There are very few exceptions to the full-time course load rule. Students must request approval from an F-1 international student advisor before dropping below full-time during the fall and spring semesters. There are no minimum enrollment requirements during the summer and winter sessions.
Who is Eligible
Reduced Course Load (RCL) completion of the study is used for students in their last semester to complete the remaining required courses in their program.
What Students Need to Know
- It is a one-time-only exception. The I-20 end date will be shortened.
- It can only be approved for the Spring or Fall semester. If students are graduating in Summer, they must maintain full-time status in Spring. Also, if they have an approved RCL due to completion of study in Spring, they must graduate in Spring, not Summer.
- All their remaining courses must be taken at SF State. No concurrent enrollment at another institution is allowed.
- If students only have one course to complete the program in the Spring or Fall semester, it cannot be an online course. A hybrid course is acceptable.
- At least one remaining course must be SF State certificate requirements. This RCL will not be approved for students who wish to take an additional semester for non-required courses for other purposes (i.e., raise GPA or just for personal enrichment).
When to Request RCL Due to Completion of Study
- RCL Completion of Study Request (with all signatures) is due before the Add/Drop Deadline for each semester posted on the SF State Registrar's website.
- The earliest an RCL Completion of Study Request may be submitted is after the prior semester grade posting date (unless paired with other requests, such as I-20 extension or CPT requests).
- For example, if a student is submitting a RCL Completion of Study Request for Spring 2024, they must submit it by the Spring 2024 Add/Drop Deadline.
- The earliest they may email the signed request to globaled@sfsu.edu will be after the Fall 2023 grade posting date.
How to Request RCL Due to Completion of Study (Undergraduate)
- Review the RCL Completion of Study information above. Download the RCL Completion of Study form.
- Sign the form.
- Upload the RCL form with your signature to the Box folder. We accept digital signatures, scanned copies and high resolution/clear pictures of the completed form.
- Students will receive a confirmation email from CGE within five business days.
Who is Eligible
Reduced Course Load (RCL) due to medical condition is used for students who have a temporary illness which prevents them from maintaining full-time study.
What Students Need to Know
- F-1 regulations state that only the U.S. licensed medical doctor (MD), doctor of osteopathy (DO), licensed psychologist (LP), clinical psychologist (PsyD), or psychiatrist (MD or DO) may recommend a medical reduce course load.
- The above medical providers must substitute the student’s medical condition (this means a brief but detailed description of the student’s medical condition/illness) on the RCL due medical condition form, or on a letter of explanation. The letter must be on the hospital or clinic’s letterhead, and the medical providers must also specify the number of units that the student is recommended to enroll for the semester.
- A reduced course load or withdrawal from SF State due to a medical condition cannot exceed a total of more than 12 months (3 academic semesters) at each degree level. If students have filed RCL due to a medical condition in the U.S. before, speak to an F-1 advisor to determine their eligibility.
- A separate RCL due to medical condition must be completed and approved each semester if more than one semester of RCL due to a medical condition is needed.
- The student must resume a full course of study in the next available Fall/Spring semester to maintain legal student status unless another RCL due to a medical condition is approved.
- RCL due to medical condition will only be considered if the request is submitted BEFORE the end of the semester in which the student wishes to be part-time. RCL due to medical condition cannot be approved retroactively.
- Students with approved RCL due to medical condition are not eligible for on or off campus employment benefits.
When to Request RCL Due to Medical Condition
| STATUS | ACTION | DEADLINE |
|---|---|---|
| Will not enroll full time at the start of the semester due to a medical condition | Must submit Medical RCL form by the deadline or Medical RCL will not be approved / I-20 will be terminated | Semester Add Drop Deadline posted on the SF State Registrar's website |
| Enrolled full time by add/drop deadline, but will need to withdraw from courses during the semester due to medical condition | Must submit Medical RCL form and receive approval before deadline/ before withdrawing from courses | Last day of Instruction posted on the SF State Registrar's website |
How to Request RCL Due to Medical Condition
- Review the RCL medical condition information above. Download the RCL due to medical condition.
- Email globaled@sfsu.edu to schedule a virtual appointment with an F-1 international student advisor.
Who is Eligible
RCL due to academic difficulty is only available for students who are attending school in the U.S. for the first time. This is a one-time-only exception.
Continuing students who have been attending SF State and new students who transferred from another four-year or two-year institutions in the U.S. are not eligible for this exception.
What Students Need to Know
- Federal Immigration regulations define academic difficulty as:
- "Initial difficulty with English Language or reading requirements (First semester in the U.S. only); or Unfamiliarity with U.S. teaching methods (First semester in the U.S. only); or improper course placement. In some cases, students may be required to provide CGE with written proof from academic advisors explaining how they were misadvised. Written proof must be printed on the department letterhead and sign by the academic advisor."
- Students who wish to request RCL due to academic difficulty must speak with an F-1 international student advisor at CGE first to verify the eligibility. The RCL form must be signed by both the student and by the student's academic advisor.
- Students MUST obtain approval from CGE by the specific semester's withdrawal deadline posted on SF State Registrar’s website.
How to Request RCL Due to Academic Difficulty
- Review the RCL due to academic difficulty information above. Download the RCL due to academic difficulty form.
- Fill out the form and upload to the Box folder. We accept digital signatures, scanned copies, and high resolution/clear pictures of the completed form.
- Students will receive a confirmation email from CGE within five business days.
Once the RCL is approved, students must:
- Register for at least six units (for Undergraduate/Certificate) or four units (for Graduates) in the approved semester.
- Resume a full course of study in the next available Fall/Spring Semester in order to maintain legal student status.
- Will not be eligible for a second RCL due to academic difficulty authorization.
- May be eligible for other types of RCLs in the future.