Part-time Enrollment at BU

Sargent College expects that all students will be enrolled full-time (at least 12 credits) each semester.

Registering for fewer than 12 credits does not change your student account status from full-time to part-time.

Part-time status and enrollment for < 12 credit hours require approval by Sargent College via the Part-time Enrollment Request form. To determine if you might be eligible for part-time status, carefully review the degree requirements for your program and consult with your academic advisor. On the StudentLink, use transcript preview along with degree advice to check degree-completion.

It is the student’s responsibility to enroll in all courses required for the degree; a minimum of 128 credits and all of the specific coursework necessary for the major must be completed.

International Students

Important information about enrollment status is available from the ISSO website. In particular, note the following:

“If you are an F-1 or J-1 student, you must register for and complete at least 12 credit hours each Fall and Spring Semester to maintain your immigration status. Please note that additional credit requirements vary depending on the school/program to which you were admitted; in some cases, the required credit hours for your degree program may exceed the 12 credit hours required for immigration purposes. Dropping below 12 credits without prior authorization by the ISSO is considered a violation of your F-1 or J-1 immigration status and will result in a negative SEVIS record termination.”

Submitting the Part-time Enrollment Request Form

  • Part-time status requires an official approval process; it won’t automatically occur by simply registering for <12 credits.
  • In tallying credits, beware of repeated courses as these contribute credit toward the degree only once unless the course is specifically designed to be taken multiple times. For example, a student who takes/passes a standard 4-credit course like CH101 twice receives 4, not 8, credits toward the total required for completion of the degree program. Further info is available on the BU Bulletin’s Repeated Courses page. 
  • Student athletes should ensure that a change to part-time status won’t affect their NCAA eligibility to participate in their sport by checking with Student-Athlete Support Services.
  • All students should consider their health insurance, financial aid/scholarship, and/or BU Housing details prior to requesting part-time status
  • Complete the form carefully. The student account won’t change until the approval process is finalized by Sargent College and the status change is sent to BU Student Accounting.