FAQ: Registration Hold
All international students studying on an F1 Visa will have an International F1 (IF1) hold placed on their record after registering for the next semester.
What if my schedule has all of the right classes?
If your schedule meets F1 requirements, you will have an IF1 hold placed on your record indicating that no changes need to be made to your schedule. This hold means "Good job!"
What if my schedule doesn't have enough in-person or hybrid classes?
Students who do not have a schedule that meets Visa requirements will be contacted by our office. We will let those students know that they are in violation of their F1 status and give them guidance on the next steps to fix the situation.
If I get the IF1 hold and then want to change my schedule later, what do I do?
Email intloffice@twu.edu to let us know. Please include the class you are dropping and the one you are adding. If the new course will not negatively impact your F1 eligibility we will release the hold and give you time to make your schedule changes.
What if I registered for everything correctly, but then my department changed the format of my class?
If you've registered for the correct format of classes and your department changes a face-to-face class to online, you or your advisor can contact intloffice@twu.edu to have the hold lifted to change your schedule.
What if I don't need to take my full-time hours and I'm graduating for the semester I just registered for?
If your upcoming semester is your last semester, you can apply for an Academic Reduced Course Load in the International Portal. Be sure that if you only need to take 1 class in that it is taken in-person or hybrid. If you only need to take 2 classes, one can be online while the other must be in-person or hybrid. Undergraduates who need 9 hours must enroll in at least 6 hours in-person or hybrid.
What if I can't take full-time hours because of a medical condition?
Students with a diagnosed physical or mental health condition can submit a request for a Medically Reduced Course Load in the International Portal. The request requires that the student upload an official statement from their medical professional with a recommendation of the number of hours to be taken that semester. Once this request is reviewed, the ISSS office will discuss the online/hybrid/in-person requirement with the student based on their specific needs.
What if I'm a graduate student with an assistantship?
If you have an assistantship, as a graduate student, you are only required to enroll in a minimum of 5 credit hours (at least 3 of these hours must be in-person or hybrid). You will need to upload your employment offer letter in the International Portal and have your faculty submit the electronic recommendation form.
What if all of my classes this semester are offered online?
You will need to speak with your academic advisor and discuss your options to move your courses around to a different semester to meet the requirement, and send an email to intloffice@twu.edu to let us know about the situation. If all of your classes are online and you are graduating in the semester you've registered for, please send an email to intloffice@twu.edu to let us know about the situation.
How long will the hold stay on my record?
The IF1 hold will be be released from all F1 student records by the middle of the semester, prior to the start of registration for the next semester.
Why is this hold necessary?
The ISSS office supports all of our students in your efforts to take responsibility for your individual F1 Visa status. We encourage communication of potential schedule changes, discussions that will prevent termination of Visa records, and proactive understanding of F1 regulations. Our goal is to maintain open communication, while also supporting students in navigating regulations.
What if my schedule has all of the right classes?
If your schedule meets F1 requirements, you will have an IF1 hold placed on your record indicating that no changes need to be made to your schedule. This hold means "Good job!"
What if my schedule doesn't have enough in-person or hybrid classes?
Students who do not have a schedule that meets Visa requirements will be contacted by our office. We will let those students know that they are in violation of their F1 status and give them guidance on the next steps to fix the situation.
If I get the IF1 hold and then want to change my schedule later, what do I do?
Email intloffice@twu.edu to let us know. Please include the class you are dropping and the one you are adding. If the new course will not negatively impact your F1 eligibility we will release the hold and give you time to make your schedule changes.
What if I registered for everything correctly, but then my department changed the format of my class?
If you've registered for the correct format of classes and your department changes a face-to-face class to online, you or your advisor can contact intloffice@twu.edu to have the hold lifted to change your schedule.
What if I don't need to take my full-time hours and I'm graduating for the semester I just registered for?
If your upcoming semester is your last semester, you can apply for an Academic Reduced Course Load in the International Portal. Be sure that if you only need to take 1 class in that it is taken in-person or hybrid. If you only need to take 2 classes, one can be online while the other must be in-person or hybrid. Undergraduates who need 9 hours must enroll in at least 6 hours in-person or hybrid.
What if I can't take full-time hours because of a medical condition?
Students with a diagnosed physical or mental health condition can submit a request for a Medically Reduced Course Load in the International Portal. The request requires that the student upload an official statement from their medical professional with a recommendation of the number of hours to be taken that semester. Once this request is reviewed, the ISSS office will discuss the online/hybrid/in-person requirement with the student based on their specific needs.
What if I'm a graduate student with an assistantship?
If you have an assistantship, as a graduate student, you are only required to enroll in a minimum of 5 credit hours (at least 3 of these hours must be in-person or hybrid). You will need to upload your employment offer letter in the International Portal and have your faculty submit the electronic recommendation form.
What if all of my classes this semester are offered online?
You will need to speak with your academic advisor and discuss your options to move your courses around to a different semester to meet the requirement, and send an email to intloffice@twu.edu to let us know about the situation. If all of your classes are online and you are graduating in the semester you've registered for, please send an email to intloffice@twu.edu to let us know about the situation.
How long will the hold stay on my record?
The IF1 hold will be be released from all F1 student records by the middle of the semester, prior to the start of registration for the next semester.
Why is this hold necessary?
The ISSS office supports all of our students in your efforts to take responsibility for your individual F1 Visa status. We encourage communication of potential schedule changes, discussions that will prevent termination of Visa records, and proactive understanding of F1 regulations. Our goal is to maintain open communication, while also supporting students in navigating regulations.