In order for you to understand how long you have permission to remain in the U.S., you should check your I-94 travel record to view your duration of stay, as granted upon entry to the U.S. On the Form I-94, the U.S. immigration inspector records either a specific date, or an admitted-until date or "D/S" (duration of status). If your Form I-94 contains a specific date, then that is the date by which you must leave the United States, which is very rare for F students. If you have D/S on your Form I-94, which should be the case for F-1 students, you may remain in the United States as long as you continue your course of studies, or remain in your exchange program. The D/S notation shown on your Form I-94 is the official record of your authorized length of stay in the United States. You cannot use the visa expiration date in determining or referring to your permitted length of stay in the United States.

Course Load Requirement

F-1 students must register for a full course load per semester. The following are the full-time course load requirements for F-1 students at KSU:

  • For ESL students, full time is at least 18 hours per week.
  • For undergraduate students, full time is at least 12 credits per semester.
  • For graduate students, full time is at least 9 credits per semester.
  • Online classes: Only 3 hours of online classes may be taken each semester to count towards full time enrollment. F-1 students may enroll in more than 3 hours online each semester, but only 3 hours will count towards full time enrollment.

The exception to the full time enrollment or to the reduced course load are very limited. If you are unable to maintain full-time enrollment, consult a DSO immediately. Do not drop below full-time status unless a DSO has authorized it in SEVIS.

Part-time enrollment may be authorized for:

  • Severe difficulty adjusting to the U.S. educational system.
  • Unfamiliarity with American Teaching Methods
  • Severe difficulty with the English language in the first semester.
  • Severe difficulty with Reading Requirements
  • Improper course level placement.
  • Medical need (detailed documentation from a U.S. physician required).