I-20.
If you will be taking less than a full course of study next semester (less than 9 credits if you are a graduate student, or less than 12 credits if you are an undergraduate student) you must receive the appropriate authorization:
- If you will take less than a full course of study next semester because it will be your final semester, or you have an approved reason to take less than a full course of study, then please complete a Reduced Course Load request through ISO Gateway. This request is due to the ISO before the semester starts.
- If you are a graduate student who will take less than a full course of study next semester because you will be working on your thesis or dissertation, submit a Full Time Certification request through ISO Gateway. This request is due to the ISO before the semester starts.
- Unauthorized drops below full-time enrollment will impact your immigration status and may lead to termination of your status.

Will you complete your program this semester and you do not plan to apply for work authorization (OPT)?

After your program ends you have a 60-day (F-1) grace period in which you must do one of the following things:

Depart the United States,
Apply for a change of status to another non-immigrant classification, or
Be admitted into another educational program.

If you are graduating early, please notify the ISO so your SEVIS record is updated. The ISO will be notified of your graduation well into your 60-day grace period and will retroactively shorten your I-20 to reflect graduation.

Will you complete your program this semester and you plan to apply for work authorization (OPT)?

If you plan to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) then please remember:

Your OPT application packet MUST reach the USCIS Service Center no earlier than 90 days before and no later than 60 days after program completion date. This date is generally the last day of the semester.
Please review the OPT guidelines.
In addition to the 3 months that it might take USCIS to process your work authorization, our office can take up to 10 business days to recommend you (issue you a new I-20) for OPT. Please also take mailing time into account!
There are special considerations for students who try to travel while waiting for approval or while on OPT. Please check with an advisor if you plan to travel while you application is pending or during your OPT time. The OPT handout also discusses travel at various stages of the OPT application.
There are new reporting responsibilities for students on OPT. Please review these guidelines, as failure to complete the OPT report can impact your F-1 student status.

If you have any questions about anything related to your status here at GW, please visit the ISO.

Program Extensions

Students in F-1 status are given the standard program length of full-time study on their form I-20 in order to complete their degree requirements. Students who will not complete their degree program by the program end date on their form I-20 may request an extension.

Per F-1 immigration regulations, your ISO advisor is allowed to extend your I-20 under certain circumstances, but you must obtain the extension BEFORE your current form I-20 expires. Failure to request an extension in a timely manner will have negative consequences for the student’s immigration status.

Eligibility

You must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for a program extension:

You must be in valid F-1 status, having maintained a full course of study throughout every required semester.
You must demonstrate that you have compelling academic or medical reasons that necessitate the extension of your form I-20.
You must apply for a program extension 30 to 90 days prior to the expiration date of your form I-20. Failure to extend your I-20 by the expiration date will cause you to fall out of status and you will be ineligible for an extension.
You must demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to cover the remaining time needed to complete your program.

You are not eligible for a program extension if any of the following applies:

You were enrolled for less than a full course load without prior approval by an ISO advisor.
You require additional time to complete incomplete grades, withdrawals, failed classes, or because you were placed on academic probation or were academically suspended.
You have otherwise failed to maintain your F-1 status (unauthorized employment or any other violation).
You fail to have your I-20 extended by the program end date listed on your form I-20.

We strongly recommend scheduling an appointment to see an ISO advisor if you have any questions regarding your extension eligibility.

How to Apply

The F-1 Program Extension Request eform can be submitted via ISOGateway. After logging in with your GW email address, please click on "F-1 Student Services" category on the left-hand side, and then click on F-1 Program Extension Request. We strongly recommend scheduling an appointment to see an ISO advisor if you have any questions regarding your extension eligibility.

To ensure sufficient processing time, you will need to prepare and submit the following extension request documents via ISOGateway at least 30 days prior to the expiration date of your form I-20.

Copy of most recent I-94
F-1 visa copy
Passport biographical page copy
Signed letter from your academic advisor on GW letterhead detailing the following information:
- Your name and GWid number
- Indicating this letter is in support of your I-20 extension request
- Your degree level and major
- The number of credits you have completed thus far towards your degree
- The program requirements you have left to complete, including the number of credit hours
- If you are writing a thesis or dissertation, when the thesis or dissertation will be turned in and defended
- A detailed explanation of the compelling academic or medical reason(s) that necessitate the extension, i.e., why it is that you have not finished in the expected length of time
- Your anticipated date of program completion
If you are extending because of medical reasons, the medical condition must be substantiated by medical documentation from a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or licensed clinical psychologist. A signed/dated letter from the medical professional with the RCL recommendation due to your medical condition is required.
**Proof of sufficient funding for the length of the extension:
- Bank letter or statement no more than 3 months old, in English. (If a sponsor will assist you to meet this financial obligation, in addition to providing proof of funding s/he must complete page 2 of the form found at: Graduate PDF or Undergraduate PDF)
  **Note: If you arrived at this page from ISOGateway's F-1 Program Extension Eform, one of the above linked forms should be used for the last file upload question if applicable.
  ***Please email isogwu [dot] edu (iso[at]gwu[dot]edu) if you have trouble opening your link.
- GW award letter
- Consult your academic or admissions office for the cost of your remaining credit hours, cost of living, books and insurance. Your ISO advisor will review the amount and may require additional funding if they believe the amount to be inadequate.
- If you have dependents, you must also show additional funding and fill out a Dependent Information Sheet. Please also see the family expenses section of the above "Graduate PDF" for exact yearly funding requirements for your spouse and per child.

Once a complete request is submitted via ISOGateway, an ISO advisor will review the request to determine the student’s eligibility for an extension. If approved, a new form I-20 will be issued and an email will be sent to you when your new document is ready.