International students are required to be enrolled full-time each semester, unless it is an authorized vacation period, and are expected to complete their classes successfully. In special circumstances, a student may be eligible to drop below full-time enrollment. A student may be eligible for a reduced course load if they are:

• In their final term at Emory and need less than a full course load to complete their program;
• Experiencing academic difficulties; or
• Experiencing medical issues that prevent them from enrolling full-time.  

Important: To avoid a regulation violation, international students must first receive authorization from ISSS before dropping below full-time status.

On occasion, an international student may fall out of lawful status. A student can regain legal status by either traveling abroad and reentering the US in valid F-1 or J-1 status or by submitting a reinstatement application to the US government. If approved, the student regains their legal status from within the US. 

Students who fail to maintain status should speak with their ISSS advisor about these options. Depending on the situation, reinstatement may not be possible.

When a student is ready to return to Emory after a leave of absence, they must first contact their academic program/school to request readmission. Once the university information system (OPUS) has been updated to indicate the student's readmission, the student will receive an email from their ISSS advisor.  The email will provide the student with access to the "Return From Leave I-20 Request" e-form. The student will use this ISSS Link e-form to submit their request and upload their financial documents.