If you are in the United States on an F-1 or F-2 visa, attending high school at a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certified school, and are about to graduate or have already done so, you may be thinking about continuing your education at a U.S. college or university.  Below is specific information related to F-1 and F-2 students. 

 

 

If you are an F-1 high school student, after you find an SEVP-certified U.S. college or university that meets your needs, you must apply to that school and work with your high school’s designated school official (DSO) to transfer your SEVIS record to the new SEVP-certified program. 

 

Your current DSO should allow you to transfer upon your request. Once you are accepted to your new school, speak with your high school’s DSO and provide them with the following information:

 

If you are an F-1 high school student, in order to successfully transfer schools you must properly maintain your student status at the high school where you are currently enrolled. This means you have to continue to attend and pass all of your high school courses while they are in session until you reach your transfer release date, which is set by your current DSO. 

 

On your transfer release date, the DSO at your new school will have access to your SEVIS record and will provide you with a new Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.” Both you and your new DSO must sign this Form I-20. To maintain your status and attend classes at your new school, you must register for classes and contact your new DSO within 15 days of the program start date listed on the new Form I-20.

 

If you are an F-1 high school student who recently graduated, your graduation from the SEVP-certified program of study marks the end of your status. If you choose not to transfer to an SEVP-certified institution for post-secondary education, you must depart the United States after the grace period.

 

 

If you are a dependent F-2 high school student and want to enroll at an SEVP-certified college or university full time, you will need to work with the DSO who manages your  F-1 parent’s records and request that the DSO change your immigration status from an F-2 dependent to an F-1 student. 

 

Your parent’s current DSO should allow you to change status upon your request. Once you are accepted to your new school, speak with your parent’s current DSO and provide them with the following information:

 

If you are an F-2 dependent, your previous SEVIS ID associated with your parent’s F-1 status will be terminated upon approval of your change of status. A new SEVIS record will be created for you reflecting your new F-1 status. 

 

To maintain your status and attend classes at your new school, you must register for classes and contact your new DSO within 15 days of the program start date listed on the new Form I-20. If you are an F-2 dependent who does not wish to change your status and attend post secondary school full time, you will remain in F-2 status after graduating from high school until either your F-1 parent’s status ends or you turn 21 years old. As an F-2 dependent, you may study part time at an SEVP-certified post-secondary school without changing your status. However, if you want to study full time, you must follow the steps listed above. 

 

To find out more information, visit the Study in the States transferring page.