Designated school officials (DSOs) at Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified schools have many responsibilities. A major one is keeping up with reporting requirements regarding your school and enrolled F and M students. This information is reported, updated, and managed in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

When working with student records, it is very important to enter the student’s information on the Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” correctly the first time and then make updates based on any changes to the student’s information. Examples of updates include changes to the student’s name, address, or program of study. Accurate SEVIS records are a critical priority for U.S. government agencies because they refer to a student’s SEVIS information throughout their time in the United States. Read more about the importance of keeping records up‑to‑date on our blog.

You are also responsible for reporting any material change to your school's information by updating the Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student.” SEVP strongly recommends that DSOs review the school’s Form I-17 on a regular basis to ensure accurate and timely update reporting. This will also make the recertification process much easier. SEVP adjudicators process updates as quickly as possible, however, the process duration varies depending on the nature of the update.

For more information about the process, visit our certification resource pages. You can also use our new tutorial, A Guide to Completing the Form I-17 to walk through the petition process.