Reduced Course Load (RCL)
According to Federal Regulation (8 CRF 214.2(F)(6)(iii)) international students on the F-1 visa are permitted to take a reduced course load (be part-time) only under a few special permitted circumstances. Students must be certain they meet the proper criteria for a reduced course load according to federal regulations.
A student may not be enrolled less than full-time, or drop/withdraw from a course, until authorized to do so by International Programs, as this may affect a student’s immigration status.
RCL in Final Semester:
- Students may request a reduced course load “to complete course of study in the final semester”, ONLY during their final semester at UT and if they need less than full-time amount of credits in order to complete degree requirements.
- Students must be enrolled in at least one in-person class in their final semester.
- Students may request an RCL in the final semester only once per degree level.
- Students with a scholarship or graduate assistantship should consult their financial aid advisor when considering to discuss whether the funding will affected if enrolled part-time.
RCL for Medical Condition or Illness:
Students may request an RCL due to a temporary illness or medical condition, which makes them unable to be enrolled full-time (or, if necessary, no course load). You must provide a letter from a US licensed medical doctor, US doctor of osteopathy, or US licensed clinical psychologist to substantiate the illness or medical condition. The official letter must:
- Be on a hospital or doctor's letterhead with a signature in blue.
- Cannot be dated more than 30 days before the start of the term for which the RCL is requested.
- Recommend that you be either part-time or not enrolled due to medical circumstances.
- The medical professional's signature, title, and printed.
- Click here for a Sample Letter for Medical RCL.
An RCL for medical reasons cannot be used for a previous semester. If dropping or withdrawing from a course or courses from previous semesters will put you below full-time, do NOT do so without first speaking to your International Student Advisor. Retroactively withdrawing will have serious consequences for your immigration status.
Students with a scholarship or graduate assistantship should consult their financial aid advisor when considering, to discuss whether the funding will affected if enrolled part-time or if it will be available upon return if the enrolled in 0 credits.
RCL for Academic Difficulty:
- Students may request a reduced course load based on “academic difficulties”, IF they are unable to be enrolled full time, based on one of the following reasons:
- Initial difficulties with the English language or reading requirements
- Unfamiliarity with American teaching methods
- Improper course-level placement
- Students may request an RCL due to academic difficulty only during their first semester at UT.
- Students may request an RCL due to academic difficulty only once per degree level.
- If approved for a reduced course load, students are required to take a minimum of half the credit hours required for full-time (6 credits undergraduate, 4 credits graduate).
- RCL should be submitted prior to dropping below full-time. A student who drops below a full course of study without the prior approval of the DSO will be considered out of status.
- A new RCL form must be submitted each semester of less than full-time enrollment.
- Students authorized for an RCL are not eligible for on-campus employment.
- Students who receive an academic difficulty RCL must resume a full course of study in the next available semester in order to maintain status.
- Students with a scholarship or graduate assistantship should consult their financial aid advisor when considering to discuss whether the funding will affected if enrolled part-time.
Application Instructions:
- Submit online Reduced Course Load (RCL) request via your ISSS portal profile in the Request & Document Center.
- If you are requesting an academic RCL for final semester, as a part of the application you must include the name and email of your academic advisor as the approver at the end of the request. You should discuss this with your academic advisor before you submit the request to IPO.
- RCLs for final semester should be submitted AFTER grades have been submitted from the most recently attended semester, and AFTER students have registered for their final semester classes, but NO LATER than the first day of classes of their final semester. Students must also apply for graduation in Workday (instructions). Students should enroll full-time for their final semester and not drop any class(es) until the RCL is approved.
- If you are requesting a medical RCL, as a part of the application you will be required to attach a copy of your official doctor's letter.
- If approved, you will be issued a new I-20 with the RCL information listed on page 2.
- A student may not be enrolled less than full-time, or drop/withdraw from a course until authorized to do so by International Programs, as this may affect a student’s immigration status.
- Submission of an RCL request to IPO does not automatically grant approval. If additional information is needed, your International Student Advisor will contact you and/or your advisor for clarification.
- Registration and RCL forms are not required in summer semesters, unless it is the student’s first or final semester.
- If you instead will be taking a semester break from UT outside the the US, you should instead request the SEVIS Leave of Absence/Withdrawal request.
- J-1 students not sponsored by UT do not need to submit the RCL request to IPO (For example: IIE, etc). The RCL should be submitted directly to your program sponsor.