Regulations Regarding Online Courses

A broadcast message was sent out from Immigration and Customs Enforcement on 7/6/2020 regarding COVID-19 and university semester planning. Students attending schools adopting a hybrid model—that is, a mixture of online and in person classes—will be allowed to take more than one class or three credit hours online. However, only the minimum number of online courses required to make progress towards degree completion is permitted.

For all F-1 students attending schools in the United States, Designated School Officials (DSOs) must issue new Forms I-20 to each student certifying that the student is not taking an entirely online course load for the current semester, and that the student is taking the minimum number of online classes required to make normal progress in their degree program. DSOs must indicate this information in the Form I-20 Remarks field in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

Continuing F and M students may remain in Active SEVIS status while studying online outside the United States.

The above guidance has been extended until the Spring 2022 semester.