What is a Reduced Course Load?

A reduced course load is less than 12 credits during an academic semester (not including PE credits).  Any student can pursue a reduced course load through their college or program.

A disability accommodation for a reduced course load means that we will provide a statement of verification to your college or program that you are seeking to take a reduced course load for a disability-related reason. That verification from our office may be taken into account by your college or program if your reduced course load would impact your academic standing.  

Note that there are many factors that can impact academic standing at the University, and number of credits is not the sole determinant of standing. Things like which courses you choose to drop, and what your grades are, are also factors.  

What are the implications of a reduced course load?

Taking a reduced course load may have implications on certain things, such as:  

• your academic progress towards graduation
• your ability to meet the requirements to join certain academic programs/majors
• financial aid
• visa status
• veteran educational benefits
• eligibility to participate in athletics and student organizations (including clubs and club sports)

We strongly encourage you to schedule meetings with staff in those offices (college advising, registrar, etc.). You can do this either before or after submitting a request to our office for this accommodation. Do not drop any courses until you have had these conversations. You do not need to share disability or medical information with these advisors. 

What if I need to drop below full-time status as an international student?

If you are on an F1 or J1 visa and need to drop below full-time status (below 12 credits) for a semester due to a disability, you can still request a reduced course load accommodation. Due to visa requirements, you would need to provide medical documentation from a licensed medical doctor, a licensed doctor of osteopathy, a licensed psychologist, or a licensed clinical psychologist (documentation from a licensed clinical social worker does not meet U.S. Immigration regulations).

You would not be able to take a reduced course load for more than 12 months per program of study.  

For additional guidance, please reach out to an advisor at the Office of Global Learning - International Services to schedule a meeting. 

How do I request an accommodation for a reduced course load?

If you are not yet registered with our office, submit a disability self-disclosure form. If you are already registered with our office, you can submit an additional accommodation request form.

Once we have reviewed your request, we will contact you to gather any other needed information and let you know the next steps.  

When should I request this?

It is best for us to receive complete information from you before the drop deadline in order to facilitate the accommodation. You should request this accommodation prior to dropping classes that put you under 12 credits. Dropping under credits without an accommodation being approved first could put you in poor academic standing, which could jeopardize your future enrollment.  

After the deadline: If you make a request after the deadline, we will still review it. However, we may need to review it for implementation in the following semester.  

Are there other options?

An alternative to taking a reduced course load could be exploring other accommodations with our office to support you in your current academic work.  

If you feel you cannot take any credits, that would be a leave of absence. Depending on your circumstances, that may be better option.  

We are happy to discuss these options with you. You can schedule a meeting with a Disability Access Consultant. 

Questions?

We encourage you to call 607-254-4545 or email us at sds_cu@cornell.edu with any questions.