How Many Weeks Change School F-1 Visa

Transferring Your SEVIS Tape

The data on this page is for F-one condition students only. To transfer your J-i DS-2019, please submit your asking via the Contact ISS form.

Overview

Admission to a new schoolhouse does not by itself authorize an international student in F-one status to brainstorm studying full-fourth dimension at the new schoolhouse.

You must request your electric current school (UW) to transfer/release your F-i U.S. regime SEVIS I-xx record to your new school earlier you tin begin full-time studies there. The U.Due south. authorities calls this process a "SEVIS transfer." (It is different from an "bookish transfer.")

At that place are several benefits to a SEVIS transfer:

Yous practise not pay the $350 SEVIS fee again
Y'all can remain in the U.S. in between programs
You maintain the same electric current SEVIS ID number (which may make you eligible for certain benefits at your new school earlier, such as CPT eligibility)

The U.S. government considers all the following examples to exist possible "SEVIS transfer" situations:

Completing a program at one school and starting a new program at a different schoolhouse Examples:
- A student graduates with a available'southward degree and will brainstorm graduate report
- A pupil graduates from loftier school in the U.S. and will brainstorm study at a customs college or university
- A educatee completes an intensive English program and will start a university degree
Currently studying at one schoolhouse and deciding (before completing program) to modify to a new school
Example: A pupil is studying for a bachelor's degree. The student decides afterwards only two quarters at their current school that they want to alter to a different school.
Currently doing OPT and starting a new program of study at a different school Examples:
- A pupil graduated with a bachelor's caste and started 12-month standard OPT. During their OPT they as well utilize to graduate schools. They are admitted and decide to start a Master'southward caste that will begin earlier or afterward completion of the 12-month standard OPT.
- A student graduated with a Principal's degree and started 12-month standard OPT. Then they started a Stem OPT extension period. They receive admission to a new program of study that will begin earlier or subsequently the STEM extension OPT finishes.

Eligibility for a SEVIS Record Transfer

Y'all must currently be maintaining F-1 condition
You must have an offer of admission from a new school
If you already graduated or completed OPT, you must still exist inside your sixty-24-hour interval grace menstruum
The start of classes at your new school must be inside v months of one of the following:
- academic program completion at UW
- final twenty-four hour period of enrollment at UW (if not graduating from UW)
- OPT authorization terminate appointment
- For students not completing OPT menstruum, the requested SEVIS I-20 transfer/release date

If the period of time between F-1 activities is longer than 5 months, your SEVIS record is non eligible for transfer. Your new school must issue a new initial I-twenty with a new SEVIS number.

What is the SEVIS I-20 Transfer/Release Appointment?

Only one school at a time tin can access your F-1 SEVIS record. On the SEVIS I-xx transfer/release date, SEVIS access "transfers" from UW to your new school.

The SEVIS transfer affects your F-1 benefits, including employment, travel, and I-20 validity.

On the SEVIS transfer/release date:

The UW ISS part loses access to your electronic SEVIS record
Your new schoolhouse gains access to your electronic SEVIS record; your new schoolhouse can create your new I-xx merely after the SEVIS transfer/release date
OPT authority is cancelled (regardless of end date printed on EAD)
On-campus work authorization is cancelled
The UW I-20 is no longer valid for travel to the U.S.

How to choose a SEVIS I-20 Transfer/Release Date

The chart beneath provides guidance for choosing your SEVIS I-20 transfer/release date. Also, remember:

ISS will take time to process after yous submit your completed SEVIS I-xx transfer/release asking.
ISS cannot fix a by date equally the SEVIS I-20 transfer/release date. If ISS receives/processes your SEVIS I-20 transfer/release asking subsequently your requested transfer/release appointment, ISS will transfer/release the SEVIS record on the day of ISS processing.
You cannot cancel a SEVIS I-20 transfer/release on or after the transfer/release appointment; you tin just asking to abolish the SEVIS transfer/release prior to the transfer/release date.

If you. . .	Recommended Transfer Date:
Are discontinuing studies at UW without completing a degree	I day after the end of finals calendar week in your last quarter at UW, per the academic calendar UW cannot transfer your SEVIS record before the terminate of the quarter. If yous work on campus and desire to go along working on campus temporarily after your final quarter at UW, consult your chief ISS adviser about an appropriate SEVIS transfer appointment.
Are temporarily leaving UW to study total-fourth dimension at another school (like a community college) and plan to return to UW in the future	One twenty-four hour period after the end of finals calendar week in your final quarter at UW, per the academic agenda UW cannot transfer your SEVIS tape before the stop of the quarter.
Are graduating this current quarter and will not apply for or use OPT	One mean solar day later final twenty-four hours of finals in your graduation quarter at UW, per the academic calendar. UW cannot transfer your SEVIS record before the end of the quarter.
Recently graduated and are in your 60-day grace catamenia (did non apply for OPT)	As soon equally possible, and at least x business organization day before the finish of your sixty-day grace period
Recently graduated; Take a awaiting OPT application; simply You Do NOT plan to use any OPT	Every bit shortly as possible
Have OPT approving but you DO NOT plan to start a job/practical grooming position.	As soon every bit possible Asking the transfer at to the lowest degree 10 business days earlier your 90-solar day-limit of unemployment ends. If you exceed 90 days of unemployment, your F-1 condition is considered invalid.
Accept a pending or approved OPT application and plan to do some OPT before starting your new degree programme	One day afterward your terminal date of employment: Talk over your concluding employment date with your supervisor Remember, OPT authorization is cancelled on the transfer/release date (regardless of end date printed on EAD)
Have canonical OPT authorization but you practise non program to outset a job/practical training position	As soon equally possible; request the transfer at least 10 business days before your 90-day-limit of unemployment ends. If yous exceed ninety days of unemployment, your F-1 status is considered invalid.

Instructions: Asking Your SEVIS I-twenty Transfer/Release From ISS

Get together the necessary data/documents to consummate the online ISS SEVIS I-xx Transfer/Release Request Webform:
1. Offer of admission (scan or photo of admission alphabetic character or electronic mail with offering of admission)
2. New school'due south SEVIS code (contact your new school if you do non know what this is)
3. Decide your requested SEVIS transfer/release engagement (review the chart above)
Complete the online ISS SEVIS I-20 Transfer/Release Asking.
Consummate SEVIS I-xx Transfer/Release Request
Let time for ISS processing. Please annotation that after the transfer out appointment the UW volition no longer take admission to your SEVIS record, and so request a transfer merely later on your plans are certain.
You lot will receive an electronic mail confirmation of your SEVIS transfer/release from ISS. If you are registered for a future quarter at UW, don't forget to withdraw and fulfill any financial obligations with the University before you transfer to your new school or leave the U.S. Note the tuition forfeiture and refund policies posted by Student Fiscal Services.
Contact the new school'due south International Admissions part to arrange when and how to receive your new I-twenty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most schools make access decisions independent from clearing condition. They offer admission first. And so, equally function of the I-20 asking process, they may request a transfer verification form (it might take a different name).

However, if your school requests a transfer verification form before they volition make the admission decision, please e-mail ISS at uwiss@uw.edu. ISS can issue y'all a Transfer Confirmation Letter that you lot can share with your new school.

Please notify your new school that ISS does not complete transfer verification forms.
ISS volition event you a Transfer Confirmation Alphabetic character that yous can share with your new schoolhouse.

You may stay in the U.S. in between programs/F-1 activities if the SEVIS record transfer procedures are correctly followed. If the flow between programs is longer than 5 months, your new school must issue a new initial I-20 with a new SEVIS number. You lot must get out the U.S. inside your sixty-day grace period and re-enter no earlier than thirty days before your new program commencement engagement.

You must enter the U.Due south. on the I-20 from the new school. It is of import to discuss your travel plans with your international student adviser at the new schoolhouse and then that an advisable "transfer out" date and new I-20 issuance tin be coordinated to facilitate your travel.

As long equally y'all have followed the proper transfer procedures, you volition exist able to use your electric current, unexpired F-1 visa to reenter the U.Due south. fifty-fifty though information technology has your previous school proper name printed on information technology.

If your F-1 visa volition expire in between degree programs, recall y'all tin stay in the U.S. with an expired F-1 visa every bit long as y'all are post-obit the right SEVIS transfer procedures. Yous must apply for a new F-i visa if you travel internationally. For more than information review Visas data.

Graduating Students:
Your UW on-campus piece of work permission ends the last mean solar day of your last quarter.

While the UW allows educatee hourly workers to continue employment for one quarter post-obit graduation, students in F-1 status cannot work on campus after graduation because of U.S. regime rules.

Students Transferring Schools to Consummate Current Degree Level:
You may only work on campus at the school that has access to your SEVIS record. Contact the international student adviser at your new school to verify employment eligibility. Your UW on-campus piece of work authorization ends on the SEVIS transfer release appointment.

You are eligible to request a SEVIS tape transfer during the threescore-solar day grace period post-obit your program completion. However, call up to let for 10 business days for ISS processing; contact ISS at least ten days before the end of your 60-twenty-four hour period grace period to request the SEVIS transfer. If you are authorized for OPT yous can request a SEVIS record transfer during your OPT catamenia and within the 60-day grace period following your OPT expiration date.

If you are currently authorized for OPT, cull advisedly when deciding what date you would like your SEVIS tape transferred to your new school. OPT authorisation ends on the "transfer out" date, fifty-fifty if the EAD carte is not however expired. If you programme to work between programs while on OPT, coordinate with your international pupil adviser at both schools to make up one's mind an advisable "transfer out" date.

Aye. You must written report to your new school's International Office within 15 days of the programme commencement appointment listed on your I-20.

Your new schoolhouse will event you lot a new I-20 to show you have completed the school-to-school SEVIS record transfer procedure correctly. This update changes the issuance reason from "transfer pending" to "continued attendance" (check the example).

Image of I-20 showing transfer complete