Full-time enrollment

Academic Level Minimum Credits Required Minimum In-Person Credits
Graduate Student 9 Credit hours 6 Credit hours
Undergraduate Student 12 Credit hours 9 Credit hours


***For F-1 and J-1 student visa holders, no more than 3 online credits per semester may count toward the “full course of study” requirement. This does not mean that a student may only take one online class; this regulation means that only one 3-credit-hour online course may count toward the full-time status requirement. Once a student has enrolled in the 12 credit hours (Undergraduate student) required to be considered full-time, they may enroll in as many additional online or traditional courses as they would like.

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate international students are required to enroll in a full course load for the Fall and Spring semesters to maintain their F-1 status. Immigration rules define a full course load for undergraduate students as 12 credit hours or more per semester. Recipients of NMSU scholarships/Descubre students must enroll in 15 new credit hours (no repeated courses) to maintain their scholarship. International students are not required to enroll in classes during the summer session but may choose to. Summer is considered vacation time, and students are not required to enroll in summer courses unless they are starting their program.

Graduate Students

Graduate international students are required to enroll in a full course load for the Fall and Spring semesters to maintain their U.S. immigration status. Immigration rules define a full course load for undergraduate students as 9 credit hours or more per semester. International students are not required to enroll in courses during the summer session but may choose to. Summer is considered vacation time, and students are not required to enroll in summer courses unless they are starting their program.

 

Enrollment Frequently Asked Questions

Undergraduates (F-1 and J-1)

12 credit hours (at least 9) must be in person).

  • If you take at least 9 credit hours in-person and 3 or more credit hours online, you meet enrollment requirements.
  • If you are taking only 6 credit hours in-person and the are online, you are not meeting enrollment requirements.

Undergraduates with International Competitive Scholarship

15 credit hours (at least 9 credit hours have to be in-person).

  • If you are taking at least 9 credit hours in-person and 6 or more credit hours online, you are meeting enrollment requirements.
  • If you are taking only 6 credit hours in-person and the rest of your credit hours are online, you are not meeting enrollment requirements.

Graduates (F-1 and J-1)

9 credit hours (at least 6 credit hours must be in-person).

  • If you are taking at least 6 credit hours in-person and 3 or more credit hours online, you are meeting enrollment requirements.
  • If you are taking only 3 credit hours in-person and the rest of your credit hours are online, you do not meet enrollment requirements.

Note: The enrollment requirements are the same for graduate students with the International Competitive Scholarship or Assistantship.

If you are a continuing student, you are not required to enroll in summer classes.

However, if you are admitted starting in the Summer semester, you must take a full-time course load for the initial Summer semester.

If you are graduating in summer, you must register for a class in summer. This is a graduation requirement.

Undergraduate:

You must register for 9 credits. Of those, 6 must be in-person or hybrid, and the rest can be online.

Graduate:

You must register for 6 credits. Of those, 3 must be in-person or hybrid, and the rest can be online.

International continuing students are not required to be enrolled in the summer session. As such, they may take as few or as many summer credits as they want. There are no limitations to in-person or online classes.

If a student is in their final semester and needs to enroll less than full-time, then a Reduced Course Load Form has to be submitted to ISSS@nmsu.edu for approval. The student and the advisor must complete this form and submit it on the first day of classes for the semester. ISSS will review the request and email the student the decision in 5-7 business days.

For further questions about course load guidance, please contact isss@nmsu.edu

Revised on: October 29th 2024