ISFS: New information about F-1 online enrollment requirements - April 19, 2022
Last week we sent you an email explaining that the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) had not issued COVID enrollment guidance for the coming academic year, and that we believed we would be returning to the standard F-1 rules about online enrollment. Yesterday evening SEVP surprised us and issued a statement that they will, in fact, extend the COVID enrollment guidance for the coming academic year. This email supersedes the email you received on 4/11/22.
Enrollment Guidance for the 2022/2023 Fall and Spring Semesters
Continuing students currently in the U.S.
You must enroll full-time (a minimum of 9 credits for graduate students and 12 credits for undergraduate and OPIE students). Students are expected to take advantage of available in-person classes but there are no limits on the number of credits that can be online. An entirely online schedule is acceptable if there are no in-person options available.
Continuing students currently outside of the U.S.
You must enroll full-time (a minimum of 9 credits for graduate students and 12 credits for undergraduate and OPIE students). The makeup of your enrollment is dependent on the following scenarios:
If you decide to return to the U.S. in the fall to continue your current program you will have the flexibility to take online or in-person classes based on what is available.
If you decide to return to the U.S. in the fall to start a new program (for example, a current Master’s student who returns to start a PhD program) you will be required to have at least one in-person course.
New students currently in the U.S.
Students who transfer to Ohio University from another SEVIS school for the fall semester without leaving the US must enroll full-time (a minimum of 9 credits for graduate students and 12 credits for undergraduate and OPIE students). Students are expected to take advantage of available in-person classes but there are no limits on the number of credits that can be online. An entirely online schedule is acceptable if there are no in-person options available.
New students currently outside of the U.S.
You must enroll full-time (a minimum of 9 credits for graduate students and 12 credits for undergraduate and OPIE students). You are required to have an in-person class. This could be a single class that meets in-person, or a hybrid class. While you are expected to take advantage of in-person classes, your remaining classes can be online if that is what is available.
Everyone
If circumstances force Ohio University to move more students from in-person to online classes after the semester has started in Fall 2022 or Spring 2023, students will be able to maintain legal status.
ISFS would like to apologize for the conflicting emails about this matter. We are reliant on government agencies and do not have control over the timing or content of their announcements.
Sincerely,
ISFS