F-1 school transfer mid-program

This page is part of the F-1 visa rights: the international student's complete guide cluster. For status violations connected to a transfer, read F-1 status violation — emergency triage.

Who this is for

An F-1 student transferring SEVIS from one SEVP-certified institution to another mid-program. This includes students moving between associate, bachelor's, and master's programs at different schools, as well as students transferring between English language programs and degree-granting institutions at the same school or between different schools.

This guide is for students who are currently in valid F-1 status and are planning a transfer to a new SEVP-certified school before completing their current program of study. If you have already violated your F-1 status or your SEVIS record has been terminated, the reinstatement process differs from a standard transfer — read the SEVIS termination and F-1 reinstatement guide page for guidance on the reinstatement or new initial I-20 options. A transfer is only available while your F-1 status is currently active and your SEVIS record is in valid status at your current school.

The controlling source

Primary controlling source: 8 CFR § 214.2(f)(8).

What the SEVIS release date is

The SEVIS release date is the date the current school releases your SEVIS record to the receiving school. This is a date entered into the SEVIS system by your current DSO, and once the release date passes, the current school loses all ability to edit the SEVIS record. Only the new school can make changes after the release date.

Until you enrol at the new school, your F-1 status depends on the transfer-pending I-20 issued by the receiving school. The transfer-pending I-20 shows that your SEVIS record is in transit between the two schools and that you are authorized to remain in the US during the transfer period. This I-20 does not authorize employment or travel — it simply documents your continued F-1 status during the transition. Once you enrol full-time at the new school, the new DSO updates the SEVIS record to "active" status and issues a new I-20 reflecting the current program of study.

Release-date test

Do not ask the current school to set a release date until all three conditions are confirmed. Setting the release date too early — before the new school is ready to process your transfer — creates a gap where no school has full control of your SEVIS record, which can lead to status complications.

1. Final admission received from the receiving school. Conditional admission is not sufficient — the receiving school must have issued a final acceptance letter. If admission is conditional on completing courses at the current school or meeting language proficiency requirements, wait until all conditions are satisfied before initiating the transfer.
2. Funding confirmed for the first term at the receiving school. You must demonstrate sufficient financial resources to cover tuition, living expenses, and other costs for at least the first academic year. Your bank statements, scholarship letter, or sponsor letter must meet the receiving school's documented funding requirement as shown on the I-20.
3. Start date confirmed and a transfer-pending I-20 can be issued by the receiving school immediately after release. Confirm with the new DSO that they can issue the transfer-pending I-20 on the same day the SEVIS release date passes. A delay in issuing the transfer-pending I-20 can leave you without documentation of valid F-1 status during the transfer period.

Timeline

• Before release (2 to 4 weeks before your planned transfer date): Secure final admission and confirm the start date with the receiving school. Confirm that your funding documents meet the receiving school's documented requirements. Request the transfer-pending I-20 from the receiving school's DSO and confirm they can issue it immediately after the SEVIS release date passes. Notify your current DSO of your intent to transfer and agree on a transfer release date that aligns with your last day of attendance at the current school.
• After release (within 15 days of the release date or program start date, whichever comes first): Enrol full-time at the next available term at the receiving school. Complete the check-in process with the new DSO within 15 days. Failure to enrol after release terminates the SEVIS record and your F-1 status. If you cannot enrol by the deadline, contact the new DSO immediately to discuss your options before the 15-day window expires.
• After enrolment (within 30 days): The receiving school updates SEVIS to "active" status. Verify that the new I-20 issued by the receiving school reflects the correct program of study, start date, and program end date. If any information is incorrect, request a corrected I-20 from the new DSO before the information affects any future applications.

Documents to gather

• Acceptance letter from receiving school — final admission, not conditional or provisional. The letter must be on official school letterhead and include the program name, start date, and any conditions that must be met before enrollment.
• Current I-20 from the transferring school — keep the original plus a digital copy. Your current I-20 remains valid until the SEVIS release date passes.
• SEVIS release form from the transferring school's DSO — this is typically a school-specific form that authorizes the DSO to enter the transfer release date in SEVIS.
• Transfer-pending I-20 from the receiving school — this document proves your continued F-1 status during the transfer period. It will state "transfer pending" in the remarks section and does not authorize employment or travel.
• Proof of enrolment at the next available term at the receiving school — a registration confirmation, class schedule, or tuition payment receipt showing that you have enrolled full-time at the new school.

Worked example

A student asks the old school to release SEVIS before the new school has issued final admission. The old school can no longer edit the record after release, and the student may lose time if the new file is incomplete. The student's status depends on the transfer-pending I-20 — which the receiving school cannot issue without completing its own intake. This creates a gap of several weeks where the student has no valid I-20, no proof of F-1 status, and no way to demonstrate lawful presence in the US. To avoid this situation, always confirm final admission and the receiving school's ability to issue the transfer-pending I-20 before asking the current DSO to set the release date.

A second scenario: a student on STEM OPT at a university decides to transfer to a different school to start a new Master's program. They assume the transfer process works the same as it did for their previous bachelor's-to-Master's transition. However, because they are currently on OPT, they cannot transfer the SEVIS record — they must complete the OPT period, then start the new program on a new initial I-20 with a new SEVIS ID. Attempting a transfer while on OPT would terminate the OPT authorization and could create a status gap. The correct approach is to complete the OPT period, depart the US or maintain status through other means, and begin the new program with a new initial I-20 issued by the receiving school.

What to do next

• If a violation occurred during the transfer, read F-1 status violation — emergency triage and SEVIS termination and F-1 reinstatement guide.
• Rebuild your document set with the F-1 visa document checklist 2026.

The school transfer process step by step

Transferring between SEVP-certified schools as an F-1 student requires following a specific procedure to maintain continuous status. First, apply to and receive acceptance from the new school. The new school must be SEVP-certified and able to issue a new I-20. Second, notify your current DSO of your intent to transfer. The current DSO will update your SEVIS record with a transfer release date — this is the date your SEVIS record will move to the new school. The transfer release date is typically the last day of attendance at the current school or the start date at the new school. Third, after the transfer release date passes, the new school's DSO completes the transfer by registering you in SEVIS and issuing a new I-20. You must complete the check-in process with the new DSO within 15 days of the transfer release date or the program start date, whichever comes first. If you miss this 15-day window, your SEVIS record may be terminated and you could lose F-1 status.

Timing considerations for mid-program transfers

The timing of a mid-program school transfer affects OPT eligibility, CPT availability, and your overall immigration timeline. After transferring, you must complete at least one full academic year at the new school before CPT is available. You remain eligible for OPT at the same degree level based on your cumulative enrollment across both schools, as long as the total time meets the one-academic-year requirement. The transfer release date affects your program end date — the new school typically sets a new program end date based on remaining coursework requirements. If the transfer creates a gap of more than 5 months between the previous program end and the new start date, you may need a new initial I-20 rather than a transfer. Your OPT eligibility is preserved as long as the total time you've been in F-1 status at both schools combined is at least one academic year. If you're on OPT and want to start a new program, you cannot transfer your SEVIS record — you must complete the OPT period, then start a new program on a new I-20 with a new SEVIS ID.

OPT eligibility after transferring schools

Transferring schools mid-program does not reset your OPT eligibility clock, but it does affect when you can apply. You must be enrolled for at least one full academic year before you are eligible for OPT at the new school. If you completed part of an academic year at the previous school and transfer to a new school, the time at the previous school counts toward the one-academic-year requirement. For example, if you completed one semester at School A and transfer to School B, you need only one more semester at School B before you are eligible for OPT. The cumulative enrollment across both schools satisfies the requirement. However, you must have been in valid F-1 status at both schools — a gap in status or a period of unauthorized absence breaks the continuity. After you become eligible for OPT at the new school, the standard filing rules apply: OPT can be filed up to 90 days before the program end date or a DSO-recommended OPT I-20 with a 30-day filing window.