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International Services and Engagement Office ISEO
  1. ISEO
  2. Student Services
  3. Changes to Enrollment
  4. Reduced Course Loads (RCLs)

Reduced Course Loads (RCLs)

F-1 and J-1 students may apply for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) in order to be authorized to enroll in less than 12 units during a specific term. RCLs can only be approved for Final Quarter, Medical, Academic, or Filing Fee reasons, and they are approved for one quarter at a time. Students must apply and receive RCL authorization from ISEO before dropping to less than 12 units.

Note: An application for an RCL application has no impact on tuition reduction. For reduced tuition, you must meet the eligibility requirements, be enrolled in the appropriate number of units, and submit a separate request to be approved for part-time/half-time status using the Part-Time e-Form (undergraduate students) or Half-Time e-Form (graduate students).  Make sure to submit the e-Form and drop below the appropriate number of units before the published deadline to be eligible for reduced tuition. If you have any questions about your tuition reduction or refund, contact the UC San Diego Registrar's Office directly.

See Full-Time Enrollment Requirements

Final Quarter RCL

A Final Quarter RCL is authorization for F-1 or J-1 students who are eligible to enroll in less than 12 units during their final, graduating quarter.

Final Quarter RCL Eligibility

In order to apply, you must be in your final graduating term and enrolled in less than 12 units and at least 1 unit. Students on an approved Final Quarter RCL with only one class left to graduate must ensure that this class is either hybrid or fully in-person. The class cannot be fully remote.

For graduates on filing fee status, please see the Filing Fee RCL information. Note that UC EAP reciprocity students are not eligible for a Final Quarter RCL.

Request a Final Quarter RCL

Request a Final Quarter RCL from ISEO

Submit the 'Reduced Course Load' request in iPortal.ucsd.edu.

  • The processing time is 5 business days.
  • You will be notified via email when the request is complete.
  • F-1 students:
    • If your final quarter RCL is approved, an updated I-20 reflecting your RCL authorization will be issued. Print and sign the I-20, and keep a copy for your own records.
  • J-1 students:
    • If your final quarter RCL is approved, an updated DS-2019 may be issued if your program end date was shortened. If your DS-2019 did not need to be shortened, you will receive an email that you will need to save for your records. 

This iPortal RCL request is not the same as Part-Time/Half-Time Study application, and it will not reduce your tuition.

If you are unable to complete your program by the program end date on your I-20/DS-2019, you must submit an Extension I-20/DS-2019 Request on iPortal at least 10 business days before your program end date.

Request Reduced Tuition from the Registrar's Office

For reduced tuition, you must meet the eligibility requirements and submit a separate request to be approved for part-time/half-time status using the Part-Time e-Form (undergraduate students) or Half-Time e-Form (graduate students). This process is fully handled by the UC San Diego Registrar's Office. If you have any questions about your tuition reduction or refund, contact the UC San Diego Registrar's Office directly.
  • Undergraduate students are eligible for part-time status if they enroll in 10 or fewer units AND are applying before the end of Week 2.
  • Graduate students are eligible for half-time status if they enroll in 6 or fewer units and are applying before the end of Week 2.

Medical RCL

A Medical RCL is authorization for F-1 or J-1 students to enroll in 0-11 units during a Fall, Winter, or Spring quarter due to illness or medical condition.

Medical RCL Eligibility

A student can be authorized for a cumulative total of up to 12 months of Medical RCLs at a particular program level. Medical RCLs must be submitted and approved on a quarter-by-quarter basis.

Medical RCL Requirements:

To substantiate the illness/medical condition, the regulations require students requesting a Medical RCL to submit medical documentation with a clear recommendation for reduced course load. You can visit a UC San Diego Student Health Services medical doctor or a UC San Diego Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) clinical psychologist (preferred) to obtain this documentation.

You must provide current medical documentation (no older than 3 months) from a U.S. medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or licensed clinical psychologist.

Regarding pregnancy: A normal pregnancy/delivery is not considered a medical condition warranting a medical RCL, ISEO will review medical RCL requests for pregnant students after receiving a letter from a licensed medical doctor recommending the reduced course load and substantiating the illness or medical condition.

The medical documentation MUST include ALL of the following:

  • Issued on office letterhead
  • Include the date the letter was issued
  • Include a general medical diagnosis (specifics are not required)
  • Include a clear recommendation that due to a medical condition/temporary illness the student take a reduced course load for the applicable term
  • Include the name and signature (electronic signatures are permitted) of one of the following:*
    • Medical Doctor (MD); or
    • Doctor of Osteopathy (DO); or
    • Clinical Psychologist (CP)

*A letter from a practitioner other than one of the medical professionals listed above (such as a nurse practitioner, an acupuncturist, or a Doctor of Oriental Medicine) is NOT sufficient for the purposes of complying with the federal regulations.

Request a Medical RCL

Request a Medical RCL from ISEO

You are strongly encouraged to meet with an international student advisor at ISEO before submitting your request.

Submit the 'Reduced Course Load' request in iPortal.ucsd.edu.

  • The processing time is 5 business days.
  • You will be notified via email when the request is complete.
  • F-1 students:
    • If your final quarter RCL is approved, an updated I-20 reflecting your RCL authorization will be issued. Print and sign the I-20, and keep a copy for your own records.
  • J-1 students:
    • If your final quarter RCL is approved, an updated DS-2019 may be issued if your program end date was shortened. If your DS-2019 did not need to be shortened, you will receive an email that you will need to save for your records. 

This iPortal RCL request is not the same as Part-Time/Half-Time Study application, and it will not reduce your tuition.

Request Reduced Tuition from the Registrar's Office

For reduced tuition, you must meet the eligibility requirements and submit a separate request to be approved for part-time/half-time status using the Part-Time e-Form (undergraduate students) or Half-Time e-Form (graduate students). This process is fully handled by the UC San Diego Registrar's Office. If you have any questions about your tuition reduction or refund, contact the UC San Diego Registrar's Office directly.
  • Undergraduate students are eligible for part-time status if they enroll in 10 or fewer units AND are applying before the end of Week 2.
  • Graduate students are eligible for half-time status if they enroll in 6 or fewer units and are applying before the end of Week 2.

Academic RCL

An Academic RCL is authorization for F-1 or J-1 students who are eligible to enroll in less than 12 units during a Fall, Winter, or Spring quarter due to initial academic difficulty. 

Academic RCL Eligibility

International students who are facing initial academic difficulty may apply for an Academic RCL only in their first quarter of enrollment at UC San Diego. In addition:
  • Academic RCLs can be approved only once in a student's first quarter of enrollment at each program level.
  • Students with approved Academic RCLs must maintain a minimum of 6 units. 
  • Students should make every attempt to enroll full-time through each quarter's add deadline. Academic RCL Applications should only be submitted after the add deadline has passed for the applicable term. 

UC EAP reciprocity students need additional consultation with the UC EAP Systemwide Office and their home university in order to reduce their units below full time.

Academic RCL Requirements:

Students may apply for an Academic RCL only in their first quarter of enrollment at UC San Diego based on one of the three following situations:

  1. Initial difficulty with the English language and/or with reading requirements
  2. Unfamiliarity with American teaching methods
  3. Withdrawal from a course due to improper course level placement (you are required to explain in your application why you were not academically prepared for the course you want to drop).

If you are not eligible for an academic RCL, you can consider choosing the P/NP (Pass/Not Pass) grade option if you are uncertain how well you are going to do in a class or when you do not want a class to count toward your GPA. You must change grading options by the end of Week 4.

Request an Academic RCL

Request an Academic RCL from ISEO

You are strongly encouraged to meet with your College Advisor (undergraduate students) or Graduate Coordinator (graduate students) before submitting your request.

Submit the 'Reduced Course Load' request in iPortal.ucsd.edu

  • The processing time is 5 business days.
  • You will be notified via email when the request is complete.
  • F-1 students:
    • If your final quarter RCL is approved, an updated I-20 reflecting your RCL authorization will be issued. Print and sign the I-20, and keep a copy for your own records.
  • J-1 students:
    • If your final quarter RCL is approved, an updated DS-2019 may be issued if your program end date was shortened. If your DS-2019 did not need to be shortened, you will receive an email that you will need to save for your records. 

 This iPortal RCL request is not the same as Part-Time/Half-Time Study application, and it will not reduce your tuition.

Request Reduced Tuition from the Registrar's Office

International students are generally eligible to apply for reduced tuition only due to medical or final quarter reasons. Academic RCLs are not qualifying reasons to apply for reduced tuition. Learn more about tuition reduction through the Part-Time e-Form (undergraduate students) or  Half-Time e-Form (graduate students). This process is fully handled by the UC San Diego Registrar's Office. If you have any questions about your tuition reduction or refund, contact the UC San Diego Registrar's Office directly.

Filing Fee RCL

A Filing Fee RCL is authorization for graduate international students who are eligible to enroll in 0 units during their final, graduating quarter, based on filing fee in lieu of registration status.

Filing Fee RCL Eligibility

Filing Fee RCL Requirements:

  • You must be defending your thesis or dissertation or taking a comprehensive exam during your final quarter.
  • You must meet with your Graduate Coordinator to determine eligibility to pay the filing fee instead of registering in any units.
  • You must submit your Filing Fee RCL request on iPortal by end of the 2nd week of the quarter.
  • You must apply for F-1 Optional Practical Training or J-1 Academic Training by the end of the 2nd week of the quarter.
  • You will NOT be eligible for:
    • On-campus employment, including GSR and TAs.
    • Off-campus employment, including CPT (F-1 students) or Academic Training (J-1 students).
    • On-campus housing.
  • You must contact Student Health Services regarding eligibility for voluntary student health insurance.

Filing fee status is limited to one quarter only. If you are unable to complete degree during the filing fee status, you must register during the following quarter and submit an Extension I-20/DS-2019 Request at least 10 business days before your program end date.

Request a Filing Fee RCL

Request a Filing Fee RCL from ISEO

Submit the 'Reduced Course Load' request in iPortal. 

  • The processing time is 5 business days.
  • You will be notified via email when the request is complete.
  • Print and sign the I-20/DS-2019, and keep a copy for your own records.
    • Your I-20/DS-2019 end date will be shortened to the date of your defense or comprehensive exam.

This iPortal RCL request is not the same as the General Petition to pay the filing fee in lieu of registration..

Paying the filing fee in lieu of registration/tuition fees

In order to pay the filing fee in lieu of registration/tuition fees, you must meet the eligibility requirements. Your program’s graduate coordinator will mark the filing fee check box on the Final Report Form for your degree. This process is fully handled by the UC San Diego Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs. If you have any questions about the Filing Fee, make sure to contact the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs directly.