The Student and Visitor Exchange Program (SEVP) ended its COVID-19 guidance on May 11, 2023, following the end of the Public Health Emergency. The guidance allowed active F-1 students to take online and hybrid courses during the pandemic in excess of normal regulatory limits.
With the end of the COVID-19 accommodations, the following restrictions apply:
- F-1 students are limited to three (3) credits associated with an online course per quarter
- J-1 students are limited to one (1) online course per quarter
Rules for Enrollment
Undergraduate F-1 and J-1 students
- Must enroll in at least two (2) in-person courses (10 units), with a maximum of one online/remote course (5 units).
- Additional courses (in-person or online/remote) are allowed once full-time enrollment (including in-person requirements) is met.
Graduate F-1 and J-1 students
- Must enroll in at least one (1) in-person course (5 units), with a max of one (1) online/remote course (5 units).
- Most graduate F-1 and J-1 international students need to be enrolled in at least 10 units, except for PhD students who have Advanced to Candidacy, who only need five (5) units, all of which must be in-person (independent study counts as in-person).
Questions? Contact an International Student Advisor at istudent@ucsc.edu