The Home for International Advising, Activities, and Assistance
Reduced Hours Form (RHF)— Academic Difficulties Reasons
Section To Be Completed by Student:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Read the “Things to consider BEFORE taking an Academic Reduced Hours” on the backside of this form.
Complete the Student Section of this form.
Ask your academic advisor or professor to complete the Advisor/Professor Section below.
Return the completed form to the OISS front desk.
OISS will email you at your my.emich account when your request is granted or if additional information is needed. Check email!
___________________________________
Student’s First Name
__________________@emich.edu
E-mail Address
_____________________________
Last (Family) Name
________________________
Phone #
________________________
E ID #
Term Reduced Hours Requested:
Fall Winter Summer 201___
Have you had any previous Reduced Hours (RH) approvals? No or Yes (circle)
If you have previous RH approvals, what kind of Reduced Hours and when? ( Example: ⊠ Medical FA 2012 )
□ Academic __________________
□ Medical ______________________
□ Last Term____________________
Statement of Understanding. I understand that:
- I am only allowed to take one online class per term, and I am not allowed to take just online classes
- I am only allowed to have one term of reduced hours due to academic difficulty per academic level
- I need approval for a reduced hours before dropping my class(es)
- This form does not automatically drop my class(es). I must still drop the class(es) with Records and Registration and that I
may not be entitled to any refund of tuition and fees.
__________________________________________________
Student’s Signature
______________________________________
Date
Section To Be Completed by Academic Advisor or Professor:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires students in F and J visa status to maintain a full course of study (8 credit hours for graduates/12
for undergraduates) during the fall and winter terms (and summer if it is their first or last term at EMU). However, DHS recognizes that a reduced load is
sometimes justified (subject to final approval by OISS) for the academic reasons below. Please check the reason why you recommend the student
not be enrolled full-time in the specified term and give further explanation. Please sign the form and give it to the student for submission.
Academic Difficulties. Students are only allowed to drop below mandatory full-time enrollment if they are experiencing academic
difficulties as described in the four examples below. Students are only allowed to drop below for academic difficulties ONCE per degree
level. Students are required to still maintain 50% of their minimum course load requirements (undergraduate=6, graduate=4).
*Advisors- These reasons are typically used for new
Registered Hours = ______ cr. hours
students only. If these reasons are selected for students that
a._______ Initial difficulty with English language *
have been at EMU or the U.S. for more than 1 year, the
b._______ Initial difficulty with reading requirement *
c._______ Unfamiliarity with American teaching methods*
OISS will consider each request on a case-by-case basis.
d._______ Improper course level placement (includes insufficient offering Please give detailed information in the explanation below to
of required courses)
justify the request.
Explanation (required):
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For undergraduates only: EMU students are required to complete at least 67% of their attempted semester credit hours to maintain good
academic standing. Will this class withdrawal impact the student’s academic standing? □ Yes (if yes, explain below) □ No
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Advisor or Professor’s Name
Signature
EMU Office for International Students and Scholars 240 Student Center www.emich.edu/oiss
Date
Tel: 1(734)487-3116 Fax: 1(734)487-0303 Last Updated 7/24/2015
Z:\Student_Affairs\sa-ois\Documents\MASTER\Reduced_Hours_Form\Reduced Hours Form- ACA only\Reduced Hours Form ACA only.docx saATLAS Batched on _____ or updated SEVIS
RTI:_____
Things to consider BEFORE taking an
Academic Reduced Hours
Academic
 Will I be able to have another Academic Reduced Hours again?
No, you are only given ONE Academic Reduced Hours per academic level. There may be options for Medical Reduced
Hours or Last Term Reduced Hours, if approved by a doctor (Medical) or advisor (Last Term).
 Will I have to take the class again because it is a required course?
If the course you would like to withdraw from is a required course, you will most likely have to re-take the class.
Please talk to your academic advisor to see what your options are.
 When will the course be offered again?
If you have to re-take the course, it is important to know when the course is offered again. This is especially
relevant if you have pre-requisites or only a few courses left to complete your degree.
 Will it impact my academic standing?
EMU undergraduate students are required to complete at least 67% of their attempted semester credit hours to
maintain good academic standing. If you don’t have good academic standing, you will be placed on academic
probation the next semester. Please talk to your academic advisor to see the impact of your reduced course load on
your academic standing.
Financial
 Will my scholarships be impacted if I am under enrolled?
Scholarships usually require a certain credit hour enrollment in order to maintain or receive the scholarship.
Please contact Financial Aid for more information on your EMU scholarships at 734-487-0455 or email
fa_scholarships@emich.edu. Please contact your scholarship provider directly for non-EMU scholarships.
 Will my sponsor pay for the class when I drop it?
Your sponsor might not cover the cost of the course if you withdraw from it. Please contact your sponsor
directly to discuss whether they will pay for a withdrawn course and any associated fees.
Deadlines
 What are the deadlines for dropping classes and getting refunds?
There are specific deadlines for dropping classes, receiving a “W” (withdrawal grade), and tuition refunds.
Please see EMU’s Records and Registration website to look up the specific deadline for your classes and
whether you will receive a “W” grade or tuition refund.
http://www.emich.edu/registrar/calendars/datesanddeadlines.php