■ Distance Learning

Distance Education  Restrictions for International Students – Per the PATRIOT Act, international students are restricted in enrolling in distance education courses. Student visa status in the U.S. assumes a student’s physical presence on campus is required and, therefore, enrollment in distance education courses that do not require a student’s physical presence is restricted. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations state that failure of international students to adhere to these regulations will violate their status in the U.S. Failure of distance education programs to adjust to these regulations will impede ability of international students to legally participate in such programs. 

NOTE: Students who are admitted to distance education programs and who will remain outside the U.S. for study duration are:

·        not subject to this restriction, and

·        not eligible to receive tuition waivers or tuition scholarships.

 DHS regulations stipulate that international students may count no more than 3 credits of on-line course work towards full time enrollment. This results in different applications for undergraduate and graduate international students:

a.       Undergraduate international students must enroll in a minimum of 9 credits of face-to-face classroom hours and then may enroll in 3+ hours of on-line course work each semester. In this way, no more than 3 credits of on-line course work will count toward the minimum 12-credit hour definition of full time enrollment for undergraduate international students.

b.      Graduate international students must enroll in a minimum of 5 credits of face-to-face classroom hours and then may enroll in 3+ hours of on-line course work each semester. In this way, no more than 3 credits of on-line course work will count toward the minimum 8-credit hour definition of full time enrollment for graduate international students.

 DHS regulations offer two exceptions:

a.       Distance education course work offered via HITS (Hawaii Interactive Television System) will count as face-to-face course work and, therefore, will not be subject to the distance education enrollment restriction for international students.

b.      Any on-line course with a mandatory physical presence component that is “integral to completion of course” (i.e., presentations given in presence of instructor, mid-terms taken in presence of instructor, etc.) will not be subject to the distance education enrollment restriction for international students.

 For more information, contact an ISS international student adviser by calling the ISS front desk at 956-8613.