What makes a full time graduate student

Graduate school consuming your life: Similar to your undergraduate career, a full time graduate career can be all consuming if you let it. To avoid burnout, join some clubs on campus and make time for outside hobbies and activities. Full-time Opportunities: Ability to focus and immerse yourself in studies: A full course load means you can devote most of your time and attention to your studies.

Finish your degree faster: The more credits you take per semester, the faster you complete your degree requirements. Develop close relationships with students and professors: As you spend more time on campus, you have more opportunities to develop a community with your professors and peers. Get more financial aid: Some financial aid packages are contingent on enrollment status; full-time students generally receive more aid than part-time students.

Part-time challenges: Balance work, life, and studies: As a part-time student, you will likely be juggling work or family obligations as well as your studies. You also run the risk of missing out on some aspects of student life like clubs, organizations, or networking opportunities. Part-time opportunities: Bring your work experience to the classroom and vice versa: Going to school part-time affords you the opportunity to implement what you learned in class at your job.

You also bring real work experience to your classes which can give you a leg up in discussions and assignments. College Resources. International students F-1 are considered to be maintaining status as long as they pursue a full course of study and make normal academic progress towards their degree. At UNCG a full-time load for F-1 visa holders is defined as 9 credit hours for graduate students without assistantships.

On-campus employment pursuant to the terms of a scholarship, fellowship, or assistantship at the graduate level is deemed to be part of the academic program of a student otherwise taking a full course of study, so graduate students with assistantships must take a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester. Please note that for F-1 students no more than 3 credits per term can be taken on-line or through distance education to meet their full-time course load.

Exceptions to the F-1 full-time load: F-1 students may undertake a reduced load under the following circumstances with prior approval from the International Programs Center IPC :. A Academic difficulties. B Medical conditions. C Completion of course of study. For any questions regarding maintaining F-1 status and obtaining prior approval, please contact the International Programs Center. Veterans, active-duty military, and military-affiliated students who utilize the GI Bill Education Benefits do not have to enroll full-time to receive benefits; however, in order to receive full benefits, they must be full-time.

The VA prorates most benefits for less than full-time pursuit see links below for more details. A student who is undertaking an internship, or other degree requirement where the activity requires the student to be away from campus for more than four weeks in an academic term shall enrol as full-time off-campus.

Students requesting full-time off-campus status must complete a Change of enrolment status form. Needles Hall , second floor, room The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples.

Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is centralized within our Indigenous Initiatives Office. Questions about full-time status should be referred to the Office of the Registrar. Skip to main content. Full-Time Graduate Student Status. Maximum Course Load The maximum course load for a graduate student is 15 semester hours in a spring or fall semester, or 12 semester hours in a week summer session.