Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements

Full-Time Enrollment Requirements

F-1 and J-1 international students are required to maintain full-time enrollment throughout each semester of study, uphold good academic standing, and make satisfactory academic progress.

Failure to follow these rules will lead to the termination of your status. There is no grace period after termination—remaining in the U.S. after termination could lead to accrual of unlawful presence days and subject you to removal proceedings. If you ever have any questions about these requirements, please contact us.

Full-time enrollment at Rowan University is defined as:

  • Undergraduate and Exchange Students:
    • 12 or more credit hours per semester
    • At least 9 credits must be face-to-face
  • Graduate Students:
    • 9 or more credit hours per semester
    • At least 6 credits must be face-to-face

Students may only take one online class to count towards the full-time requirement! Multiple online classes are allowed as long as the minimum face-to-face requirement is met.

International students must register for—and maintain—full-time enrollment throughout the entire semester. Dropping below full-time, or taking too many online classes, is an automatic violation of F-1 and J-1 regulations.

Summer Enrollment

Full-time enrollment in the summer is NOT required. Summer is considered a vacation/holiday period. Taking classes during the summer is optional.

Exceptions: Students who are starting or completing their program during summer are required to maintain full-time course enrollment throughout the summer term. In this situation, normal full-time requirements (above) apply, including the minimum face-to-face credit requirement.

Reduced Course Load (RCL) Authorization

Certain situations may warrant a student to drop below full-time course enrollment. Dropping below full-time enrollment ALWAYS requires express permission from the International Center.

Enrollment in less than a full-time course may be authorized under the following circumstances:

  1. If the student is medically unable to maintain a full-time course load (with letter of recommendation from a medical doctor (MD), doctor of osteopathy (DO), psychologist, or clinical psychologist).
  2. If the student is having difficulty during the first semester of their degree due to (1) initial difficulties with the English language, (2) with the reading requirements, (3) unfamiliarity with American teaching methods, or (4) the student has been placed in or advised by their academic advisor to take a course at an improper course level (with letter of explanation from Graduate Coordinator/Academic Advisor).
  3. If the student is in their final semester.

Any student who meets one of the above criteria may request a Reduced Course Load via Terra Dotta. The RCL must be granted before dropping/withdrawing from a course. Dropping below full-time without RCL authorization is a violation of federal regulations.

Please log in to your Terra Dotta portal and navigate to the Control Center to view step-by-step instructions for the Reduced Course Load Request.