Full-time Enrollment for SEVIS Purposes

Full-time enrollment: Only one course per semester online towards status in final semester; at least one in-person course.

Undergraduate students

US CIS has determined the definition of full-time for undergraduates: enrollment in and completion of a minimum of 12 semester hours during fall and spring semesters. Summer term for returning students is vacation; you can, however, register for summer courses if you wish or need to.

Please be aware that a freshman student who registers for only the minimum each semester will not be able to graduate during the four-year period of your I-20. You must complete, among other requirements, 124 hours for graduation and this cannot be achieved by registering for only 12 hours for eight semesters.  You will need to go to summer school or complete more than 12 during some semesters.

Graduate students

At Dominican University, each graduate student must enroll in and complete a minimum of 18 semester hours during an academic year. You must always enroll in a minimum of six semester hours during fall and spring semester and then you will complete the requirement by enrolling in an additional six credits over the summer. You may also register for nine credits in both fall and spring and not take any credits over the summer.

If you begin your course of study during the summer, you must be registered full time for that summer term. If you will graduate in August (after summer II), you must be registered for summer courses, but you are eligible for reduced course load—you must complete only the hours needed for graduation.

This requirement can be fulfilled in several ways: