As an F-1 student, you were admitted to the United States for "duration of status" (D/S). This means you are permitted to be present in the U.S. as long as you maintain your status by complying with the rules and regulations pertaining to F-1 students as set forth by the United States Department of Homeland Security Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS)

Please keep in mind that there is an important difference between an F-1 visa and F-1 status. An F-1 visa is the stamped page in your passport placed there by a U.S. Consular Officer for entry purposes only. F-1 status is granted once you enter the U.S. and is regulated by the CIS. Even if your visa in your passport is valid, you can still lose your legal F-1 status if you do not comply with the applicable immigration laws regulating your stay in the U.S. If you fail to maintain your legal F-1 student status, you will need to apply for reinstatement, or in some cases, be forced to leave the country. With the recent changes in immigration law brought about by the U.S. Patriot Act, it is extremely important that all non-immigrants remain in close contact with the University Center for International Education (UCIE) in order to ensure they are maintaining their status.
 

Government Regulations You Must Follow in Order to Maintain Your Legal F-1 Status

Maintain a valid passport at all times (unless exempt from passport requirements).

Attend the college/university CIS has authorized you to attend (NOTE: This is indicated in Section 2 of your I-20 Form or DS-2019 Form).

Complete an official transfer whenever you change educational institutions. An immigration transfer must be completed prior to days of the beginning of classes during your first quarter/semester at the new school (NOTE: An immigration transfer is a completely separate process from transferring academic credit from one school to another. An immigration transfer is not complete until a Designated School Official/International Student Advisor, from the school to which you are transferring, endorses your I-20 authorizing the transfer).

Complete a full course of study during normal enrollment periods. You are not required by CIS to enroll in classes during the summer sessions; however, you may want to check with your department to see if they have any requirements for summer enrollment.

Apply for an extension of your program of study if you cannot complete your degree by the ending date listed in Section 5 of your I-20 Form or section three of DS-2019 Form. You can apply for an extension up to 60 days in advance. Please note that if you do not extend in a timely manner, you will be "out-of-status"/"illegal" in the United States. Subsequently, you will need to submit an application for reinstatement to Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS)

Obtain a new I-20 Form whenever you make a change in degree levels. This includes changing from bachelor's degree to master's degree, from master's degree to a doctorate degree, from Optional Practical Training to a new degree, from one major to another major within the same degree level (e.g., Master of Science in Engineering to Master of Science in Computer Science), etc.

Do NOT work off-campus UNLESS you have first received authorization from a Designated School Official/International Student Advisor and/or INS. On-campus work does not require authorization, but is limited to part-time (20 hours or less per week) during normal enrollment periods. On-campus employment may be full-time (more than 20 hours per week) during the summer and official school breaks. When you work on-campus during normal enrollment periods, you MUST maintain your full-time student status or your employment will be considered illegal. Please notify the UCIE Office of if/when you accept on-campus employment.

Before traveling outside the U.S. with the intention of re-entering, you must have a Designated School Official/International Student Advisor sign page three of your current I-20 Form or page one of your DS-2019 authorizing you to re-enter the United States.

Please Note:The information outlined above is not intended to be exhaustive. If you have any questions or need additional information about maintaining your F-1 status, please contact the UCIE staff.