Enrollment Requirements
Because you are in the U.S. as a student, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires that you to enroll in a full course of study (or equivalent) each semester.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
A full course of study for an undergraduate student at UTEP is a minimum of 12 credits per semester. You must enroll full time each fall and spring semester. Summer term is not required unless you were admitted to UTEP to begin in the summer term, or if the summer term will be your last semester at UTEP.
Below are examples of acceptable fall/spring schedules, per DHS regulations:
- 12 or more in-person credits
- 9 or more in-person credits, 3 or more online credits
Below are examples of unacceptable fall/spring schedules, per DHS regulations:
- 6 in-person credits, 6 or more online credits
- 3 in-person credits, 9 or more online credits
- 0 in-person credits, any number of online credits
Only 3 online credits count toward your enrollment requirement per fall or spring term. Therefore, most of your courses must be in person each fall and spring semester. Many students wait until the summer term to take online classes, since there are no enrollment requirements during the summer.
GRADUATE STUDENTS
A full course of study for a graduate student at UTEP is a minimum of 9 credits per semester, or enrollment in a thesis/dissertation course. You must enroll full time each fall and spring semester. Summer term is not required unless you were admitted to UTEP to begin in the summer term, or if the summer term will be your last semester at UTEP.
Below are examples of acceptable fall/spring schedules, per DHS regulations:
- 9 or more in-person credits
- 6 or more in-person credits, 3 or more online credits
- 3 credit thesis/dissertation course
Below are examples of unacceptable fall/spring schedules, per DHS regulations:
- 3 in-person credits, 6 or more online credits
- 0 in-person credits, any number of online credits
Only 3 online credits count toward your enrollment requirement each fall or spring term. Therefore, most of your courses must be in person each fall and spring semester. Many students wait until the summer term to take online classes, since there are no enrollment requirements during the summer.
ALL PART-TIME BORDER COMMUTER STUDENTS
Students who have been designated as Part-Time Border Commuters are not required to enroll full time each semester. Undergraduate and Graduate Part-Time Border Commuter students must enroll in at least 3 in-person credits each fall/spring semester to maintain status. They may enroll in more credits if desired.
Please note that not all Border Commuter students are Part-Time Border Commuters. Most of our Border Commuters are designated as Full-Time, which means they must adhere to the full course of study requirements (9 or 12 minimum credits per term corresponding to their degree level). If you are not sure if you are a Part-Time or Full-Time Border Commuter, please contact OIP.