Reduced Course Load

Last updated: November 4, 2024

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Overview
Reasons for Reduced Course Loads
Authorize a Reduced Course Load/“Drop Below Full Course” in SEVIS
Update Authorize to Drop Below Full Course
Cancel Authorize to Drop Below Full Course
Correcting Information about an Approved RCL

Designated school officials (DSOs) must be familiar with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) standards for what equals a full course of study at their schools. F-1 and M-1 students normally must enroll in a full-time course load each term to keep their F-1 and M-1 status. Sometimes a DSO may excuse a student from this rule.

If an F-1 student is having specified initial academic difficulties, a temporary illness or medical condition, or needs fewer courses than a full course load in his/her last term to complete the program of study, DSOs may authorize a reduced course load (RCL).

An M-1 student may only receive RCL for illness or a medical condition.

DSOs authorize RCL by completing an action in SEVIS called “Authorize to Drop Below Full Course.” The DSO authorizes RCL for one term and may extend it in the following term, if needed and if the student is still eligible. RCL allows F-1 and M-1 students to attend classes part-time. In addition, for illness or medical cases, a DSO may excuse a student from all classes for up to 12 months for an F-1 or five months for an M-1. During this time, they remain in F-1 and M-1 status. This document explains when a student may be allowed an RCL, how to authorize it, and how to modify an RCL in SEVIS.

Authorizing a Reduced Course Load Process at a Glance

For students to keep F-1 and M-1 status, a DSO must approve all RCLs. The DSO does this by entering the RCL reason and RCL start and end dates in the “Authorize to Drop Below Full Course” option on the student’s SEVIS record. Once the DSO submits the information to SEVIS, the RCL is approved, and the student may drop the requested courses.

Event	Steps
Student Has Problem	Visits doctor, or Speaks with teacher or academic advisor for all nonmedical reasons. Has authorized special student relief (SSR) employment.
Student Requests RCL	Brings letter from doctor, or Explains academic problem to DSO. Demonstrates SSR eligibility.
Student Requests RCL	DSO authorizes RCL in SEVIS prior to the student commencing the reduction: Selects reason, and Enters start and end dates.
Student Is On RCL	Student maintains F-1/M-1 status during the segment of RCL.
DSO Updates Student Full-Time Study	At end of the authorized segment of RCL, student must resume full course load, unless further RCL is needed and the student has remaining eligibility. DSO must update SEVIS registration to full course load within 21 days of the student’s commencement of full course of study.

Regulations provide limited reasons for granting an RCL. Reasons for an RCL differ between F and M students.

RCL Reasons and Guidelines for F-1 Students

Reasons	Guidelines
Illness or Medical Condition	Cannot exceed 12 month aggregate per program level. May excuse a student from all classes. Student must provide medical documentation from a licensed: Medical Doctor Doctor of Osteopathy Clinical Psychologist DSO must renew the RCL each term, based on new or continuing medical information. Start date should be the date the DSO approved the RCL. The end date should correspond to the school session end date. May be used nonstop or at different times during a program level.
Academic Difficulties, including: Improper course level placement Initial difficulty with reading requirements Initial difficulty with the English language Unfamiliarity with U.S. teaching methods	Can only be used for the initial academic term. Student must maintain a minimum six-credit course load, or half the clock hours required for a full course of study. Student must begin a full course of study at the next offered term. RCL start and end dates must correspond to the school session start and end dates. RCL start date may be back dated, if necessary.
To Complete Course of Study In Current Term	Used in a student’s final term if he/she can complete the program with fewer classes. Student must be enrolled in at least one required class. RCL start and end dates must correspond to the school session start and end dates. RCL start date may be backdated, if necessary.
Special Student Relief (SSR)	Can only be used when student is eligible for SSR benefits as published in Federal Register notice and has SSR employment authorization. Note: Official guidance on using this authorization reason will be provided at a later date.
Part-time Commuter Student	There is no limit to the number of times this can be used. May be used in case of F-1 commuter student attending school within 75 miles of the U.S. border. Student must maintain a minimum six-credit course load, or half the clock hours required for a full course of study.

Find the regulations addressing reduced course loads for F-1 students at: Title 8 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 214.2(f)(6)(iii)-(iv)
Find regulations addressing part-time border commuter students at 8 CFR 214.2(f)(18)(i)

RCL Reasons and Guidelines for M-1 Students

Reasons	Guidelines
Illness or Medical Condition	Cannot exceed five months per entire course of study. May excuse a student from all classes for an entire academic term. Student must provide medical documentation from a licensed: Medical Doctor Doctor of Osteopathy Clinical Psychologist DSO must renew the RCL each term, based on new or continuing medical information. Start date should be the date the DSO approved the RCL. The end date should correspond to the school session end date. May be used nonstop or at different times during a period of study.
Part-time Commuter Student	There is no limit to the number of times this can be used. May be used in case of M-1 commuter student attending school within 75 miles of the U.S. border. Student must maintain a minimum six-credit course load, or half the clock hours required for a full course of study.

Reasons

Guidelines

Illness or Medical Condition

Cannot exceed five months per entire course of study.
May excuse a student from all classes for an entire academic term.
Student must provide medical documentation from a licensed:
- Medical Doctor
- Doctor of Osteopathy
- Clinical Psychologist
DSO must renew the RCL each term, based on new or continuing medical information.
Start date should be the date the DSO approved the RCL. The end date should correspond to the school session end date.
May be used nonstop or at different times during a period of study.

Part-time Commuter Student

There is no limit to the number of times this can be used.
May be used in case of M-1 commuter student attending school within 75 miles of the U.S. border.
Student must maintain a minimum six-credit course load, or half the clock hours required for a full course of study.

Find the regulations addressing reduced course loads for M-1 students at: Title 8 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 214.2(m)(9)(v)-(vi)

Find regulations addressing part-time border commuter students at 8 CFR 214.2(f)(18)(i)

All program and session dates entered in SEVIS must correspond to your school’s academic calendar.

1. Go to the Student Information page.

2. Click Authorize To Drop Below Full Course. The Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page one opens.

3. Click New Authorize to Drop Below Full Course. The Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page two opens.

Enter information relevant to the RCL authorization:

Note: An * (asterisk) indicates required fields.

Field	Guidelines
* Authorization Reason	For F-1 students, select one of the following: Illness or Medical Reason Improper Course Level Placement Initial Difficulty with Reading Requirements Initial Difficulty with the English Language Special student relief employment To Complete Course of Study in Current Term Unfamiliarity with American Teaching Methods For M-1 students, select one of the following: Illness or Medical Condition Part-time Commuter Student
*Authorization Start Date	The date the authorization is to start. See the above tables, RCL Reasons and Guidelines for F-1 and M-1 Students, for authorization start date guidelines.
*Authorization End Date	The date the authorization is to end. See the above tables, RCL Reasons and Guidelines for F-1 and M-1 Students, for authorization end date guidelines.
*Remarks	Enter any remarks regarding the student’s situation; for example, “Student is in first semester of academic course work and is having trouble with English.” These remarks: Are saved on the student’s Event History page with the Authorize to Drop Below Full Course action. Appear on the Student Information page in the Overall Remarks field. Appear on page one of Form I-20. Are overwritten in both locations when new remarks are entered in any Remarks field on any SEVIS page.

Review the information. Click one of the following:

Authorize: Submits the RCL request.
A message with two options indicates if the update was successful:

Return to Authorization List: Returns user to the Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page. The newly added RCL is now listed. It is located under the Authorization Reason title.
Print I-20: Prints the Form I 20. The authorization appears on the Form I-20.

Cancel: Cancels the action and returns the user to the Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page one.

Review the information on the Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page one. If you need to make changes to the existing RCL Authorization request, see Update Authorize to Drop Below Full Course.

If you need to recommend an additional segment of RCL, repeat Steps 4 and 5. Periods of approved RCL cannot overlap.

Click either:

New Authorization to Drop Below Full Course: Returns the user to the Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page two.
Print I-20: Prints the Form I-20.

DSOs can take different actions after submitting an RCL segment:

RCL Dates	Available Actions in SEVIS
Start Date is Still in the Future	View Request Update Request Change Authorization Reason Change Authorization Start Date Change Authorization End Date to Any Day After Start Date Within 12 months Student Remarks Cancel Request Recommend another RCL segment as long as the dates do not overlap
Start Date Has Passed but End Date is Still in the Future	View Request Update Request Change Authorization Reason Change Authorization End Date to Any Date Within 12 Months of Start Date Student Remarks Recommend another RCL segment as long as the dates do not overlap

To update an Authorize to Drop Below Full Course request:

Go to the Student Information page.

2. Click Authorize To Drop Below Full Course. The Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page one opens.

Click Update. It is in the Command column to the right of the RCL segment you want to edit. The Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page two opens.

Enter any updates relevant to the RCL authorization.

Note: An * (asterisk) indicates required fields.

Field	Guidelines
*Authorization Reason	For F-1 students, select one of the following: Illness or Medical Reason Improper Course Level Placement Initial Difficulty with Reading Requirements Initial Difficulty with the English Language Special student relief employment To Complete Course of Study in Current Term Unfamiliarity with American Teaching Methods For M-1 students, select one of the following: Illness or Medical Reason Part-time Commuter Student
*Authorization Start Date	The date the authorization is to start. See the above tables, RCL Reasons and Guidelines for F-1 and M-1 Students, for authorization start date guidelines. This field cannot be edited, if the original start date has passed.
*Authorization End Date	The date the authorization is to end. See the above tables, RCL Reasons and Guidelines for F-1 and M-1 Students, for authorization end date guidelines.
*Remarks	Enter any remarks regarding the student’s situation; for example, “Student is in first semester of academic course work and is having trouble with English.” These remarks: Are saved on the student’s Event History page with the Authorize to Drop Below Full Course action. Appear on the Student Information page in the Overall Remarks field. Appear on page one of Form I-20. Are overwritten in both locations when new remarks are entered in any Remarks field on any SEVIS page.

Click one of the following:

Update: Submits the RCL update.
A message with two options indicates if the update was successful:

Return to Authorization List: Returns user to the Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page one. The updated RCL is now listed. It is located under the Authorization Reason title.
Print I-20: Prints the Form I 20. The updated authorization appears on the Form I-20.
Cancel: Cancels the action and returns the user to the Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page one.

Cancel: Cancels the action and returns the user to the Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page one.

An Authorize to Drop Below Full Course request can be cancelled at any point before the approved Authorization Start Date.

To cancel an Authorize to Drop Below Full Course request:

Go to the Student Information page.

2. Click Authorize To Drop Below Full Course. The Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page one opens.

Click Cancel in the Command column to the right of the RCL segment you want to cancel. The Update Successful message box opens. It indicates the update was successful.

4. Click one of the following:

Return: Returns the user to the authorization list on the Authorize to Drop Below Full Course page one.
Print I-20: Prints the updated Form I-20.

Sometimes DSOs need to change RCL information in SEVIS. They can update the RCL reason and end date if the RCL segment has not yet ended. They cannot:

Correct an RCL start date if the start date has passed.
Add an RCL when the start and end dates are both in the past.
Correct the RCL reason if the RCL end date is in the past.
Remove an RCL from the record if the RCL start date is in the past and the student did not actually use it.

In these cases, the DSO should call the SEVP Response Center (SRC) (1-800-892-4829) and submit a Help Ticket (Data Fix).

SEVIS Help Hub