Academic Resources – Enrollment Requirements

Full-time enrollment is required each fall and spring semester to maintain valid F-1 or J-1 student visa status. Please check under the correct visa category and student classification below.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison defines full-time enrollment. Departments may have additional enrollment requirements.

Course enrollment is an online process through your Student Center. Cross-College Advising Service at UW-Madison has helpful tutorials to walk you through the course enrollment process.

Fall 2020 due to COVID – Follow the ISS flowchart for your student SEVIS status. 

• ISS flowchart for new and transfer-pending students
• ISS flowchart for continuing and change of level students

Online classes are classes designed and delivered in a completely online format. Since F-1 and J-1 students have on-campus enrollment requirements, students have some limitations for online class enrollment.

UW Colleges and UW Extension Independent Learning courses are NOT UW-Madison courses and do not count toward full-time enrollment requirements.

Check our Online Course Enrollment page for full details.

Less than full-time enrollment is allowed only under certain circumstances, which are outlined on the Reduced Course Load page.

F-1 and J-1 students must have ISS approval to enroll less than full-time.

Students should submit their Reduced Course Load forms for “Final Semester” or “Coursework Completed” before the start of the semester.

Summer enrollment is generally not required. It is an authorized vacation period, as long as students intend to enroll full-time during the fall semester. If summer is a student’s first or last semester, the student must enroll in on-campus UW-Madison credits (see below).

CPT Summer Enrollment: in order to be granted summer Curricular Practical Training (CPT), students may need to enroll in a specific course during summer term.

Final Semester Summer Enrollment: if summer is a student’s final semester, the student is required to enroll in on-campus UW-Madison credit hours. Otherwise, the student may not be eligible to remain in the U.S. in valid F-1 or J-1 student status. Also, the student will lose eligibility to apply for post-completion employment.

Students who are admitted to UW-Madison for the summer semester must enroll full-time for that semester.

Full-time Summer Enrollment for F-1 students

Full-time Summer Enrollment for J-1 students

Enrollment is required each fall and spring semester at UW-Madison.

Final Semester Enrollment: Non-UW-Madison courses, particularly UW Extension Independent Learning courses, are not recommended in a student’s final two semesters of study. The student may risk losing eligibility for post-completion employment authorization.

To maintain your visa status in your final semester of study:

• You must be completing degree requirements
  •   If you have completed all degree requirements, you need to take action to maintain your visa status. Read through the program completion checklist consult an ISS advisor for any questions.
    
• You must be enrolled in on-campus UW-Madison course(s)
  • Online-only courses do not meet F-1 or J-1 enrollment requirements. You need to take an on-campus course to maintain status.
  • Online-only courses may be taken outside of the U.S. Confirm with your academic advisor before finalizing your plans, and consult an ISS advisor if you plan to depart the U.S. early.
    
• Do not enroll in UW Extension Independent Learning courses in your final two semesters.
  • You risk losing your eligibility for post-completion employment authorization
• You can apply for a Reduced Course Load for “Final Semester” if you need less than a full-time course load to complete your degree.

See the information provided in “Enrollment Requirements” above for a breakdown by Graduate Assistantship percentage.

Graduate assistantships may change your minimum full-time enrollment requirements.

Always confirm with your employing department and your academic department for additional enrollment requirements.

For graduate students looking for assistantships:

Graduate Assistantships may be available through your department or posted on the Student Job Center. There is no centralized application process, and each assistantship may have its own eligibility criteria and primary job duties.

The Graduate School provides information for Teaching Assistants (TA), Project Assistants (PA), and Research Assistants (RA). Also, you may wish to learn more about Fellowships and alternate funding opportunities for graduate students.