Guide for
Graduate Contacts
Full-time Student Status
In March of 2003 (revised April 19, 2005) the Graduate College Executive Committee adopted a policy defining a full-time course of study for graduate students. This policy can be found at www.grad.uiuc.edu/policies/fulltime.htm.
Graduate students need to be full-time for a variety of reasons, and different rules apply in different situations.
Full-time status may be required:
- By the academic program
- For certification related to student loans and certain types of non-University medical insurance policies
- For fellowship and traineeship appointments
- For purposes of Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) reporting
If a graduate student wishes to drop below 12 hours in a fall or spring semester the following should be considered:
- Is the student taking ESL courses recommended or required as a result of the English as a Second Language Placement Test? For purposes of load, these courses will count as the equivalent of 4 graduate hours, even if the course credit is recorded as zero hours.
- Does the student currently have an assistantship of 25% to 67%? If so, and if the student does not have a waiver-generating fellowship or is not enrolled in an academic program that requires more hours, registration for 8 hours in a fall or spring semester is considered full-time.
- Does the student's academic program require a minimum number of hours of credit?
- Does the student have loans that might come due with a reduction in hours of credit? The student should consult their lenders (school, bank, or loan agency). Note that for purposes of loan deferral only, zero credit registration in GC 599 will count as full time registration.
- Will a decrease in hours affect any non-University insurance policies the student holds?
- Does the student hold a traineeship or fellowship? These students are required to maintain a full course load each term of registration unless a reduced course load has been approved by the Graduate College Fellowship Office. This is true even if they also have an assistantship.
- Is the student on an F-1 or J-1 visa? If so the student should contact International Student and Scholar Services.
Graduate students are advised that if they are not registered for at least a half-time load in a particular term, they will be subject to Social Security and Medicare deductions for that term.
