If you will complete your degree this summer, full-time enrollment (or an authorized equivalent) that includes a physical presence on campus is required to maintain your F-1 status.
Reporting Summer 2024 as Your Final Semester
To report summer 2024 as your final semester, you must complete the Confirmation of Final Semester e-form, available in the MyISSS portal under “Immigration & Academic-Related Forms.” All summer graduates are required to complete the Confirmation of Final Semester e-form, regardless of full-time/part-time enrollment status.
- On-campus presence is required in your final semester, even if you submit a Confirmation of Final Term e-form.
International students in F-1 status who hold undergraduate senior class standing as well as graduate students pursuing a master's degree are required to complete the ISSS Summer Registration Hold Release e-form (available in the MyISSS portal under “Immigration & Academic-Related Forms") prior to being able to register for courses in the summer.
Full-Time Enrollment Requirements for Summer
To be considered full-time in the summer:
- Undergraduate Student: Minimum of 6 credit hours of undergraduate course work
- Graduate Student: Usually, a minimum of 3 credit hours but will depend on your graduate status and level of course enrollment. Graduate School rules for full-time status apply
- Students with less than a full-time course load remaining must:
- Enroll in the credits required to complete your degree.
- ISSS will authorize an academic reduced course load after we review your Confirmation of Final Semester e-form.
On-Campus Presence Requirement for Summer Graduates
On-campus presence in the summer is required to maintain status if you are completing your course of study in the summer. Students must register for course work that requires their physical attendance on the Boulder campus (in-person instruction) in their final semester in order to maintain their F-1 or J-1 status. While students can count up to 3 credits of online/remote/distance education courses towards the credits needed to complete their academic program requirements in their final semester, they must still meet the on-campus presence requirement. If a student needs only 3 credits to complete their program, then at least 1 credit must be in-person.
- You must enroll in at least one in-person course if your final semester/term is during the summer. Courses and labs with a required in-person credit-bearing element count as in-person courses
F-1 Program End Dates for Students Graduating in Summer
Usually, students graduating in the summer term who will not be applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT) will have their I-20 program end date shortened to August 22, 2024.
If you plan to apply for Post-Completion Optional Practical Training, your last day of summer enrollment determines the end date of your F-1 program. This date impacts your on-campus employment authorization end date, when you can apply for OPT, and when your grace period starts. Each summer graduate applying for OPT or pursuing a master's with a thesis option may have a different F-1 program end date depending on their circumstances. Contact ISSS to determine when your 60-day grace period begins.
If you have any questions, contact ISSS.