# Additional Information for International Students International Student Degree Completion Policy International students enrolled in the MS in Epidemiology students will have a maximum of three terms from their initial enrollment term to complete their degree requirements. The International Programs Office (IPO) will be kept informed of the degree completion dates for all international students. The Program Office, in collaboration with IPO, will conduct regular check-in meetings with international students each term. These meetings will serve as an opportunity to remind students of their degree requirements, address any questions or concerns they may have, and provide support as needed. The Program Office will inform concentration advisors about the requirements and timeline for international students, ensuring that they are aware of any specific considerations regarding degree completion. **Maintaining Full-Time Status:** International students who hold an F1 student visa must maintain full-time status in each term. Graduate students who carry 9 or more credits each semester or trimester are considered full-time students. Those students who register for less than 9 credits may, in certain situations, be granted "full-time equivalency" if engaged in full-time educational activities. Typically, full-time equivalency is granted if one of the following applies: * Taking 7-8 credits of coursework and working as a teaching or research assistant for the program. * Completing or have fulfilled all coursework requirements and are working full time on thesis research or dissertation research. Students who are granted full-time equivalency will be designated as "full-time" by the Registrar. International graduate students who enroll in less than 9 credits and who are not eligible for full-time equivalency may jeopardize their visa status and should consult with the Office of International Personnel. **Thesis (MS in Epidemiology Students):** Students are strongly encouraged to begin discussing plans for the Thesis with the Program Director. Note: While the Thesis can be completed over several terms, students are required to register for the Thesis as soon as they identify a project. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://ismms-gs.gitbook.io/graduate-student-handbook/chapter-10/graduate-program-in-public-health/master-of-science-in-epidemiology/additional-information-for-international-students.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.