Enrollment Guidelines for F-1 Visa Students
Please review the following virtual enrollment restrictions:
- Online unit restriction for new students: Beginning fall quarter 2022, if you enroll in at least 9 units of in-person classes, you may enroll in more than 3 units of online-only classes. If your online-only class is 4 units or more, you may only count 3 of those units toward your 12-unit minimum for undergraduates or 8 units for graduates. For example, if you have 3 classes of 4 units each, and one is online-only, an undergraduate student will need to enroll in at least one more unit of an in-person class. A class is considered in-person if the entire class is required to meet in person at least once during the quarter, such as an in-person class meeting or to take exams in person. If you are unsure whether your classes will have a required in-person component, please reach out to your instructor(s) directly.
- SEVIS transfers and continuing students are subject to the restriction above if they were not continuously maintaining status on or before March 9, 2020. If they have been continuously in status since March 9, 2020, then they need to have at least one in-person class to maintain F-1 visa status.
- F-1 students who want to keep their F-1 visa status active will need to be enrolled full-time, whether in the U.S. or outside the U.S., to maintain eligibility for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and/or Optional Practical Training (OPT) in the future.
- Students in their final quarter do not need to be enrolled full-time, but if they are enrolled in only one class, it must be an in-person class.
- Students wanting to apply for OPT must apply from within the U.S.
Students entering the U.S., please note:
- All inbound students need to contact their airline for information on how to comply with the requirement to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccinations prior to boarding a flight to the U.S.
- All students should be aware of Cal Poly vaccination requirements, including both COVID-19 vaccine and other mandatory immunizations. For more information visit Cal Poly COVID-19 vaccination policy. View Campus Health & Wellbeing information about additional mandatory immunizations.
As always, we are happy to help with any questions that may come up along the way.
International Students and ScholarsCal Poly International Center
Building 52, Room E-32
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
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intlservices@calpoly.edu
https://intladvising.calpoly.edu/