Students registered for less than nine credit hours are part-time.  Part-time status requires approval.     

To receive the per credit hour, part-time tuition rate, students must be verified for part-time approval with the Office of the Registrar by the end of the second week of classes.

To do so, a graduate student must:

• Initiate their request with their graduate program (start with your graduate program administrator) who will subsequently submit their approval for the record to be updated. 
• International students must also obtain permission from OISS in addition to graduate program permission to drop below full-time status. International students must submit to OISS a Reduced Course Load (RCL) request form, https://rice.app.box.com/s/bu68solwxh8qscpbao6trmqhk99w1slp. Reduced Course Load is only granted for academic difficulty or final semester.  Please see the Reduced Course Load flowchart, https://rice.app.box.com/s/yy47tbzyau0aumjdbge69fathixopwa8, for more information.

Please keep in mind:

• A part-time student must register for a minimum of three credit hours.
• Part-time students are not eligible to receive fellowships, assistantship aid, tuition scholarships, or reduced-rate tuition from Rice. See also Financial Aid.
• Part-time students may drop their last class (when consistent with the Academic Calendar) without de facto withdrawing, by petitioning for a leave of absence that is approved.  Part-time students who do not successfully complete three credits in two consecutive semesters will not be allowed any additional leaves.
• All time boundaries and degree requirements apply to part-time students.

Additional considerations can be found in the General Announcements: https://ga.rice.edu/graduate-students/academic-policies-procedures/regulations-procedures-all-degrees/#text

And on the OISS Website: https://oiss.rice.edu/maintaining-status