Stakeholders should direct any specific questions about reduced course load requests to the SEVP Response Center. The current regulation is designed to accommodate short-term, temporary conditions that limit a student’s ability to enroll in a full course of study. As such, long-term and/or permanent disabilities do not fit into these provisions.
Course Load Reduction Accommodation for students registered with SSD: The accommodation of course load reduction is generally defined as maintaining full time status while being registered for fewer than twelve (12) hours for undergraduate students, and fewer than nine (9) for graduate students in a given semester.
SSD staff reviews the course load reduction application and supporting documentation and, if supported, makes a recommendation for the Dean of the College/School to drop the course. SSD does not make the final determination about whether or not a course will be dropped.
If a student is utilizing this accommodation after the 12th class day for the fall or spring sessions, or after the 4th class day for summer sessions, the student must complete the University’s Medical Withdrawal/Course Load Reduction Application.
Colleges will often look at an applicant's grades and test scores in a new light if presented with evidence of a learning disability. A learning disability may help put lower grades, class rankings, or standardized test scores in context.
A Reduced Course Load (RCL) is a permission from an ISS Advisor to enroll below the full-time requirements for a given semester. Federal regulations provide limited circumstances when an F-1 student may be authorized for an RCL.
RCL allows F-1 and M-1 students to attend classes part-time. In addition, for illness or medical cases, a DSO may excuse a student from all classes for up to 12 months for an F-1 or five months for an M-1.
There are three circumstances when an F-1 student can be enrolled less than full-time: Academic difficulties. Medical condition. Completion of course of study (final semester)
Qualifying circumstances for a regular F-1 student to receive a reduced course load authorization include:Medical condition or illness.Certain initial academic difficulties, including: Improper course level placement. Initial difficulty with the English language. ... Being in your final term or semester.
A college student is considered to be enrolled on a full-time basis for student financial aid purposes if they are enrolled for at least 12 credits a semester. Since a class typically requires at least three credits, 12 credits will require four classes per semester.
If the reason is “improper course level placement,” the letter should explain the missing prerequisite courses or skills that prevented the student from being academic successful.
Dropping Individual Courses for F-1 and J-1 Students. Remember that any course drop(s) must be approved while the semester is still in session. International students in F or J status cannot retroactively drop or withdraw courses once a semester has ended.
12 unitsFull-time undergraduate students (including students seeking a second baccalaureate) are those enrolled in 12 or more units in a regular semester. Part-time undergraduate students are those enrolled in fewer than 12 units.
International students may withdraw from a class as long as they continue to be enrolled for at least 12 credits.
International students in F-1 immigration status are required by immigration law to be enrolled full-time during the regular semesters (Fall and Spring).
Medical schools are fairly unforgiving when it comes to academic disabilities. Sure, they will accommodate you to the extent they are required to by law if you declare it during medical school, but they can block your admission if they know about it up front. The reason being essentially some combination of (1) they view it as a kind of cheating or unfair advantage, (2) they have no way of knowing whether your "disability" is legit or not i.e., basically they don't trust your documentation to back it up, and (3) they are ok with discriminating because it is justified in their minds lest they produce an incompetent doctor that harms someone.
That is an incorrect assumption. Medical schools, like undergraduate schools, must follow the rules and regulation to accommodate students with learning disabilities, particularly, if these disabilities do not violate the technical standards in being a physician. Most schools have a stated policy such as Stanford's below
Designated school officials (DSOs) must be familiar with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) standards for what equals a full course of study at their schools. F-1 and M-1 students normally must enroll in a full-time course load each term to keep their F-1 and M-1 status. Sometimes a DSO may excuse a student from this rule.
Correct an RCL start date if the start date has passed. Add an RCL when the start and end dates are both in the past. Correct the RCL reason if the RCL end date is in the past. Remove an RCL from the record if the RCL start date is in the past and the student did not actually use it.
DSO must renew the RCL each term , based on new or continuing medical information
An Authorize to Drop Below Full Course request can be cancelled at any point before the approved Authorization Start Date.
Note: If you choose to print the Form I-20, do not forget to sign it before you give it to the student.
DSOs can take different actions even after submitting an RCL segment:
The Course Load Reduction (CLR) process allows a student to drop a course (s) for non-academic/disability-related reasons. SSD staff reviews the course load reduction application and supporting documentation and, if supported, makes a recommendation for the Dean of the College/School to drop the course. SSD does not make the final determination about whether or not a course will be dropped. Dropped courses will be counted as non-academic Q-drops and will result in a Q on a student’s transcript. Students with questions about the course load reduction process should contact SSD during Drop In hours from 10:00am-3:00pm, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and 12:30pm-3:00pm, Tuesday and Friday. See below for important dates and deadlines for submitting course load reduction applications. Please note that University deadlines cannot be altered.
Students with questions about the course load reduction process should contact SSD during Drop In hours from 10:00am-3:00pm, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and 12:30pm-3:00pm, Tuesday and Friday.
Students approved for CLR and registered with SSD will not be penalized by part-time status in policy and program areas under University control; however, auxiliary services (such as federal financial aid, personal insurance, non-University sponsored scholarships, etc.) may be affected.