Students Studying in The United States Summer Term

While the summer term is considered a vacation term for most continuing students, some students are required to maintain on-ground enrollment in the summer. Please read the following information carefully to make sure you understand your summer enrollment requirements.

Who Must Enroll in the Summer Term? 

You must enroll in on-ground courses for the duration of the Summer Term (semester or quarter) if any of the following applies: 

1. Summer is your first term in a new program on-ground at a Northeastern campus in the U.S.
2. You will complete all of your degree requirements in the summer term
3. You have a new I-20 or DS-2019 with a program start date beginning in the summer term
   • This includes students who recently transferred, changed degree levels, changed/corrected status, or are returning from leave 
4. Your academic program requires summer enrollment by design 
   • Undergraduate Programs do not require summer enrollment by design
   • Select Graduate Programs do require summer enrollment by design

Please review this flowchart to determine if you are required to enroll in the summer term.

If you are in your first term of study in the U.S., you have an Initial I-20/DS-2019, or if your graduate program requires summer enrollment by design:

During the summer term you must follow all Maintenance of Status requirements including:

• Maintain full-time enrollment and on-ground presence for the duration of the term 
  • You cannot enroll in courses that only occur in the first half of the term and have no course enrollment in the second half of the term. 
  • You cannot enroll in online only courses during any part of the term. You must always be enrolled in at least one on-ground course
• Understand the limitations to online course enrollment (enroll only one online course within your full-time credit requirements)
• If you have on-campus employment or have received a Stipended Graduate Assistantship (SGA), you may not work more than 20 hours/week during a required term

If you are planning to finish all degree requirements and graduate in the summer:

In your final semester of study, you must be enrolled in on-ground courses for the duration of the semester. Please review our the Final Term page of our website to learn about how to maintain your status during your final term of study.

If you are continuing your program at Northeastern in the fall term and if summer enrollment is not required, you may take summer as a vacation term. This means that you may enroll in courses (in-person or online), or you may just take a full vacation and enroll in no courses.

If you are engaging in practical training/experiential learning, however, course enrollment and prior authorization and course enrollment is required.

If you plan to travel during the summer term, please review all the travel guidance provided by OGS.