Advising Students
International students are required to maintain their immigration status by following U.S. Department of Homeland Security and/or U.S. Department of State regulations. International Student Services (ISS) is here to help students, advisors, and graduate coordinators. Below is information that we believe will be helpful to you. If you have questions, contact our office. Failure of students to properly maintain their status may result in termination of their immigration record and additional consequences.
Any forms that require signatures should only be completed and signed by the student's academic advisor. The majority of these forms are digital, and they will be sent to the advisor's Bradley email and then submitted online. Any paper forms the student gives you that require a signature should be returned
directly to the student.
On this page, we will reference the following types of international students. If not specified, the regulation applies to both:
- F-1 visa holders: the student visa
- J-1 visa holders: the exchange visitor visa; may be short-term exchange students, or degree-seeking sponsored students (ex: students sponsored by their home government or by U.S. organizations such as Fulbright)
| Full-Time Enrollment |
Students must be registered full-time each fall and spring semester.
- Undergraduates: 12 credit hours
- Graduates: 9 credit hours
- Summer Term Start: 12 credit hours for undergraduates, 6 credit hours for graduates
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| Online Coursework |
Hybrid courses (computer icon with an H) are considered on-campus and do not count towards the following online restrictions.
- F-1 students can count up to 3 credits of online coursework towards their full-time requirement
- F-1 student cannot be enrolled in only online coursework during their final term.
- J-1 students cannot count any credit of online coursework towards their full-time requirement
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| Summer and January Interim Enrollment |
- Continuing students are not required to be enrolled (but can be) during these terms. They are considered vacation periods. Other restrictions do not apply
- If one of these terms is the student’s first or last semester at Bradley, they must be registered full-time and are restricted by online enrollment regulations.
- Full-time for Summer: 12 credit hours for undergrads, 6 credit hours for graduates
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| Reduced Course Loads |
- Students can only be allowed to drop below full-time for specific immigration reasons. They must be authorized by ISS for a reduced course load BEFORE dropping below full-time.
- All first semester students applying for a reduced course load must be enrolled full-time at the time of their application to ISS. First semester students are also not allowed to request a reduced course load until after the 3rd week add/drop date. This means that the department must assist the student to enroll full-time upon arrival.
- International Student Services does not recommend an international student take a zero credit course during their final term. Advisors who are allowing their students to complete a zero credit course will need to sign an acknowledgement form that will come with the Reduced Course Load Advisor Form
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| Program Extensions |
- If a student doesn’t complete their program of study by the date listed on their immigration document, they must have an academic or medical reason for failing to complete.
- Delays to a program of study caused by undergraduate academic recovery, graduate academic probation, or an internship, is not a compelling reason.
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| Completion of Program |
- Students can be enrolled less than full-time in their last semester if they are completing all requirements for their degree. They must be authorized by ISS for a reduced course load.
- The student will then be expected to complete their program in the approved term.
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| Employment |
- F-1 and J-1 students can work on-campus up to 20 hrs/wk during school and up to 30 hrs/wk during the winter, spring, and summer breaks.
- J-1 students must have written authorization from ISS before performing any work on- or off-campus.
- F-1 students must be enrolled full-time for one academic year and must have authorization from ISS before performing any work off-campus.
- All off-campus work must be directly related to a student’s program of study.
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