F-1 and M-1 students may only attend  the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school listed on the Form I-20, "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” that they used when they applied for a visa, paid the I-901 SEVIS Fee and entered the United States.

Please note that prospective students may receive multiple Forms I-20 if they apply and are accepted to several SEVP-certified schools at the beginning of the international student process.

However, to obtain student status, nonimmigrants must use only the Form I-20 provided by the school they decide to attend. This is because the Form I-20 must accurately reflect a student’s reason for coming to the United States and must match the student’s other official documents.

If a student wants to transfer schools, they must work with their designated school official to properly transfer their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record and receive a new Form I-20 from the new SEVP-certified school they wish to attend.

An F-1 or M-1 student cannot transfer to or receive a Form I-20 from a school that is not certified by SEVP. Please visit Study in the States to find out if a school is SEVP-certified.

SEVP advises students and their dependents to retain all copies of the Form I-20 issued to them from SEVP-schools they attend during their time in student status.

Have questions about your Form I-20? Email them to SEVP@ice.dhs.gov.