Maintaining Your Status
It is important to remain in good academic standing and active status each semester to keep your F-1 student visa valid.
F-1 students must enroll in a minimum of 12 credits each semester. Any drop below 12 credits must be authorized in advance by filing for a Reduced Course Load with the International Student Office according to SEVIS guidelines. Students must remain in good Academic Standing while at Seminole State College. This is defined in our Academic Catalog as maintaining a 2.0 cumulative and semester G.P.A. Students who do not maintain a 2.0 GPA will have their I-20 terminated according to SEVIS guidelines.
Reduced Course Load
A reduced course load can only be issued for specific reasons in accordance with SEVIS guidelines. To request a reduced course load, please complete the Reduced Course Load form with your academic advisor and email it to firstname.lastname@example.org or bring it in person to the International Office for approval.
First Semester Request
You may request a reduced course load during your first semester for the following reasons:
- Unfamiliarity with US teaching methods
- Initial difficulty with the English language
- Initial difficulty with reading requirements
Students who use a reduced course load during their first semester must remain in at least 6 face-to-face credits.
Final Semester Request
You may request a reduced course load during your final semester if you have met all program requirements and need less than 12 credits to graduate. A graduation check from your advisor is required.
You may request a reduced course load due to extreme illness or medical condition. This request is only approved for one semester at a time and you may not exceed an aggregate of 12 months of medical reduced course load per academic level. Documentation from your doctor is required, please see the Reduced Course Load form for documentation details.
Students must enroll in 12 credits each semester. Only of those 3 credits can be taken online or through distance learning. If the student is enrolled in more than 12 credits, at least 9 credits must be traditional, in-person courses.
*SEVP's COVID guidance allows F-1 students that were present in the U.S on March 9th, 2020 and that currently maintain compliance with their F-1 visa requirements to continue studying online through the 2022-2023 school year. Contact email@example.com for more information.
It is mandatory for all F-1 students to maintain health insurance for the duration of their enrollment. Seminole State College's approved insurance provider is Insurance for Students.
An F-1 student is considered to be "in status" during the annual vacation if the student is eligible and intends to register for the next term. Seminole State College has adopted the Summer Term as its official break term.
In order to be eligible, the student must:
- Have been enrolled for two consecutive semesters
- Be in status
- Have signed the Break Semester Authorization form
To obtain the Break Semester Authorization form, contact your international advisor. It is the student's responsibility to submit this form before the end of the current semester.