Full-Time Enrollment

Full-time enrollment is essential to maintaining your J-1 student visa status.

To maintain your legal J-1 status in the U.S., you must be enrolled full-time each fall and spring semester. You do not have to enroll in summer sessions unless you begin your program of study at Indiana University Indianapolis in the summer.

Full-time enrollment requirements include:

  • Undergraduates must enroll in at least 12 credit hours each fall and spring semester.
  • Graduate students must enroll in at least 8 credits hours each fall and spring semester.
  • Professional students (Dentistry, MD, JD) should follow full-time enrollment requirements as determined by their academic programs.
Dropping below full-time enrollment without authorization from the Office of International Affairs is a serious violation of your J-1 status!

Read about full-time exceptions and procedures»

Concurrent Enrollment at Another School

You may take courses at another school that will count towards your full-time enrollment requirement at IU Indianapolis. However, you must:

  • Maintain at least one regular (not online) course at IU Indianapolis.
  • Report your concurrent enrollment using the Concurrent Enrollment Notification form in Atlas.
  • Consult with an academic advisor to make sure any courses you take at another school will transfer to IU Indianapolis and count towards your degree program.

Online Enrollment

Online courses cannot count towards your full-time enrollment requirement. You should enroll full-time in courses requiring in-person attendance. Once the full-time enrollment requirement has been reached, online courses may be added if you wish. If you are a sponsored student, be aware that your sponsor may have rules prohibiting online enrollment. Classes that count as “in-person” are coded as: P, HY, IN and IS.

As you plan your future enrollment, make sure you are following this normal guidance. Flexibility on online enrollment that was allowed during the COVID pandemic ended in May 2023.

Incomplete Courses

Incomplete courses from a previous semester may not count towards your full-time enrollment for a current semester. Additionally, you may not use incomplete courses to extend your program. For J-1 status purposes, your program will be considered completed at the end of your final semester, even if you have an incomplete course.

Enrollment Deadline

Students must be enrolled full time or have received permission to under enroll prior to the full-time enrollment deadline. Each fall and spring semester the full-time enrollment deadline is 30 days after the first day of classes.