Full Course of Study Requirement
Full Course of Study (FCS)
Regulatory citation: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(i) and following.
If you are in the U.S. in F-1 status, the U.S. government expects you to be engaged primarily in either of the following activities:
- Prior to the completion of the program on your I-20, a full course of study (FCS) leading to the accomplishment of a specific educational or professional goal, such as a degree or certificate from a U.S. school. OR
- Following the completion of your I-20 program, Optional Practical Training (OPT, including STEM OPT) (this kind of OPT is called post-completion OPT).
Prior to the completion of your I-20 program, if you cannot comply with the FCS requirement of the F-1 regulations for any reason, you must obtain written authorization for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) or Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) from GEO before you drop below FCS.
FCS and “full-time study” or “full-time student” are related but separate concepts.
The F-1 regulations use the term full course of study, which has some overlaps with full-time study but is not exactly the same thing as full-time study.
To remain consistent with the F-1 regulations, GEO uses the term full course of study, or the abbreviation FCS for simplicity.
Your FCS requirement varies by your VCU program level: Undergraduate, Graduate, or English Language Program (ELP).
|
Program |
Undergraduate |
Graduate |
ELP |
|
FCS Requirement |
FCS for an undergraduate student is at least 12 credits. Of these 12 required credits, at least 9 credits must be in classes that are either In Person or Hybrid. No more than 3 Distance credits can be counted toward FCS. |
FCS for a graduate student is at least 9 credits. Of these 9 required credits, at least 6 credits must be in classes that are either In Person or Hybrid. No more than 3 Distance credits can be counted toward FCS. |
FCS for an ELP student is at least 18 credits per ELP session (Fall, Spring, or Summer). All 18 of the required credits must be in classes that either In Person or Hybrid. No Distance credits count toward FCS for ELP students. |
|
Does it apply to the Fall Semester? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (applies to each Fall ELP Session) |
|
Does it apply to the Spring Semester? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (applies to each Spring ELP session) |
|
Does it apply to Summer Break? |
Please see below. |
Please see below. |
Please see below. |
Summer Break refers to the period between the end of the Spring semester and the start of the Fall semester. Summer break is an official period of the VCU Calendar.
FCS sometimes applies to Summer Break, sometimes it does not. It depends on your specific situation.
|
If you will start your VCU program during the Summer Break |
If you will complete your VCU program during the Summer Break |
If you were enrolled in your current VCU undergraduate or graduate program during the Spring semester immediately before the Summer session and you will enroll in the program during the Fall semester immediately after the Summer session |
|
Undergraduate, Graduate, or ELP, the FCS requirement applies to you for the Summer Break.
|
Undergraduate, Graduate, or ELP, the FCS requirement applies to you for the Summer Break.
|
Undergraduate, Graduate, or ELP, the FCS requirement does not apply to you for the Summer Break.
You can take zero credits or you can take as many credits as you want to for the Summer Break, and during the Summer Break, all of your credits can be Distance.
Exception: If your VCU program requires you to enroll in credits over the Summer Break, then you need to do so but for F-1 purposes, you can take zero credits or you can take as many credits as you want to for the Summer Break, and during the Summer Break, all of your credits can be Distance.
|
Schools, including VCU, use various terms to describe a course’s delivery mode—that is, the course’s instructional format (how the class is taught).
Some of VCU’s terms for course delivery modes are Face-to-Face, Hybrid-flexible synchronous, Blended-flexible synchronous, etc.
However, the FCS regulations speak of only three course delivery modes:
|
FCS Term |
In Person |
Distance |
Hybrid |
|
Definition |
For each class meeting, the instructor and students share the same physical space at the same time. The course delivery mode is 100% in person. |
For each class meeting, the instructor and students never share the same physical space at the same time. The course delivery mode is 100% online.
|
For class meetings, the instructor and students sometimes share the same physical space at the same time, but not always. The course delivery mode is neither 100% in person nor 100% online. The course delivery mode is a blend of in-person and online instruction in any ratio. |
VCU uses a variety of terms to indicate instructional modes for classes.
These terms can be confusing when you are trying to determine if the class counts as in-person for FCS purposes.
Here is how to tell which VCU classes count as in-person for FCS purposes.
Effective for the Spring 2024 semester:
|
VCU Instructional Mode |
VCU Abbreviation |
Does This Mode Count as In-Person for FCS Purposes? |
|
Online-synchronous |
ROND |
No. This mode is 100% online. Synchronous attendance in a fully online class is NOT the same as appearing in the classroom. |
|
Online-asynchronous |
RONL |
No. This mode is 100% online. |
|
Hybrid-synchronous |
RONB |
Yes. This mode requires some percent of in-person instruction. Synchronous attendance in a fully online class is NOT the same as appearing in the classroom. |
|
Hybrid-asynchronous |
RONC |
Yes. This mode requires some percent of in-person instruction. |
|
Flexible |
ROFL |
Maybe. See Note below. |
|
Hybrid Flexible (HyFlex) |
ROHF |
Maybe. See Note below. |
|
Hybrid Simulcast |
ROHS |
Maybe. See Note below. |
|
Face-to-Face |
RINP |
Yes. This mode is 100% in person. |
|
Directed/Guided |
RINS |
Maybe. See Note below. |
NOTE:
The ROFL, ROHF, ROHS, and RINS are available in formats that allow students to choose to attend classes or directed/guided instruction in-person or online.
For courses marked ROFL, ROHF, ROHS, and RINS, you must ensure that you attend some of the classes in person (sharing the same physical space as the instructor) or else the course will not count as in-person for the FCS requirement.
GEO recommends that you attend as many of the classes in person as possible. Under no circumstance should you attend all of the classes online.
GEO also recommends that you create a record (use Google calendar or similar) for each course of the dates that you attend the class in person in case you are ever asked by GEO or USCIS to document your in-person attendance.
Attendance Warning: The F-1 regulations assume that if you are on an F-1 visa your primary reason, prior to graduation, for being in the U.S. is to attend classes in person. Therefore for FCS purposes, in person means that you and the instructor share the same physical space at the same time for at least some of the class meetings. You cannot comply with the in-person study requirement by relying on a recording or stream of the class provided by faculty or other students. An occasional absence due to illness or other emergency may be acceptable but you do not have the flexibility to be absent regularly from in person classes. Failure to attend class in person where offered or required can lead to a loss of F-1 status.
Recall from above that the FCS term Distance means:
For each class meeting, the instructor and students never share the same physical space at the same time. The course delivery mode is 100% online.
If you are subject to the FCS requirement for Fall, Spring, or Summer, you must observe the Distance restriction:
- No more than 3 Distance credits can count toward FCS, and
- You cannot enroll in all Distance credits.
Distance Restriction FAQs
Can I enroll in a VCU program that is fully Distance and comply with FCS?
No. You cannot enroll in only Distance credits and remain compliant with FCS. For this reason, F-1 visa sponsorship is not available to students enrolled in fully Distance programs.
Can I enroll in VCU program that is majority Distance and comply with FCS?
Most likely not. Even though the program is not fully Distance, it may be practically impossible for you to comply with the Distance restriction. F-1 visa sponsorship is not generally available to students in majority Distance programs.
Am I ever allowed to count more than 3 Distance credits toward FCS?
No. You cannot count more than 3 Distance credits toward FCS.
Am I ever allowed to take only Distance credits?
No. You cannot enroll in only Distance credits and remain compliant with FCS.
I need fewer than FCS credits to complete my program. Can those fewer credits be in all Distance credits?
No. You cannot enroll in only Distance credits and remain compliant with FCS.
I need fewer than 3 credits to complete my program. Can those fewer credits be Distance?
No. You cannot enroll in only Distance credits and remain compliant with FCS.
I only need 1 credit to complete my program. Can that 1 credit be Distance?
No. You cannot enroll in only Distance credits and remain compliant with FCS.
Can I ever take more than 3 Distance credits?
Yes. But no more than 3 of those Distance credits can count toward FCS.
What if VCU is not offering enough In Person or Hybrid classes required for my major or minor?
You have 2 options:
- Enroll in other In Person or Hybrid classes at VCU, even if you do not need to take the classes for your major or minor, to maintain FCS. OR
- Enroll in another college’s In Person or Hybrid classes in order to maintain FCS. Examples of another college include: The University of Richmond, J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College, Northern Virginia Community College, etc.
Does this mean that I would need to take (and pay for) additional, unwanted credits or take credits at another college in order to maintain FCS?
Yes. There are circumstances where, in order to comply with FCS, you would need to take (and pay for) additional, unwanted In Person or Hybrid credits or to take those credits at another college.
Is there a Reduced Course Load (RCL) or Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) exception to the Distance restriction?
No. There is no RCL or FTE exception to the Distance restriction. The Distance restriction applies even if you are authorized for an RCL or FTE. For information about RCL and FTE, please see below.
Failure to maintain FCS or to obtain a written RCL or FTE authorization from GEO in advance is a serious violation of the F-1 regulations.
If you do not maintain FCS or obtain a written RCL or FTE authorization from GEO in advance, the following will occur:
- You will lose your F-1 status and your SEVIS record will be Terminated as required by U.S. law.
- Resuming F-1 status after SEVIS termination is costly and difficult. You will need either depart the U.S. or file an I-539 reinstatement application with USCIS (each within 14 days of SEVIS termination).
- You will lose your On Campus employment authorization until you can resume F-1 status.
- You will lose any authorized Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or pre-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) immediately.
- You will not be eligible for CPT or OPT again until you have completed one full year of study after you resume F-1 status.
- Your U.S. immigration record will show the SEVIS termination, and the reason for it, and this could affect your future visa applications.
Yes. Please see the information below about Reduced Course Load (RCL) and Full-Time Equivalent (FTE).