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New International Graduate Student Admissions Requirements
Enrollment Policy for International Students
New International Graduate Student Admissions Requirements
The university is authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to admit international students on F-1 student visas. International newly admitted students must complete and submit a Confidential Financial Certification form and appropriate proof of funding to the Office of Admissions. Before an I-20 can be issued, students must satisfy the financial eligibility requirements and receive their Letter of Admission from the Graduate College. While the Office of Admissions will make every attempt to accommodate newly admitted international students, in many cases it is not possible for I-20’s to be issued after July 1 if admitted for the fall semester and Dec. 1 if admitted for the spring semester. The Office of Admissions will assess requests for issuance of new I-20s after these deadlines on a case-by-case basis. Transfer students located in the United States and UNLV students who are changing their level of degree are exempt from these deadlines. Prior to arrival in the United States, the Office of Admissions should be contacted with any questions.
Once students have been successfully admitted, the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is available to assist students with any issues students have while enrolling; assist and advise regarding employment eligibility and authorization related to international students and scholars; provide proactive guidance and support regarding visa, allowable travel, and some immigration issues; and facilitate their transition to the campus and the U.S. and be their primary contact for student visa rights and responsibilities during their time at UNLV.
Enrollment Policy for International Students
International students in F-1 or J-1 status should consult with the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) to discuss enrollment requirements specific to their immigration status in the U.S.
Below are the standard enrollment requirements at the time of publication of this Student Handbook. Please note that the U.S. government may issue new guidance that results in updated requirements for international students. When this occurs, ISSS will contact impacted students, through their Rebelmail account. Any new guidance provided takes precedence over the requirements outlined herein.
Each fall and spring semester, international students must be registered as full-time students. Graduate students must be enrolled into courses that apply toward their degree. Dropped, audited, and withdrawn classes do not count. International students are allowed to take web-based classes, however, only a certain amount of credits can be web-based. It is incredibly important for international students to work closely, and stay in contact, with ISSS to ensure compliance with all enrollment requirements, U.S. laws, and immigration regulations.
Note about summer semester: If an international student begins their first semester of enrollment in the summer term, they still must be registered as a full-time student. International students admitted in the summer term should be aware that it may be difficult to register full time depending on course availability and should consult with their graduate coordinator for academic advisement.
Full-Time Status: International students without a Graduate Assistant (GA) position must be enrolled in nine credits to be considered full-time. If the student is a GA, they only need to enroll in six credits to be considered full-time. Only three online/web based credits may be counted towards the minimum requirements for full-time enrollment. The amount of allowable web-based credits changes based on how many total credits the student is enrolled in.
- An international graduate student with a GA must be enrolled in at least six credits, three of them must be in person
- An international graduate student with a GA is enrolled in nine credits, six of them must be in person
- International graduate students may take additional online/web-based credits as long as they continue to meet the minimum in-person requirements for full-time enrollment.
In limited circumstances, international students may be eligible to enroll in fewer credits than described above. Requests under any of the following circumstances must be submitted to ISSS before the start of the academic term and are subject to ISSS approval.
- International students with any enrollment concerns should contact ISSS to discuss options for a reduced course load.
- Graduate students who have completed all coursework except their culminating experience may be eligible to enroll in one to three graduate credits (per program requirements) during the semester in which they intend to graduate and may submit an International Student Reduced Enrollment Request Form, via their Grad Rebel Gateway account on the Forms tab under Additional Forms, to request approval from the Graduate College and their academic program. These students must also submit a “Proof of Graduation” request to UNLV International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). Please note that unless stipulated otherwise in program handbooks, all students should enroll in at least three graduate credits in their graduating semester.
- Masters students completing thesis requirements and Thesis students who have an approved prospectus form may be eligible for enrollment in only three graduate-level thesis credits per semester while still maintaining F-1 status. They may submit an International Student Reduced Enrollment Request Form, via their Grad Rebel Gateway account on the Forms tab under Additional Forms, to request approval from the Graduate College and their academic program.
- Doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy may be eligible for enrollment in only three credits per semester while still maintaining F-1 or J-1 status. They may submit an International Student Reduced Enrollment Request Form, via their Grad Rebel Gateway account on the Forms tab under Additional Forms, to request approval from the Graduate College and their academic program.
- Please note that all students holding a graduate assistantship must enroll in a minimum of six credits each semester without exception and are not eligible to complete the International Student Reduced Enrollment Request Form.
- The policy for International Student Reduced Enrollment Request pertains to F-1 status maintenance at UNLV only; approval of this form does not impact full-time status equivalency for financial aid or administrative purposes. Approval of the International Student Reduced Enrollment Request in conjunction with enrollment in at least one to three graduate-level credits will be considered full-time enrollment as per§ 214.2(f)(6)(i)(A).
Refer to the Enrollment and Milestones section for more information on enrollment requirements.
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