If you are a principal designated school official (PDSO) at a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school, you are responsible for filing for recertification every two years. To help you navigate this process, download and follow the SEVP Recertification Checklist.

Congress mandates that schools undergo the ongoing process of recertification. It is the last, reoccurring step in the SEVP School Certification Life Cycle. The recertification checklist outlines the basic steps you must follow to successfully file for recertification and continue enrolling F and/or M students.  Remember, prepare early by reviewing your Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student," and making any necessary updates well in advance of your school’s recertification deadline.

During the recertification process, SEVP adjudicators review a school’s recordkeeping to verify that it continues to be a bona fide school and remains compliant with SEVP regulatory standards. An alert from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System will notify all designated school officials of their school’s certification expiration date (CED), which is also the last date your school will be eligible to enroll F and/or M students unless you submit a complete recertification package to SEVP. A PDSO must submit a complete recertification package up to 180 days before and no later than the CED.

Want more information about SEVP recertification? Visit the recently redesigned Schools page on Study in the States for more information about how to apply for SEVP recertification.