Medical Reduced Course Load

PAUSED New rule effective Sept. 15, 2026: Fixed period of admission & extension of stay

Update on the DHS Fixed Period of Admission Rule: Implementation delayed

The DHS Fixed Period of Admission Final Rule (published July 17, 2026) was scheduled to take effect on September 15, 2026. However, because of ongoing litigation, implementation of the rule has been delayed, and it will not take effect on that date. For now, the current regulations remain in place and continue to govern F and J for nonimmigrants. This means the existing duration of status system for F and J students and exchange visitors remains unchanged.

On July 17, 2026, the U.S. government published a that creates a fixed admission end date for international students who hold F-1 and J-1 visa status. This rule changes the process for these students to extend their stays in the United States and adds other restrictions limiting the students’ ability to make academic changes. Re-entry to the U.S. on or after the September 15 effective date will result in the immediate assignment of a specific Admit Unitl Date (AUD); the benefit of the D/S transition provision is eliminated after that reentry.

Feel free to contact ISSS with questions.Ìý

ISSS may authorize a reduced course load or, if necessary, no course load, due to a student's temporary illness or medical condition for a period of time not to exceed an aggregate of 12 months per academic degree level.

  • Medical RCLs can only be authorized one semester at a time.
    • If students would like to request a medical RCL for more than one semester, they must submit an updated request each semester and ISSS must reauthorize the medical RCL.
  • The medical RCL must be approved by ISSS prior to students reducing their course load.
  • A medical reduced course load may be authorized only if a student is otherwise eligible to enroll at the University of Colorado Boulder. Please note that any holds preventing future enrollment must be resolved before ISSS can approve a Medical RCL.

Medical Reduced Course Load (RCL) Documentation

To substantiate the illness/medical condition, the regulations require student’s requesting a medical RCL to submit documentation from one of the following U.S.-licensed medical practitioners:

  • U.S.-licensed Medical Doctor (MD);
  • U.S.-licensed Doctor of Osteopathy (DO);
  • U.S.-licensed Clinical Psychologist (CP); or
  • U.S.-licensed Psychologist.

Documentation from a practitioner other than one of the medical professionals noted above or a medical practitioner who is not licensed in the U.S. is not sufficient for the purposes of complying with the federal regulations.

Documentation Requirements

The student requesting a medical reduced course load must download and complete the Student Information section on page one of the ISSS Medical Reduced Course Load Recommendation Form.

  • Check the box for the semester in which the Medical Reduced Course Load is being requested.
  • The signature on page one must be or an original (wet-ink) signature. ISSS will not accept a copy-pasted signature.

Page two of the ISSS Medical Reduced Course Load Recommendation Form must be completed by the Medical Provider and, if applicable, the Treating Clinician.

  • A medical provider is defined as a U.S.-licensed:
    • Medical Doctor (MD);
    • Doctor of Osteopathy (DO);
    • Clinical Psychologist (CP); or
    • Psychologist;
  • Treating Clinician
    • If the student is being treated by a professional who is NOT a U.S.-licensed Medical Doctor (MD), Doctor of Osteopathy (DO), Clinical Psychologist (CP), or Psychologist:
      • The treating clinicial must check the boxes for the recommendation (part-time, full-time, semester), complete the Treating Clinician section, and then the treating clinician can give the form to a U.S.-licensed medical professor to complete the final section of the form.
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  • Signatures must be or an original (wet-ink) signature. ISSS will not accept a copy-pasted signature.

The documentation must be submitted to ISSS in the Medical Reduced Course Load Request e-form (available in MyISSS portal) and approved by ISSS before a student can drop below full-time for a medical reason.

Requesting a Medical Reduced Course Load

In order for ISSS to authorize a reduced course load for medical reasons, the student must submit the Medical Reduced Course Load Request e-form (available in MyISSS portal).